Space Heater Advice
#11
I have an automatic dog water bowl in my garage. In Iowa it will freeze since the garage is not heated.

I have been using a heated bucket but that I have to fill and I'd like to use the automatic one if I'm away for a few days.

I am considering putting a small space heater by the water bowl to keep it and the hose from freezing. The bowl is wall mounted and is fed water by a stainless wrapped hose from a freeze proof (not if it's turned on and will be) faucet. The hose, Faucet, and bowl are all within 36 inches at most of each other on one wall.

I was considering an infrared heater so that it heats the bowl, hose and faucet since the small heater won't even come close to heating the 3 car garage.

Any thoughts on this approach?
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#12
That was going to be exactly my suggestion. You need to heat the object directly, not indirectly via heating the air that surrounds them, unless you partially enclose them so the warmed air stays local.

My FIL uses the relatively cheap HF parabolic infrared heater with great success in his RV when he has shore power and doesn't want to burn propane. He also doesn't trust the furnace as far as leaking CO, but that's another story.

It has a low 400W setting, and oscillation mode can be turned off. Since what you heat will in turn heat the air, you may be able to raise the temperature of the bowl and hose even more (on a low setting) by building a light 'box' around the area, just to slow down air movement, with the IR heater aimed into the 'box'. It may not be necessary, especially with the high setting, but it's something to think about at least.

http://www.harborfreight.com/400900-watt...62313.html
Tom

“This place smells like that odd combination of flop sweat, hopelessness, aaaand feet"
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#13
What about something like this pipe heater cable; wrap it around the faucet and line to the bowl, and then around the bowl. This was just a quick google and at 6' long you might need two. Would that work?

http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-6-.../202262328
Credo Elvem ipsum etiam vivere
Non impediti ratione cogitationis
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#14
Bring the poor frozen dog into the house.
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#15
I don't think I have ever owned a dog that could make the correlation between him knocking the heater over , the bowl freezing and him getting thirsty.
Blackhat

Bad experiences come from poor decisions. So do good stories. 


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#16
Heated Dog Waterer:

http://www.gundogsupply.com/kdwh-waterer.html
Mark Singleton

Bene vivendo est optimum vindictae


The Laws of Physics do not care about your Politics   -  Me
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#17
Admiral said:


What about something like this pipe heater cable; wrap it around the faucet and line to the bowl, and then around the bowl. This was just a quick google and at 6' long you might need two. Would that work?

I think that might be worth a try.
http://www.homedepot.com/p/Frost-King-6-.../202262328


1st class birdhouse builder/scrapwood mfg.
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#18
Thanks for all of the options it is appreciated.

I might try the pipe heating tape with a small custom made foam box to keep the heat contained.

The German Shepard has 5 acres to manage, no time to come inside. He is convinced it is his duty to monitor all activity whether it be mice, ground hogs, rabbits, horses or the occational UPS delivery.

Nothing happens without his approval.
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#19
I just noticed in the HD link, that you can get another 6 ft in length for just another $5, so a 12 footer would be available. That should give you more than enough heat.

Unless it doesn't work!
Credo Elvem ipsum etiam vivere
Non impediti ratione cogitationis
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#20
I wouldn't trust an electric heater while I was away from home. Power goes out, pipes freeze. Power comes back on, pipe thaw out. You could come home to a serious mess.

I like Marks idea of the heated container. If the power goes out the worst that happens is the dog gets thirsty until it come back on.

Twinn
Will post for food.
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