Yard pump frozen! Horses without water! Help!

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Yard pump frozen! Horses without water! Help!

Posted: 1/25/2009 7:54:18 AM EDT

I water the horses about once a week. They have a water trough that is a hundred gallons or so big. They can nearly finish the whole thing in a week so I dump it, clean it out, and refill it.

Today is no different. Dumped it out. Went to hook the hose to the yard pump and it was real hard to turn on. when I got the handle up... no water...

There is insulation wrapped around the pipe from the head of the pump to the ground. Its been colder out and never frozen before. Right now its just below freezing. I have enough hose to go between the pump and the barn. I might have enough to go from the house to the barn but the extra hose will have to thaw as it was outside and I've just brought it inside.

I could move the water trough but if I move it from the barn close enough to the house there isn't any nearby power for the tank heater to keep the water from freezing.

Any suggestions on how to quickly thaw a yard pump or a hose?

-Foxxz

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:01:01 AM EDT

[#1]

can you get a hose from the house to the outdoor water tap? maybe from the water heater to outside?
spray the outside tap pipes with water, that should thaw it out..

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:03:12 AM EDT

[#2]

Hook hose to indoor washer connection, fill tank.

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:08:02 AM EDT

[#3]

I think you are actually talking about a freeze-proof hydrant? If that is the case, your underground connection is not below the frost line. Did you install the hydrant? They have to have a leech bed of pea gravel at the bottom of the hydrant pipe to allow the water to escape from the pipe when you shut the water off. It sounds as if the water did not bleed off of your hydrant and that the whole thing is above the frost line. I don't know what to suggest except to maybe dig aroung you pipe down as far as you can and set up a heat lamp.

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:10:07 AM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I think you are actually talking about a freeze-proof hydrant? If that is the case, your underground connection is not below the frost line. Did you install the hydrant? They have to have a leech bed of pea gravel at the bottom of the hydrant pipe to allow the water to escape from the pipe when you shut the water off. It sounds as if the water did not bleed off of your hydrant and that the whole thing is above the frost line. I don't know what to suggest except to maybe dig aroung you pipe down as far as you can and set up a heat lamp.

Yes you are right. I've never heard the correct term before I went looking. Its one of these

I didn't install it and it does not have the gravel around it.

-Foxxz

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:10:13 AM EDT

[#5]

You don't has a bucket?

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:11:39 AM EDT

[#6]

Quoted:
Hook hose to indoor washer connection, fill tank.

Yea I'm working on running a hose to the hookup on the outside of the house. But unfortunately houses aren't always right next door to barns

-Foxxz

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:12:30 AM EDT

[#7]

Quoted:
You don't has a bucket?

Has bucket. Barn is several hundred feet away from house!

-Foxxz

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:13:56 AM EDT

[#8]

Thawed my outdoor hydrant with a propane torch the other day.

Kid had left the hose screwed on and it had frozen up.

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:14:58 AM EDT

[#9]

I parked my truck next to the pump so the exhaust blows right on it.
Thawed mine out the other morning.
Redneck engineering....

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:16:30 AM EDT

[#10]

Quoted:

Quoted:
You don't has a bucket?

Has bucket. Barn is several hundred feet away from house!

-Foxxz

Buckets and other containers plus pickup truck = win for temporary solution.

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:16:50 AM EDT

[#11]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I think you are actually talking about a freeze-proof hydrant? If that is the case, your underground connection is not below the frost line. Did you install the hydrant? They have to have a leech bed of pea gravel at the bottom of the hydrant pipe to allow the water to escape from the pipe when you shut the water off. It sounds as if the water did not bleed off of your hydrant and that the whole thing is above the frost line. I don't know what to suggest except to maybe dig aroung you pipe down as far as you can and set up a heat lamp.

Yes you are right. I've never heard the correct term before I went looking. Its one of these
http://www.global-b2b-network.com/direct/dbimage/50167397/Frostproof_Yard_Hydrant.jpg

I didn't install it and it does not have the gravel around it.

