Cookie Tin Water Heater

Hello,

PLEASE KNOW THE LIMIT OF YOUR ANIMALS AND BRING THEM INSIDE WHEN IT'S TOO COLD

A cookie tin water heater is a convenient and safer way to keep water from freezing outside during the winter. I use mine with my chickens in Colorado. While we do not have notoriously brutal winters, you can ramp up the wattage on the light bulb to have a warmer heating tin.

This can be used on any outdoor water source, have one on my dog's outdoor water bowl as well.

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This is a very simple build with some limited tools.

Cookie Tin: These can be found at the dollar store or any supermarket for a few dollars. You can buy these empty, but because I am a glutton for punishment, I opted for the full cookie tin.

Light bulbs: Incandescent light bulbs are much harder to find with the new LEDs, however they can still be found on the internet. I found decorative light bulbs 40W bulbs. the larger the watts the more heat the bulb will produce.

Bottle Lamp Kit: These can be found at any supermarket for around $10.

TermoCub: This is not necessary for the build but it does help not wasting money heating water when it's warm enought that it wont freeze.

Hammer and a nail: to poke a hole

Drill and bit: to widen the hole.

If you decided not to buy an empty cookie tin then you will need to empty the cookie tin.

This is the most rewarding step of the build.

I began by using a hammer and nail to puncture a hole.

I then used increasing drill bits to widen the hole to the width of the provided tube thing from the bottle kit.

**CAUTION** The tin is soft and will peel out in sharp angles near the hole.

Use the provided instructions from the lamp kit to wire the bulb inside of the the cookie tin.

Plug into a GFCI outlet. away from any water that could hit the outlet.

I have placed the tin on an upturned feeding tray to keep it elevated from leafs and debris that the ladies would kick into the waterer.

Because my bulb is a small bulb the tin is only warm to the touch. if you were to buy a larger bulb for more heat it will result in a much warmer tin, use caution and common sense.

You now have a fully functioning cookie tin water heater!