Farm Innovators Model C-250 "Around The Farm" Submergible Cast Aluminum Utility De-Icer, 250-Watt
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No, it's a device with a relatively low wattage (250 watts). A typical home space heater, by comparison, can consume 1000-2000 watts. Any good grounded extension cord should suffice (the power is 1500 watts).
Auto- Auto-on at 35°F, Auto-off at 35°F, Auto-off at 35°F At 45°F, I called the manufacturer with the same question about what "thermostatically controlled" meant.
The water level in our bird bath has dropped, but the unit has not yet burned out. However, we make every effort to keep the unit submerged completely. When it's windy, it's a little more difficult, but it's not a huge issue. The fact that our house attracts so many birds compensates for the inconvenience of having to keep an eye on the water level.
I've had these heaters in our water heaters for several years and have never connected them to a grounding pole. I've never had a problem with the ground fault plug.
Selected User Reviews For Farm Innovators Model C-250 "Around The Farm" Submergible Cast Aluminum Utility De-Icer, 250-Watt
These have been my go-to de-cluttering tools. For the past 12 years, I've been putting ice in my small fountain. Normally, they are only good for a year or two. However, this time I used Corrosion X to coat the unit, and I'm on my third winter with it and it's still working fine. br>12/01/2018 I just put the deicer out for the fourth winter. Clean it and coat it inside and out with Corrosion X after removing it in the spring. Allow it to air dry for the rest of the summer before applying more Corrosion X and wiping it dry before installing it in the fall. It prevents the water from freezing and is completely safe for birds to eat.
I bought this in October 2017 and installed it in a large fountain/bird bath that I kept running throughout the winter. Prior to that, I used the freezer test to make sure the heater was working, and despite having soft water, white deposits formed. The device did not work when the temperature dropped below freezing. I tried to remove as much of the white deposit as possible with vinegar and CLR, but I couldn't get it all off. (An after photo is attached) The freezer test still didn't work, so I tried it again about a month later and it worked (why on earth?). But what good is a heater if it won't turn on when I need it? What good is a heater if it becomes unusable due to deposits? In the enclosed paperwork, under the heading "Maintenance," you will find the following information: "Make sure there are no lime deposits or other impurities on the heating element. " This can result in "hot spots," which are the most common cause of failure and void the warranty. Use vinegar or LimeAway on the Heating Element to get rid of the impurities. "How can I avoid the formation of deposits in the first place?" In the winter, it's not practical to go outside and scrub the white deposits off all the time. I sent two emails to Farm Innovators and received no response. That is probably the thing that most disappoints me.
2020 It stopped working after only four weeks. Julie was the person I spoke with when I called the company. She demanded that I perform the reset procedure. The weather improved the next day, but not enough to keep the 5 gallon bucket from becoming iced over. Andrew was on the other end of the line when I called again. I went over everything once more. He instructed me to send a copy of the receipt. To obtain a replacement, most likely. They confirmed receipt of the proof of purchase a week later. br>Two weeks later, I called and spoke with Julie once more. She returned after some time on hold and acknowledged all of the messages. They claimed to be overburdened (mom and pop shop? ), but would immediately move me to the top of the stack and create a shipping label. br>I'm not sure how long it'll take for it to arrive, but the old one is sitting in the middle of a 5 gallon pile of very hard ice! It's the end of January in Wisconsin, and we're having a lot of sub-zero nights. Not good. br>In retrospect, I should have returned it to Amazon and simply purchased another.
It worked well at first, but then it stopped working in the middle of a cold spell. I bought two and was pleased at first; one is still operational, and the other died during a cold spell, leaving me with a broken frozen waterer. This isn't the first time this has happened to me, and I should've read the reviews first. It's similar to a game of Russian ruleta. Have you been warned? Will this one keep working or will it die at the most inopportune time?.
The ones that work for me are great for keeping my chickens' water from freezing. However, finding one that works consistently is difficult at best; I've owned five of these, and only two of them have proven to be reliable. I haven't yet tried the fifth one. br>In my coop, I have two 55 gallon barrels with poultry nipples so I don't have to haul water through the snow during Wisconsin winters. If one of these heaters is installed in each barrel, the water will not freeze. One of the first two I tried was effective, while the other only lasted about a month. Fortunately, I bought a third one not long after, just in case I needed it. Those two are now in their third year of employment. br>In December, I purchased this two-pack to add a third barrel to the coop. I needed a second so I could use one while having a backup. Well, the one I used was a dud right out of the box, so now I'm stuck with a completely frozen 55 gallon barrel and no way to remove the deicer until it thaws, which will most likely be March, well past the return window. It was my fault for failing to check on it before it froze, but with recent highs in the teens and overnight temperatures in the single digits, it didn't take long for it to freeze. It was also brand new at the time. I made the mistake of assuming it would work, at least for a short time.
So I'm using this small water heater to heat my massive water trough for my four horses. Because I rotate fields even in the winter, this is the second one I purchased. It's incredible, and it keeps the water at an ideal temperature for the horses! The horses enjoy the water, and it is not too cold for them to refuse to drink. The water does not freeze as a result of this. It has a thermostat that activates when the water temperature drops below a certain level. Thank you for making such an easy-to-use device!.
For my ducks, I have it in a small pool. Even when the temperature drops to single digits, the water stays thawed. It's easy to use, and unlike some others, I like that it has a thermostat that turns it on and off so it doesn't waste electricity when the temperature is well above freezing. br>In response to the previous reviewer who stated that the stock tank shorted out. It is required that it be plugged into a GFCI outlet. If you put something electric in a pool of water and don't expect something unexpected to happen, you're an idiot. If necessary, invest in a GFCI outlet or a long extension cord. I'm not sure how many times the box and instructions state that it must be plugged into a GFCI outlet.
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