Solar Water Trough aka BT Solar Suntank

So I have decided to make a blog just about Ben's new solar water trough simply due to the extreme attention it has received. I touched onto this subject in my previous blog, but wanted to elaborate more about it. So Ben's solar trough is called the BT Solar Suntank. It is made from a company called Pine Ranch Products located in Utah. The suntank was named in the top 10 horse products of the year & has an article about them. The suntank comes in 2 sizes currently, a 25 gallon auto or manual fill or a 42 gallon auto fill. The difference between auto & manual fill is the manual fill (what Ben has) is filled by a regular hose. The auto fill can be used as a manual or auto fill so it's nice if you plan to at some point have automatic water system in place. The 25 gallon is guaranteed to not freeze down to 20 below & the 42 gallon is guaranteed all the way down to 50 below zero. So if your in an extremely frigid climate you may want to consider the 42 gallon simply due to the fact that it has a lower threshold for the cold temperatures. I chose the 25 gallon manual fill because I can easily keep up with making sure the water level stays up & it typically doesn't get colder than 20 below here (though we do go below zero occasionally).

The suntank has a float that sits atop the water & the horse has to push it down to get to the water. Now I admit I was panicking over the float thinking Ben would never figure it out & become dehydrated. Silly, silly me clearly..... I did as the instructions had said by leaving the float off for 3 days so he knew it was his water source & then add the float with some treats on it. The idea with the treats is that when they go to eat them they will push down with enough force to realize the water is easily there & accessible. As much as I stressed over all of it Ben accepted & very easily & quickly learned to use it! I should have known... So if your nervous about the float don't be because it helps keep the water warmer & your horse will learn no problem! The only thing the company advises with the float is that on very cold days you have to oil the float in corn oil to prevent it from sticking to the side of the tank. The float also still functions if snow is on it your just advised to clean it off when your there.

The solar panel to the trough is enclosed in shatterproof Plexiglas window that must face the south in order to generate enough heat. Now your probably thinking what about cloudy days? The panel is a passive solar panel so it will still absorb what it can despite the clouds. Now if your horse is rough & tumble then you will want to keep the solar area out of direct contact with your horse. Ben is easy on everything so I wasn't concerned with that. Beyond the float & solar front the tank is enclosed with a lot of insulation which also aids in warming the water & preventing freezing. When it snows you must clear any snow away from the solar panel & you can even put the snow on the ground in front of the trough to help attract even more sunlight to your tank. 

I know some of you might think that these suntanks can only be used in the winter since it warms the water right? Wrong..... The company sends you a summer shield to cover the solar panel & has you change the direction of the trough to north during the hot months. The suntank actually will keep your horses summer water cooler, bug free, & algae free! So these tanks can be used year round which is a major plus since they are an initial expense. Yes the suntanks are up there in price, but when you account for your added price to your electric bill if you use a heater to heat your troughs, or a vet bill, or honestly anything horse related it's not as bad as it seems. Water is an essential part of life so why is that not worth having it fully accessible & not a block of ice? let's face it you can be extremely diligent with keeping your trough not frozen, but there are those days where you just can't keep up & in a matter of mins an ice layer is beginning to form again! Sure your horse may break the ice or "not mind" but i'm sure if given the choice between lukewarm water even cool water or ice cold water they would choose the first option. So keep this in mind when your running the figures in your head. Also another thought to keep in mind is this suntank is something that is going to be heavily used every single day 365 days a year so it's not like your spending a lot on something that will only be used occasionally!

I have personally be using the suntank for only a week. In that week we have had sleet, rain, & temperatures consistently in the 30's even dipping into the 20's every evening & it has held up like a champ with no ice or freezing cold water! The bigger test will be snow & even colder temperatures which according to the weather station is sadly approaching next week. I also compare regular water troughs to his suntank & do notice a big difference between the two. The company was very friendly & easy to work with. They had a few delays with the holidays & weather related issues but I received the suntank in 3 weeks even with those obstacles. It comes with a set o instructions & frequently asked questions which I found to be very helpful. The tanks are preassembled & ready to go. No electric no cords nothing at all. They include the summer shield for the hot months as well. The tanks are not overly heavy either only 43 pounds with no water added (25 gallon one).

So bottom line is if you are looking to save money on your electric bill due to heater costs, not a fan of electric, can't keep up with the ice, or simply don't want to deal with the ice then check out the BT Solar Suntank. Pine Ranch Products the makers of the tank will easily answer any & all questions you may have. This is not a new product & has been around for over 7 yrs. This is the only company I have come across that makes this type of product other than the DIY versions out there. I will give more updates as to how it holds up with time.