-Foxxz

It sounds as if it is not installed properly. Check the link below to see how they operate and how they need to be installed. You may have to either replace it or re-do it when it gets nicer out. If installed properly, you will not have to have insulation or a heat tape on it.

http://www.guineafowl.com/fritsfarm/greenhouse/hydrant.html

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:17:26 AM EDT

[#12]

good suggestions in here. i like the exhaust one the best, for a temp solution.

you could make a big ole snowball and roll it up into the waterer, let the heater melt it.

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:18:15 AM EDT

[#13]

Hairdryer and extension cord

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:19:49 AM EDT

[#14]

I had that problem last week.
Solution was buckets+wife+kids=happy horses,hogs,chickens, and rabbits.

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:21:04 AM EDT

[#15]

Quoted:
Thawed my outdoor hydrant with a propane torch the other day.

Kid had left the hose screwed on and it had frozen up.

use a propane torch like this guy said. wave it around over the faucet pipe, don't hold it in one place for minutes at a time.

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:28:31 AM EDT

[#16]

The old time way, buckets.

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:34:18 AM EDT

[#17]

Posted: 1/25/2009 8:44:08 AM EDT

[#18]

I'm surprised no ARFcommers are advocating shooting the horses, and arguing about which caliber would be the best to use.

Posted: 1/25/2009 9:05:15 AM EDT

[#19]

It sounds like the hydrant was not shut fully off. If it was not shut completely off then the water wont drain out of it. It can be left in this cracked open state without having water run. Make sure you have it closed down all the way next time.

Posted: 1/25/2009 9:09:06 AM EDT

[#20]

Look, all of the above advice is good, and it is just going to take some ingenuity to solve the problem. But that's going to take time, and you still have thirsty horses for now.

Obviously, you are going to have to have a talk with those horses, and explain to them that for now, they will have to drink beer instead of water.

Posted: 1/25/2009 9:10:26 AM EDT

[#21]

Take the horses to the water.

Can you test this old proverb for us? You can lead a horse to water, but you can't make it drink.

Posted: 1/25/2009 9:15:23 AM EDT

[#22]

FIRE

Posted: 1/25/2009 10:00:58 AM EDT

[#23]

Quoted:
Look, all of the above advice is good, and it is just going to take some ingenuity to solve the problem. But that's going to take time, and you still have thirsty horses for now.

Obviously, you are going to have to have a talk with those horses, and explain to them that for now, they will have to drink beer instead of water.

I have a horse that really likes drinking beer. In fact, I'd rather have a beer with him, than some humans I know.

ETA: Hot water. Boil up about 5 gallons of water and pour it over the faucet. As it soaks into the ground it will thaw out the frozen section.

Posted: 1/25/2009 1:03:07 PM EDT

[#24]

Update:

Our high of today was 33 degrees. However, that was enough to thaw it out after 2 or 3 hours. I was going to buy more hose if it wasn't thawed after I checked it.

Thanks for all the suggestions. I'll be prepared for next time.

-Foxxz

Posted: 1/25/2009 1:10:50 PM EDT

[#25]

Quoted:
Look, all of the above advice is good, and it is just going to take some ingenuity to solve the problem. But that's going to take time, and you still have thirsty horses for now.

Obviously, you are going to have to have a talk with those horses, and explain to them that for now, they will have to drink beer instead of water.

That being said, angry charging horse what do ya do?

We'll go with your regular stallion for Option A, and Clydesdale for Option B

Posted: 1/25/2009 1:18:49 PM EDT

[#26]

Coil hose as best as you can while breaking ice, tie it together, pop hood, throw hose on in, close hood, drive around until most of it melts checking it periodically to make sure you don't burn the hose.

Posted: 1/25/2009 1:20:25 PM EDT

[#27]

Quoted:
I'm surprised no ARFcommers are advocating shooting the horses, and arguing about which caliber would be the best to use.

