Angus,

Thanks for your reply and comments. They got me thinking. I don't really know what the water inlet temp is nor do I really know how fast the waterer recovers temperature. So I did some checking this afternoon.

It was 12 deg F air temperature this afternoon when I did the check.  

I ran some water out of the frost free hydrant outside the waterer area into a plastic coffee can (have lots of those around). This is well water coming underground maybe 500 ft from the underground pressure tank on top of the well. I don't know how deep it is but it has never frozen and was put in by a very good contractor. The water temp is just as you pointed out: 38 deg F.

I then checked the temp of the water sitting in the waterer and was very surprised to find the water at almost 70 deg F! This is too high - like a cup of warm tea! It was more than luke warm. I was glad you got me to do this on a cold day - not something I was planning until I saw your post. Anyway, I adjusted the thermostat down to about 55-60 deg water temp. Thank you.

Then I shutoff the power at the box, drained the whole waterer thru the plug, let it fill again (with 38 deg water), turned the power back on and measured the water temp again.

Within less than a minute from turning the power on the water temp was near 60 deg.

I guess I am satisfied that, while cows can drink at an amazing rate, they don't empty the whole 13 gal and start with cold as I did. With the 1000 watt element it seems to recover fast enough that I don't think the cows ever see water under maybe 45 or 50 degrees with the thermostat set at 60.

The reason is the way the heavily insulated cover (which extends down into the water) covers the heat element, valve, float, water entry point and thermostat the incoming cold water gets heated immediately since the Franklin valve drops the cold water right where the heater is, not anywhere the cows can drink it. This waterer also weighs over 800 lb and I think one of the benefits of a concrete waterer compared to lighter one is the mass tends to act like a heat sink and moderate water temp swings. Even though it has a 1000W heat element, that element doesnt need to run very much.

I took the cover off so you can see what I mean and took a photo which I'll add below.

General comment: I am not selling these nor do I have any reason to promote Petersen other than they work and work well. I like to share information on here about stuff that works, because many times you buy things like this that are major purchases and tough to change once they're installed and they DON'T work as you expect.

I have had several purchases based on recommendations here that have worked very well - Dutch suggested, based on his experience, the R-K service bodies out of TX for our trucks. He was right on - they are tough and we now own two of them. Even something simple like boots - someone here on NAT suggested "Muck Boots" which I had never heard of before. Well I have a lot of trouble finding a wet boot I like that is comfortable, you can wear for extended periods, get on and off my big feet and doesn't make your feet sweat unduly. I bought a pair and they are just what I have been looking for.  

So I'm not trying to argue with you about waterers, just sharing my experience which may save someone some time and trouble. There may be many others that work well. I am just sharing what I have seen with this one.

Thanks again for your reply - becauseof that I checked the water temp which I would not otherwise have done. I suggest to others that taking a thermometer to your waterer every once in a while may be a good idea. Just because it's not frozen doesn't mean its set right. jmho.

Jim at Dawn

Here's the photo of the Petersen with the top removed. I use the Franklin valve and flat float rather than the brass valve and ball float because this one has much better fill speed and characteristics. It may let you get by with a smaller waterer if it fills faster, esp in the summer.

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IMG_3730_1.JPG (111KB - 994 downloads)