Our Water Pipe Froze and We Attempt to Use the Gantry to Unload 2,000 Pounds of Feed

[@WilliamLighthall]

Sometimes we learn the most when things don't go the way we want or expect..

[@susbee312]

Looks like you have had a week of learning and you always come up with ideas. It’s trial and error. Good job!!

[@Mr.S7R4WM4N]

Just one of those days!

[@bookworm67-hv7nm]

for your hose you could put a quick connect on the spigot and then put a post near it with a old car rim on it and wind the hose around to stop it freezing or some thing like that

[@TriStarHomestead]

Good idea with the wheel. I don’t think that would keep the water from freezing inside the hose but would make it clean for sure. May have to do that.

[@sofloprepper6710]

What you need is an I beam about 20 feet long welded or bolted to the top of your shipping container with about 8-10 feet overhang.

[@TriStarHomestead]

Ha! Now that would be a setup. I think a tractor might be a bit more practical though.

[@sofloprepper6710]

@@TriStarHomestead yeah but a I beam might be able to be found at a scrap yard.

[@TriStarHomestead]

For sure but the shipping containers aren’t going to stay there long term. And we only get feed every three months or so.

[@sofloprepper6710]

@@TriStarHomestead but if they are paid for then they are yours, and good to have for tool and equipment safe lockable storage and you could put a concrete pad under the I beam and use it as a possessing area or even for lifting out a motor or winch your mower up for blade maintenance or even hang a swing from it for that baby so yall can take a break and swing the baby. And it wouldn't rot like the wood contraption.

[@joedecook]

When you back-filled the hole, I hope you put down some gravel or drain rock. It helps that drain valve in the bottom. You ever think about getting one of those 55 gallon drum shop vac attachments? Wonder if that work work to transfer your feed easier?

[@TriStarHomestead]

Yes, there was gravel in the hole to begin with so I filled back in with that before the dirt. As for the feed, that's actually a good idea but not sure it would work for my feed being that it is ground and has some dust. Would probably end up wasting a lot. I could see it working for whole grains though.

[@loulauer5853]

That was wild hearing the gantry cracking and seeing it bend without actually breaking entirely! That could have been pretty bad. I also lived in a camper with an outdoor hydrant while a house was being built in an area that is subject to freezing temps. I've spent my fair share of time unfreezing water connections to get running water to the camper! Someone already mentioned two things which could be helpful. Build a box out of insulated board to place over the hydrant, and the need for the hydrant to have an open end above ground to allow it to properly drain. One suggestion I could offer is to move the faucet splitter/expander to a location inside one of the camper bins (it's slightly warmer there too, especially if you can place a small electric space heater with a thermostat in the bin area), then just have one water line from the hydrant to that splitter, preferably the heated hose you have coming. Then when you do feel the need to shut off water overnight, you can more easily remove the single hose connected to the hydrant, allowing it to better drain itself. Just more of a strangers 2 cents worth of advice. Enough of us and you'll have a dollar soon 😁😆

[@TriStarHomestead]

Yeah the gantry was pretty crazy. As for the water lines, the water was left on for about five hours in below freezing temps before I shut it off so the whole hydrant froze and that's what caused the crack I think. This wasn't the first night of below freezing temps but it's the first night I left it on for that long in the freezing temps. I usually leave the hydrant closed and the splitter open and hadn't had issues prior to this. Error on my part really.

[@dannysomers9903]

you still have to unhook the hose

[@buckreynolds7475]

If you leave the hose on it can't get any air to drain out

[@buckreynolds7475]

You got to unhooaed your hose

[@ruthbrown2186]

Should you have put rocks at bottom for the overflow?

[@TriStarHomestead]

Yes, you definitely should and all the stuff to the left of the dug out pile is all rocks that got put back in first.

[@target844]

The water hydrant is likely not draining the spigot or what is after it. So if you feel the need to turn it of because of cold temperature you need to drain it too. They are designed with the intention of a water hose on the other end that is not closed so water can drain there too, not for pipes that remain filled with water. You can run into a similar problem if you use a hose nozzle that can stop the flow of water. So you should turn of the spigot first and leave the nozzle open. It is a good idea to take a nozzle that can stop flow indoors if you risk frost and only let a water hose outdoors that will just contain a bit of water. So if you do not have any heating of the system outdoors to be save you should drain the pipe with water to the RV too. I would get a new heated hose and build a box around the spigot. Use foam board insulation and build a box you simply over the spigot. It is easy to remove, add some wood if it is needed for looks or weight. When the heat hose it back it will heat the inside of the box too. A cheap thermometer with an outdoor probe in a wire can be used so check how cold it gets in the box and if you need extra heating. If it is cold you can leave the water flowing, even if it is just constantly dripping that flow will bring up new water that is above freezing and will stop if from freeing or in the worst case just increase the time it takes to flow. How high flow it needed depends on how cold it is.

[@TriStarHomestead]

It cracked because the water froze inside the hydrant when it was on. It got well below freezing before I could turn it off.

[@buckreynolds7475]

Well it will

[@mikemurphy9290]

It's going to freeze again if you keep the hose attached

[@TriStarHomestead]

The hose freezing is not really a concern of mine. The replacement heated hose has showed up and while we waited for it we just pulled that hose at night. The spigot was the issue, not the hose.