MMMM, Horsemeat................

Posted: 1/25/2009 1:24:44 PM EDT

[#28]

Our barn is 300 ft from the house and we have another building 75 feet further away. For 4 years I carried 5 gallon buckets to the horses. Two buckets each per day x 4 horses. It is no fun but you gotta do what you gotta do. If you don't wait until it's empty and carry daily it is not as bad as you might think.

I put in a frostless hydrant a year and a half ago. Disregard the above statement about not being bad. I sure like the hydrant

Posted: 1/25/2009 1:26:58 PM EDT

[#29]

You're not a very creative person, are you?

Posted: 1/25/2009 1:29:18 PM EDT

[#30]

Why dump the the tank?
Tanks on the ranch went a year or more without cleaning.
Sister does not clean their's but once a year.

Posted: 1/25/2009 3:47:05 PM EDT

[#31]

Good point. I haven't cleaned mine out for several years. If the water is clear and you see a few things swimming around in it, that means the water is good. If there wasn't things living in it, then you need to clean it out.

Posted: 1/25/2009 3:55:16 PM EDT

[#32]

what about building a fire nearby and using a heat reflector to warm the area around the hydrant?

Posted: 1/25/2009 4:06:13 PM EDT

[#33]

Wrap a bunch of old feed sacks around the hydrant pipe and tie on with wire will help keep the hydrant from freezing if it's horrificaly cold.

Horses are great! You can ride them around, you got an extra set of eyes and an extra brain to get you in or out of trouble too.

If you get in a real bind, you can send a horse for help, or eat a horse. Try that with a 4 wheeler!

Posted: 1/25/2009 9:37:07 PM EDT

[#34]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I'm surprised no ARFcommers are advocating shooting the horses, and arguing about which caliber would be the best to use.

MMMM, Horsemeat................

shoot one of the horses, then cut a big hole in it with a lightsaber. put the horse over the frozen faucet pipe, that should warm it up good!

Posted: 1/25/2009 9:53:13 PM EDT

[#35]

Boy do I miss running water, feed, hay and everything else out on a daily basis for our horses. Actually no I don't.. Growing up, we had about at the most about 45 head of horse at one time,,, don't miss it at all. Especially with weather like it is right now.. Current weather check is as follows; Mostly clear. Lows 16 below to 21 below zero. West winds 5 to 10 mph. Wind chill readings 30 below to 40 below zero. Anyway enough of my thread hi-jack. Next time try some of this Heat Tape it will thaw your pipes out.

Posted: 1/25/2009 11:03:06 PM EDT

[#36]

Couldn't you filter their urine with a Brita water filter and just reuse it?

Posted: 1/25/2009 11:07:41 PM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
Couldn't you filter their urine with a Brita water filter and just reuse it?

Isn't that called Coors?

Posted: 1/25/2009 11:08:25 PM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:

Quoted:
Couldn't you filter their urine with a Brita water filter and just reuse it?

Isn't that called Coors?

You could just a roll a keg in each stall and let them go at it.

Posted: 1/25/2009 11:10:55 PM EDT

[#39]

Quoted:
You don't has a bucket?

You want to fill a 100+ gallon water station with a bucket?

Posted: 1/25/2009 11:28:15 PM EDT

[#40]

Quoted:

Quoted:
You don't has a bucket?

You want to fill a 100+ gallon water station with a bucket?

He could fill it with 'light water'.

Posted: 1/26/2009 5:43:08 PM EDT

[#41]

Horses croke yet?

Posted: 1/26/2009 5:52:57 PM EDT

[#42]

Quoted:

Quoted:
I'm surprised no ARFcommers are advocating shooting the horses, and arguing about which caliber would be the best to use.

MMMM, Horsemeat................

HORSE, It's what's for dinner.

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - Yard pump frozen! Horses without water! Help!

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