• Home
  • Recipes
    • Appetizers
    • Breakfast
    • Quick and Easy Meals
    • Salad and Veggies
    • Side Dishes
    • Main Courses
    • Breads
    • Beverages
    • Desserts
    • Canning and Preserving
  • Skills
    • Craftmanship
      • Blacksmithing
      • Woodworking
      • Welding
    • Brewing & Distilling
      • Homebrewing
      • Distilling
    • Cooking & Food
      • Cheese & Dairy
      • Drying & Smoking
      • Canning
      • Fermentation & Pickling
    • Homemaking Skills
      • Candle Making
      • Soap Making
      • Spinning & Weaving
  • Projects
    • Workshop
      • Homes & Buildings
      • Sheds & Coops
      • Appliances & Equipment
    • Garden & Outdoor
    • Homemade Products
      • Home Remedies
      • Natural Beauty
      • Cleaning and Home
    • Textiles & Fabric Arts
      • Sewing
      • Knit and Crochet
      • Quilting Skills
      • Weaving
    • Crafts
      • Home Decor
      • Pottery
      • Upcycling
      • Gifts
      • Kids
      • Holiday
  • Gardening
    • Growing Vegetables
    • Growing Fruit
    • Growing Herbs
    • Growing Grain
    • Soil Improvement
      • Composting
      • Worm Farming
      • Fertilizers
    • Aquaculture
  • Animals
    • Raising Poultry
    • Raising Goats
    • Raising Cattle
    • Raising Pigs
    • Raising Horses
    • Raising Rabbits
    • Raising Bees
    • Raising Cats & Dogs
  • Self Sufficiency
    • Emergency Prep
      • Planning
      • How To
      • Skills & Tips
    • Defense & Protection
      • Guns
      • Knives
      • Archery
      • Tools & Weapons
    • Energy & Power
      • Solar Power
      • Fuels
      • Water
    • Home Remedies
Logo
  • Raising Poultry
  • Raising Goats
  • Raising Cattle
  • Raising Pigs
  • Raising Horses
  • Raising Rabbits
  • Raising Bees
  • Raising Cats & Dogs
You are here: Home / Self Sufficiency / Energy & Power / DIY Solar Stock Tank Heater

DIY Solar Stock Tank Heater

Reading Time: 4 minutes

September 29, 2023 By Riley E. Carlson Leave a Comment

Are you looking to make a stock tank heater to provide your livestock with ice-free water throughout winter? Learn with us in this detailed guide on making one to keep your homesteading water trough from freezing during winter?

RELATED: Top 33 Winter Homesteading Activities To Stay Productive For Homesteaders 

How to Make a Simple but Functional Stock Tank Heater

Thing You’ll Need

  • 3 sheets ¾” plywood – exterior
  • 6 pcs. 8-foot (2×4) studs
  • 40 sq. ft. 1 ½” rigid insulation board
  • 2 sheets polycarbonate glazing
  • Glazing closure strips
  • Black paint
  • 1 can polyurethane foam insulation
  • Caulk, glue, and screws

Tools You’ll Need

  • Circular saw
  • Hammer or drill
  • Tape measure
  • Framing  square
  • Safety gloves and glasses
  • Paint Brush

Step 1. Build the Tank Frame

Hands of a man make a piece-of-wood-assemble with screw machine | solar powered stock tank heater

Using a circular saw, cut the 2 by 4 studs to size to make the exterior box frame that will enclose the galvanized stock tank. To get all the needed 12 pieces, it will take five of the six eight-foot (2×4) lumber.

Now, join your cut pieces using screws and glue for all the joints. This 6 ft by 2 ft by 2 ft stock tank heater frame has already taken into consideration the thickness of the insulation, which is vital.

Tips:

  • Ensure that your frame’s height is enough for the lid to fit snugly on the tank’s rim for air infiltration purposes.
  • Consider the height of the insulation that will go under the tank when deciding the stock tank heater’s frame dimensions.

Step 2. Attach the Plywood Exterior and Paint

Installation of plywood | energy efficient stock tank heater

Now, cut the ¾ inch plywood sheets to size following the dimensions of your frame and screw them onto the east, west and north sides of your frame leaving the front or south side open to fit the collector glazing.

Next, continue following the box frame dimensions to cut out more plywood panels for the top and bottom of the frame. Once done, invert the structure and screw in place the bottom plywood panel then wait to install the top panel in the last step.

Afterward, your stock tank heater should absorb heat, so, coat the entire box frame in black paint and seal before using caulk on all seams to prevent air infiltration.

