Farm Innovators Tank and Pond De-Icer for Livestock Containers up to 25 Gallons, C-250

Keeps my pig waterer from freezing. Works great.

Worked flawless for right at 4 years. now it's time to buy again. no regrets! worth the money for four years!

Actually too hot for a bird bath. It works so well that I need to add water to the bird bath every day due to the heater evaporating water. A gentle mist of water is constantly leaving the bird bath. The birds love it - warm water for bathing. At times, we have as many as 10 - 12 birds lined-up around the rim of the bath and as soon as one or two birds get out of the bath another one or two jump in. Wish humans would be as courteous to each other.Very well designed and sealed heater. I anticipate that this heater will last far longer than the competitive unit I have used in the past and replaced many times. This is a 250W heater and when I opened the package, an instruction sheet noted that this capacity is for a stock tank. 50W listed for bird baths. Wish I knew that before ordering this model. The up-front information should have noted that so appropriate models could be purchased.

Keeps the chicken water from freezing. Happy chicks.

This is the second one of these units that I bought. The first one lasted several years, but eventually started tripping my GFI.I like the unit, and was happy with its performance, and that is why I bought the second one. The problem appears to be where the cable enters the unit (through the brass plate shown in the photo). In my first configuration, I had completely submerged the unit. In this second configuration, I positioned the unit vertically using a very large hose clamp to hold the unit in place so that the brass plate is not submerged. So far, this configuration seems to work fine.This unit appears to be solid aluminum, has a thermostatic switch, and runs off of 120VAC. The power cord is somewhat short (6 feet or 8 feet?), so I have it plugged into an extension cord. I have the unit keeping my stainless steel, fence mounted, automatic dog watering dish (Nelson # 1200B) warm throughout the freeze season (about 2 months here in northern California). This is only about a gallon of water, so this deicer unit is overkill, but I needed something that actually works.I had been concerned that I don't know where the thermostat is in the deicer; and if it is in the black handle (as shown in the photo) then having it out in the air may be a problem. But I didn't experience any issues with having the black handle and the brass plate out in the air. I had checked the handle a few times the first couple of days but it never seemed to be excessive hot, so I assume that the thermostat was cycling the way that it was supposed to.Also, I have a well (i.e. no municipal water source). So I feed my dog water dish with softened water to keep the automatic dog watering dish's valve from seizing up from calcium deposits. As a result, after 2 months the aluminum body of this deicer unit is covered with nodules (which I assume are some derivative of potassium chloride since that is what I use in my water softener, and the aluminum body of the deicer). So at the end of the freeze season, and after this deicer dries, I just wire-brush the nodules off. Since my stainless steel water dish doesn't have these nodules, then there is some reaction with the aluminum of the deicer. I wish they offered a stainless steel version of this deicer.I would recommend this unit to others with the caveat that they not submerge the power cable entry point under water. Likewise, the aluminum body will accumulate (something) if you have a water softener and feed it potassium salt. I gave it 4 stars since I tried other units and they failed miserably...

Arrived exactly as described

Bought the de-icer so that birds and squirrels can have access to water during the winter. I knew it wouldn't make the water warm, I just didn't want it to freeze over. Placed 250 watt de-icer in 2 gallon caste iron bird bath. 28 degree weather and it freezes 2 inches down. Have to use a rock to break through the ice, every day. Useless.....

Had the same unit which lasted 3 winters and scaling must have corroded the old one. Hope this last as long or longer.

We have a pail (20 L from drywall compound with holes drilled in the lid) that we have in a wood box for the birds to have water during the winter. We haven't had our super cold yet but we have had into the - mid twenties windchill and water has stayed with no ice formation. So far, so good!

works good in my cattle water bowl

I've been taking care of some stray cats. Don't worry, I've trapped them all and had them neutered and registered myself as stray cat colony to adhere to local bylaws. In winter time water can become scarce at freezing temperature for these cats.I would change the frozen water every morning and there would be little time before the water froze again. The cats knew what time to show up for the water. I wanted them to have water 24/7 and decided to get this water heater.I got this device despite some not so great reviews. But I'm here to tell you it works well. I don't recall the weather going down to less than -15 degrees Celsius, thanks to climate change (not a good thing). The water never froze.Now not only the cats but also other animals make it there routine stop. Squirrels also pass by to drink the water.Because the water doesn't freeze, the cats now come by anytime they wish. If you take care of outdoor animals.Don't worry, I also feed these cats...

I thought you could just plug it in and put it in the water and your good to go. I didn't realize you need to drive a ground rod and all which is not going to be possible for me. This is now something I can't use.

The heater works as it should Be prepared to change it out on a yearly basis. Just the way it is. They fail after being submerged over time