Livestock Waterers - Safe Installation in Cold Climates ... Livestock Waterers - Safe Installation in Cold Climates and the Use of Electrically Heated Waterers Robert Fick Ph.D., PE

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Livestock Waterers - Safe

Installation in Cold Climates and

the Use of Electrically Heated

Waterers

Robert Fick Ph.D., PE

Senior Agricultural Engineer

Alliant Energy

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Why this discussion?

• Livestock waterers need a heat source in

northern climates

• Livestock waterers often are electrically

heated

• Livestock waterers may be a location

where stray voltage can be a concern

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What questions do I hope to discuss?

• How does voltage get to a waterer?

• What is required or recommended for

livestock waterers (drinkers)?

• What types of waterers are available?

• What suggestions and recommendations

are there for installation?

• How and when do you test at waterers?

Assume that we are talking about waterers with

equipment grounding that are not faulting

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Three locations of a livestock

waterer

1. In a building with electrical source

2. Near a building with electrical source

3. Remote from a building with electrical

source

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Equipment Ground to a Livestock

Waterer

NEV

VC

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2011 NEC 547-10 Pages 70-480,481

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NEC 547-10 FPN 1,2,3 Pages 70-480,481

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Three types of waterers

• Energy free

• Electrically heated without conductive

contacts (often plastic)

• Electrically heated (mounted or drop in

heater)

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How does

heat from

the earth

keep a

waterer

from

freezing?

Cobett

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Area of 4ft section of uninsulated pipe per diameter

Height of

uninsulated

pipe (in)

Pipe

diameter

(in)

Area (in2) of

bottom

Area (in2) of

4ft high pipe

below

insulation

Total area

(ft2)

3.14*r2

3.14*d*H columns (3+4)/144

48 6 28 904 6.5

48 8 50 1206 8.7

48 10 79 1507 11.0

48 12 113 1809 13.3

48 14 154 2110 15.7

48 16 201 2412 18.1

48 24 452 3617 28.3

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Examples of overnight ice

thickness in a beef dry lot situation• Energy free water fountains were found to function adequately

provided they are properly design , properly installed and utilized an

appropriate riser pipe. (Schott 1993 Manitoba)

• Cobett

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Suggestions and

Recommendations for Installation

• For freestalls and indoor locations

– Where is electrical heat needed?

– Leave options with electrical

– Segment water lines in building, replaceable

lines, and separate lines (where possible not

under concrete), may want water line on

outside of building

– Equipotential planes

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Equipotential Planes

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Suggestions and

Recommendations for Installation

• For remote waterers consider:

– Equipotential planes

– Waterers without conductive surfaces

• Be aware of measurements due to electric fields

– Additional grounding of waterer

– Separately derived systems

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Equipotential Plane Installation

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Transition

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V ~ 0Equipment

Ground

EPP

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V ~ 0

With this type of heater, there is no conductive

connection between the water and the

equipment ground

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When and How do you test at

waterers? (Case by Case)• Address customer concerns

• Is it wired safely and correctly?– If only two wires (no equipment ground), not safe

– No ground or plane (manufacturer’s specifications and NEC may be time applicable)

• Need to know conditions if you are to suggest grounding, equipotential plane, different waterer or other options

• Best Defense is to have programs and information available to take care of voltages of concern

Documents

Livestock Waterers - Safe Installation in Cold Climates ... Livestock Waterers - Safe Installation in Cold Climates and the Use of Electrically Heated Waterers Robert Fick Ph.D., PE