As the leaves begin to drop, the warm autumnal colors begin to fade, and the sun sets earlier in the sky: winter is coming. In January 2014, Miller Manufacturing acquired Allied Precision Industries (API™), a leading manufacturer of heated and electric products for the farm and ranch market. For years, our customers asked Miller to provide products to make winter on their homestead easier, and with the addition of the API™ product line, we can now answer those calls to action.
From wild birds to livestock to hunting dogs, the API™ line covers a wide breadth of products for a whole range of animals on the farm. Today, we’ll fill you in on an easy-to-use guideline for what de-icer to buy for your outdoor water source. To keep your stock tank ice free in the winter months, below you will find a quick guide to how many watts your de-icer should be for the gallon-size of your water container. As you will see noted, often you will want to err on oversizing your de-icer, as heating up the water quickly is more efficient to prevent heat loss and minimize energy usage.
Remember, whenever we think we understand weather and how she will act – we are caught off-guard. These are general guidelines to use for sizing your de-icers but can be affected by regional extremes, abnormally cold temperatures, or strong winds.