SOLAR HEATED STOCK
TANK ENCLOSURE
One
of the biggest power consumers of
winter are those electric stock tank heaters. Even though they only
keep the water at 40F, they can cost $100s per winter to operate. A
metal tank sitting on the ground surrounded by cold air does take a lot of
energy to heat, but a simple barrier of insulation and a little solar gain
has proven to solve the problem 90% of the time. Ice that does form on
the top will be much thinner, allowing the animals to break it themselves
oftentimes, and you can still use that electric heater as a backup.
Here you see the south side of the tank enclosure with the twin wall greenhouse panel collecting solar heat. The lid is covered by EPDM rubber roofing with an access hole cut out for access by the horses.
Here is Gary's model in action just south
of Bozeman. For complete details of how it was built and a full cost
analysis, visit
Build It Solar's web site. We are just beginning to offer these
for sale, the current price is $499 complete, delivered, and set up for you,
custom sized to any stock tank. Send an
email if you are interested.
