Low energy livestock water tank de-icer

[Mike90250]

Here is the ultimate low energy freeze proof sheep waterer.....in fact it uses no energy........

https://www.horsedrinker.com/product/sheep-goat-automatic-waterer/

I've used this waterer for my sheep for over 10 years and never failed.

Awesome, I like that. Now to keep the waterline feeding it from freezing.

[PNPmacnab]

Better do your research. Adiabatic capacitor charging might be only 50% efficient. It IS NOT MPPT,
which can approach a theoretical limit of 100% efficiency. Bruce Roe

I guess it is too late to get your money back for your education. As delta V gets smaller, it becomes more efficient. HWBnew65W_17ms.jpg
Just an old image I grabbed. This is a 5% hysteresis from a test hey can be much smaller. It is adorable that you think you have any knowledge you could offer me.

[bcroe]

As delta V gets smaller, it becomes more efficient.

Based on comments and a couple pics, I am going to try and define just what
we are talking about here. If this is not it, let us see your detailed explanation.
PVtoHeater.jpg
Here is what I make of the discussion. The panels are allowed to charge the
cap to the MPPT voltage. As that is slightly exceeded, the MPPT switching
control closes the switch and allows current to flow through the water heater
element. With heater current exceeding panel current, the capacitor voltage
will drop slightly below MPPT and the switch will be opened. This continuous
action will keep the cap voltage close to MPPT.

This system I concede to be approaching the theoretically possible 100%
efficiency of other MPPT controls such as used for charging batteries. There
are a few practical considerations to actually making it effective.

The control should be as close to the heater as possible. Otherwise, the wiring
will be an antenna for interference generated by the switched current. The
inductance of long leads could also develop severe ringing voltages. The
resistance of the heater should be high enough to limit peak on current, or
losses will build up in the wiring, the switch, and the cap equivalent series
resistance.

Not shown here is the max water temp shutdown input.

I would not describe the above as adiabatic capacitor charging, I thought that
was charging a cap by connecting it directly to a voltage source. The blackboard
exercise never happens in the real world, things like resistance and inductance
prevent a cap current pulse of infinite amplitude and zero time. Load dump
comes to mind. Bruce Roe