In article , Ignoramus12377
wrote:

I need to buy a metal bucket (galvanized) with a cover. I will use it
in conjunction with a fishtank water heater as a water filled source
of radiant heat for a chicken coop for this coming
winter. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find any store that sells
them, everyone now sells plastic buckets.

The reason why I want to buy galvanized is threefold:

1) it conducts heat better

Not an issue. All heat generated by the fishtank water heater will of
course reach the outside. (Conservation of energy laws. The higher
thermal conductivity of a metal bucket over a plastic bucket drops out
of the equations in the steady-state solution, as one would expect.)



2) it can be painted black (I assume plastic buckets are not
paintable) to radiate better

_Definitely_ not an issue.

3) It can be better grounded, being metallic.

The immersible water heater is already grounded. Fish tanks are made of
plastic or glass and don't cause problems, so why should a plastic
bucket?


--Tim May

lid (Ignoramus12377) writes:

I need to buy a metal bucket (galvanized) with a cover. I will use it
in conjunction with a fishtank water heater as a water filled source
of radiant heat for a chicken coop for this coming
winter. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find any store that sells
them, everyone now sells plastic buckets.

The reason why I want to buy galvanized is threefold:

1) it conducts heat better
2) it can be painted black (I assume plastic buckets are not
paintable) to radiate better
3) It can be better grounded, being metallic.

So, where can I buy one? It does not have to have the shape of a
bucket, it can be rectangularly shaped or whatever, but it requires a
cover.

I have one that I use for an ash scuttle. It is really handy for that.
I can just scoop hot ashes into it, put the cover on and set it outside
to cool for a few days. The cover keeps the ashes from getting rained
on, so they stay dry for disposal.

I bought it at Bi-Mart, a small PNW membership discount store
headquartered in Eugene, Oregon. It is about 3-4 gallons, with a loose
fitting galvanized lid and bail handle. I have seen them in stock every
winter, so I know they are in production, and seem to be a popular item.
I also seem to remember seeing them at Coastal Farm Supply. I think you
would have a pretty good chance of finding one any place that sells a
good selection of galvanized tubs and buckets.

Farm stores are your best bet, or if you live in the PNW, just go to Bi-
Mart. The problem is that I have the impression they are seasonal
merchandise for some reason, and you may have to wait a few months for
the inventory to change.

--
http://home.teleport.com/~larryc

On 13 Aug 2003 15:03:40 GMT, Ignoramus12377
wrote:

I need to buy a metal bucket (galvanized) with a cover. I will use it
in conjunction with a fishtank water heater as a water filled source
of radiant heat for a chicken coop for this coming
winter. Unfortunately, I cannot seem to find any store that sells
them, everyone now sells plastic buckets.

Trying to heat a chickenhouse with a fishtank water heater is like
trying to heat your house with a kerosene lamp.


The reason why I want to buy galvanized is threefold:

1) it conducts heat better
2) it can be painted black (I assume plastic buckets are not
paintable) to radiate better
3) It can be better grounded, being metallic.

IPlastic will be a better electrical insulator. It's what they make
electrical tape out of these days. The color of the bucket should
have little or no impact on the rate of heat transfer. You can get
plastic buckets in a variety of colors. The two leading colors are
black and white.


So, where can I buy one? It does not have to have the shape of a
bucket, it can be rectangularly shaped or whatever, but it requires a
cover.

Tried Home Depot or Lowes or the local hardware store? Hell, call a
house painter or a building contractor, he will probably give you all
that you want in whatever color that you want..



I also own a metal "jerry can" for gasoline, but I am afraid that it
will simply rust through as it is not galvanized inside. I am afraid
to fill it with any kind of oil for safety reasons.

I am not dirt poor and I can spend $10 on a bucket.

I am aware that the alternative solution is an oil filled radiator
heater for small rooms. The problem with them is that their
thermostats are graduated starting with 50-60 degrees or so, and I
want a lower setting, just to keep the coop above freezing.

Decisions are almost never binary. There are quite a few ways to heat
a chicken coop other than the ones listed. Frankly, I have serious
doubts about heating a chicken coop with a fish tank heater anyway.

In article , Ignoramus12377
wrote:

In article , Noah Simoneaux wrote:

My wife noticed an interesting thing on a poultry message forum she
frequents. Many of the people who heated their chicken coop had
problems with cold-weather injuries in their birds, while people who
didn't heat theirs had few. The unheated coops were insulated to
varying degrees.

Did it include people in the north of the US?



You _really_ need to learn how to use Google. Though I said I wouldn't,
I did some Googling on the issue and found scads of good sites and good
information.

You are reinventing the wheel, except with some cock-eyed notions about
physics thrown in.

Use Google, for all of your varius questions here, about oyster shells,
feed stores, chicken coop heaters, metal buckets, etc.


--Tim May

On Wed, 13 Aug 2003 10:42:06 -0700, Tim May wrote:

(snip)

You _really_ need to learn how to use Google.

Some people are staying away from Google. They prefer other search engines which
don't do as much spying on them.
Anyone who thinks there is some good in everyone hasn't interviewed enough people.

Eastman's Personnel Director's Law