Water trough Flow rates

[Grassman247]

So me and the old fella are having an argument about water flowrates into troughs for cattle.

Currently fitting new sheds out and then onto field system, sheds are being fed with 50mm to a manhole beneath each trough and then reduced down to 3/4 hydraulic hose feeding a 20mm xtra flow ball valve from kiwikit, the troughs fill faster than they empty.

He reckons we should go back to the standard brass float valve to slow down how fast they fill to stop them freezing and he’s saying that they will rob water from other cattle, I believe that the faster they fill the less time the pumps will run to fill the troughs and the more efficient the system will be

Who’s right?

 

[vantage]

You are.
If it freezes, brass valves are the first thing to freeze.
Pumps should ideally be vari speed so will increase flow as more is required.

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Don't know which god's i angered but between Christmas and New year I had 5 of the brass arms break in 3 different troughs.

I think it was me tipping them out then a cow has worked out she can reach the ball valve before the trough re filled.

 

[Grassman247]

You are.
If it freezes, brass valves are the first thing to freeze.
Pumps should ideally be vari speed so will increase flow as more is required.

Every shed will be on a manifold so I was thinking of putting pressure regulators on every 50mm line so the younger animals could have lower pressure

 

[multi power]

You both have valid points

 

[Greenbeast]

Don't know which god's i angered but between Christmas and New year I had 5 of the brass arms break in 3 different troughs.

I think it was me tipping them out then a cow has worked out she can reach the ball valve before the trough re filled.

Welcome to the world of pig keeping!!
Annoyingly you can get the bodies, and the float but i can't find replacement arms!

 

[buffalo_soldier]

Welcome to the world of pig keeping!!
Annoyingly you can get the bodies, and the float but i can't find replacement arms!

My local supply store keeps a stock luckily.

Are pig drinkers a funny size?
Had a quick Google and found a few:
https://www.fanevalleystores.com/product/2503561/replacement-brass-ballvalve-arm-short-6-140mm

http://m.molevalleyfarmers.com/h5/r/molevalleyfarmers//mvf/store/category/valves-and-stopcocks

 

[Greenbeast]

Standard type 2 float valves, thanks