Remember: The top of the stock tank heater will have a hole to allow your livestock access to the water.

RELATED: How To Save On Water Bill In 11 Smart Ways

Step 3. Install Insulation Board

Worker use ruler to measure the correct length of styrofoam | solar stock tank heater

Now cut out the 1½ inch rigid insulation board to size and fit the boards to the sides and bottom of the tank enclosure. The 1 ½ inch insulation boards between the 2×4’s are enough.

However, adding a second layer of insulation inside the stock tank heater will require you to add room when building the exterior box enclosure to accommodate the insulation.

Step 4. Install the Glazing Sheets

Tempered clear float glass panels cut to size | best stock tank heater

Here, install the two polycarbonate glazing sheets in front of the frame – the south side you left out and seal any open ends in the sheets with foam strips.

Tip: For an effective stock tank heater, go for polycarbonate glazing sheets that are rigid, tolerant of high temperatures, and transparent.

Step 5. Install the Tank and Lid

 

A large galvanized round end stock tank | diy stock tank heater

Finally, paint the south side of the box frame black and allow it to dry. Once dried, place your galvanized tank in the box and stuff the open spaces between the tank and foam boards with foam insulation or fibreglass. Additionally, crumpled newspapers will also work great in sealing the open spaces to prevent air circulation.

Next, fasten the top plywood panel in place with screws ensuring that it fits snugly on the frame and tank’s rim.

Lastly, paint the frame’s exterior and allow it to dry.

Pro Tips:

  • Besides positioning the tank where it is not blocked from the sun between about 9 a.m. and 3 p.m., place it in such a way that the glazed wall faces south.
  • Equally important is to keep the tank reasonably full during cold weather as this reduces its chances of freezing.
  • Moreover, installing the tank on a level spot like on treated wood or a washed gravel base guarantees durability.
  • To prevent algae growth in summer, consider removing the tank from the box frame. Alternatively, cover the heat collector and remove the lid.
  • Moreover, connecting the corners of the box frame with bolts guarantees you easy dissembling for storage during summer. However, be careful to seal gaps in the corners when reassembling the box enclosure as air could leak through.

Watch this video from Life Journeys Pre Emptive & Me on a solar stock tank: 

There you have it, homesteaders. Though building a stock tank heater is a technical task, but with the information herein, you are now equipped with the basic knowledge you need to plan and build a functional stock tank heater for your livestock.

Have you used a stock tank heater before? What was your experience? Let us know in the comment section below!

Up Next:

  • Survival Winter Shelter: How To Build A Debris Hut
  • Beekeeping In Winter: Preparing Beehives For The Cold Season
  • How To Can Peaches At Home

Fellow homesteaders, do you want to help others learn from your journey by becoming one of our original contributors? Write for us!

Follow us on Instagram, Twitter, Pinterest, and Facebook!

Filed Under: Energy & Power, Animals

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Subscribe To Our Newsletter

DIY Projects And Get This FREE GIFT
  • Facebook
  • Instagram
  • Pinterest
  • Tumblr
  • Twitter
  • YouTube

Popular Articles

Top 15 Ways To Make Money On Your Homestead

Kickstart Spring By Starting Your Own Straw Bale Garden

The Best Egg Laying Chickens For Your Homestead

50 Gardening Tips And Tricks To Become A Successful Homesteader

Important Pages

  • About Homesteading
  • Contact Us
  • Privacy Policy
  • Returns
  • Terms & Conditions
  • Write For Us
  • Advertise With Us
  • Information Disclaimer

Other Great Sites

  • DIY Projects
  • Survival Life
  • Garden Season
  • Outdoor Warrior
  • Sewing.com

Resources

  • Hey Riley
  • Winter Survival
  • Raising Backyard Chickens
  • Canning & Preserving
  • Join Our Newsletter
  • Returns Policy
Homesteading
Email Support: support@homesteading.com
Phone: 512-806-7603

Product returns go to:
1889 E Maule Ave, Ste G
Las Vegas 89119

Copyright © 2025 · Homesteading


This copyrighted material may not be republished without express permission. The information presented here is for general educational purposes only.

MATERIAL CONNECTION DISCLOSURE: You should assume that this website has an affiliate relationship and/or another material connection to the persons or businesses mentioned in or linked to from this page and may receive commissions from purchases you make on subsequent web sites. You should not rely solely on information contained in this email to evaluate the product or service being endorsed. Always exercise due diligence before purchasing any product or service. This website contains advertisements.