watering with barrel and nipples... how?

[Simpleterrier]

I have drilled into 15 gallon barrels and haven't had a problem. Have put barrel on outside and use half inch black iron pipe to extend nipple into pen works great. Oh yeah fasten barrel to fence or pen so they can't move it

 

[Latestarter]

@Simpleterrier You should put where you're located in your profile... that way folks don't have to ask "where are you located" when something comes up where location is important... Like freezing temps and water supplies

 

[greybeard]

I would like to set up water nipples to a 55 gallon plastic barrel. I have seen many pictures of this being done. What I don't fully understand is how to attach the nipple to the barrel securely so that it will not get ripped out. The design I have seen that I like best seems to have a bulkhead fitting in the barrel. A pipe attaches to this and branches to 2 nipples. A picture I found is included below. However, my barrel does not have the flat surface to attach a bulkhead fitting. Would a bulkhead fitting directly in the rounded side of the barrel leak? My nipples are 1/2" thread... should I use 1/2" pipes and a 1/2" bulkhead fitting, or go with bigger diameter pipe and fitting with an adapter to allow my 1/2" nipples to screw in? It appears that the one in the picture may use bigger pipe with an adapter?

Any suggestions?

View attachment 24615

The problem with a bulkhead fitting is getting it to hold in the thin part of the drum wall.Yes, you can drill a hole, and tap it to 1/2"NPT (national pipe thread) but you won't have but a few threads due to the thin nature of plastic drums. It will work, but will be so flimsy the nipple will be knocked loose pretty easily.
The easiest way is to lay the plastic drum down on it's side with the 2" hole at 12 o'clock position; positioning the small hole at 6 0'clock and use the 3/4'" bunghole that is already in the drum. Get a 3/4-to-1/2" bushing, screw it in. Come off it with a 1/2" steel nipple as short as you can get by with (probably 3" long), put a 1/2" collar on that, and screw your pig watering thingie on to that.
The only downside to that, is you won't have as much pressure because the drum being laid down and the column of water isn't as high.

I did this once, got tired of filling the drum up, and then spent $35 on a surplus food grade 275 gal tote. (mine originally had molasses in it) They almost always come with a sturdy 2" valve in the bottom, and all you have to do is put a 2" to 1" adapter in the end, then 'bushing' down to whatever size you need. End with a 3-6" nipple and tee and collars to accept your tees and water nipples. Drive a length of treated 2 X 4 (sharpened to a point) next to the pipe nipple and clamp the pipe to the 2x4.

 

[Mikethepigman]

I use water nips all the time. What I do is use a 3/4" paddle drill bit. It's a hair smaller than the nipple. Use a heat gun or hair dryer to heat up the hole I drilled. Then a little bit of pipe tape and force thread the nipple into hole. Now I have use large nuts on the back to hold them in. What I do is open the nipple package and check to see what size but fits it. Tsc or rural king carry's everything. As far as winter in Ohio my barrels get a plastic approved submerged heater. Worked great but was in barn, not heated and not insulated. A few times used little torch to unthaw nipple. Last winter no heater, froze half a dozen times. Again in barn. it helps to have a few pigs on the barrel to help keep water moving.This year.... Gonna use PVC pipe, 4-6" round, cap the bottom and cut about 3-4' length. Install the nipple about 18" off ground for my big pigs and a foot for piglets. Then my idea is to use submersible fish tank heaters... Should save power should work. In a barn. This winter so far has been very very mild, but the cold will come. However one thing I did learn for other farmers is, if you can give your pigs as much water as they can drink, twice a day for 20 mins. then they will be just fine. As far as keeping them from knocking the barrel down or over... I place the barrel outside of pen and put the nipple through the fence, I use cattle panels as they can't get over them. Have had great success. My breeding pen holds 3-6 pigs at one time so two barrels. With those the holes are half way to keep weight inside as we all know they WILL push the barrel! Be glad to help anyway I can. Hope this helps !!! Oh and as far as training, the pigs are smart enuff to figure it out. However I have many times pushed the nipple to let water out when introducing a new sow or gilt to the program. Above all pigs follow each other, so if you can get one pig to drink the others will catch on..they will not go without.

 

[forester7]

Thanks so much for all the help from folks so far! Some great ideas!