When selecting an automatic waterer, you should consider if there’s standing water above the frostline. Most watering methods (both automatic and manual) have a reservoir of standing water that the animal drinks from – think of a trough, tank, or standard auto waterer that’s refilled automatically. This reservoir of standing water is the cause of most watering issues! It’s what freezes, gets dirty, grows algae, attracts bugs, harbors water-borne illnesses, etc. To keep this reservoir from freezing in the winter, usually a heater or insulation is used. In the summer, it must be scrubbed regularly to get rid of algae growth.

The Drinking Post circumvents all these issues because there is no standing water. The Drinking Post has an empty bowl with a paddle that the animal will push. When the paddle is pushed, fresh water fills the bowl. When the paddle is released, all the water drains away, leaving the unit empty. Since the unit is completely empty when it’s not in use, there’s no water in there that can freeze, grow algae, get dirty, etc. This is a very similar concept to a frost-free hydrant.

If you’re familiar with how a frost-free yard hydrant works, then you already understand how the Drinking Post works. Wikianswers says that “Frost-free yard hydrants are installed to provide water to various locations in the farmyard during all seasons of the year. They are manufactured and installed in such a way that they will operate throughout the winter without auxiliary heat.”  This is the same as the Drinking Post – it can function in winter temperatures (as low as -50 F/-45.5 C) without any auxiliary heaters, electricity, or insulation.

A major component of both the yard hydrant and the Drinking Post is a stop-and-drain valve. This valve is located 18″ below the local frostline. The paddle presses down on an activation rod which opens the valve. This allows water to flow up from the water line, through the valve, up through the unit, and into the bowl.

When the animal releases the paddle, the valve is closed, and the water falls down through the unit, back through the valve, and into a leach field below the Drinking Post. This leaves the unit completely empty of water, preventing freezing.

Not only does this keep the water from freezing, it also has the added benefit of keeping the water at a constant temp. Since the valve and waterline sit deep in the ground (at least 18″ below your frostline), they won’t be affected by the temperatures above ground. The water will come up at the same perfect drinking temp, 50 F/ 10 C all year long!

To operate the Drinking Post, a thirsty animal simply presses their nose on the paddle. When the paddle is pushed, water will begin to fill the bowl immediately and a full bowl will fill in 5-10 seconds. When they’re finished, they’ll release the paddle and walk away. The water will begin to drain immediately and will drain completely in under a minute. It’s a gravity-fed drain, so the water just falls down through the unit and into the leach field below the Drinking Post. Once the Drinking Post is properly installed, you’ll teach your animals to push the paddle. Each Drinking Post comes with a Training Paddle that you will clip onto your flat paddle. Please see our Training Guide for more specifics on training.

Installation is very important! You will get an Installation Guide in your Drinking Post box, be sure you read it carefully and follow all the instructions. Installation is easy, any outdoor plumber or excavator can do it. Many of our Dealers also offer installation, and many customers install their own Drinking Posts if they have access to digging equipment. The two most important parts of installation are (1) making sure the base is deep enough (at least 18″ below the frostline), and (2) making sure the leach field is big enough (at least 3′ x 3′ x 1′ deep). Check out the installation diagram below to get an idea of what installation should look like. Click the button below to go to our page that discusses installation in more detail.

The Drinking Post doesn’t require any electricity, heaters, or insulation to stay frost-free. Since all the water drains below the frostline after each use, there’s nothing left in the unit that can freeze. This prevents freezing without the need for a heater or electricity. This is similar to a frost-free hydrant and is very effective way to prevent freezing, in fact, the Drinking Post can withstand temps as low a -50 F/-45.5 C! Not only will Drinking Post keep your water frost-free, but it will also save you money. Drinking Post will eliminate 100% of your electric bill which will save you a lot of money over time! Plus, removing electricity from your watering method will completely eliminate the potential for electric shock (electricity and water don’t go well together!), barn or structure fires, and overheating your water due to an improperly adjusted heating element. All of these complications will be completely avoided. In short, the Drinking Post makes watering easy!