Make It Yourself Automatic Pet Water Bowl

By: Rip Linton

Having four dogs, we have always kept an automatic water bowl in the house to supply their needs. Since the dogs are large, they drink a lot of water every day. With the small, lower cost units, we had to refill daily. The large, 5 gallon units were more convenient. They also cost more, a lot more. And, they were very difficult to keep clean. The bowls are oddly shaped and not easily taken apart for cleaning.

The other problem was the cost of replacement. With the LeBistro unit that we had, the bowl was not a replaceable part. When it cracked, the result of trying to clean it, I was told I would have to buy the complete unit. At the cost, I was not willing to do that. I had a fairly new 5 gallon bottle. And the support ring for the bottle was in good shape. That was when I decided that "Build it Yourself" was the right answer for the problem.

We looked at our local Big Lot's to see if we could find a suitable replacement for the bowl. My wife pointed out a Sterilite Fun Box, Model 1635. I decided that would be a good support for the 5 gallon bottle. A Sterilite 18Qt. Dishpan, Model 0658 looked like the perfect drinking bowl. And I would be able to reuse the 5 gallon water bottle that I already had.

                                
 5 Gallon Bottle                       Sterilite 18Qt. Dishpan                               Sterilite Fun Box   


Total cost was less than $5.00. If I had not had the 5 gallon bottle already, I would have spent another $7.99 to buy one with spring water from a local grocery store. Still a fair savings and I would have had 5 gallons of spring water.

The Fun Box is a little more than 6" across the bottom and about 8 1/2" across the top. I cut the bottom using this pattern to fit over the 5 gallon bottle. I trimmed the tabs so it was a very tight fit on the bottle. I did not use the top that came with it, for this project. I cut the plastic with a spiral cutting attachment on a Dremel tool.

Click this image for a jpeg of the template if you can't use the pdf file:

 The following was the way I cut the bottom:

1. Print the pattern out and check the size to be sure it prints properly. The grid lines should be exactly 1/4" apart. The outside diameter of the circle should be 6".

2. Cut the template on the outside lines of the circle. Be sure to include the tabs.

3. Place the round piece of the template on the Fun Box and adjust it so it is centered. The tabs should point to the corners of the box.


4. Mark around the outside edge of the template with a fine tip felt marker. Pay attention to the dip in the plastic as it goes from the outside edge to the sunken middle section.


(NOTE: I had placed a screw in the center of the bottom to help guide the cutter. I wound up taking it out as it was not needed and was in the way!)

5. Run the spiral saw on the lowest speed that cuts the plastic. Go around the inside edge of the marker line. You can trim more off when you test fit the bottle, if needed.


6. Trim the opening and the tabs, carefully, with a sharp hobby knife. The opening should fit over the rim of the bottle with the tabs protruding about 1/8" into the groove below the rim. When you push the box onto the bottle, the tabs will give enough to snap into place.



All that is left is to fill the bottle with water and place in the dishpan. I use the sprayer on the kitchen sink to fill the bottle. Once it is full, it is just a matter of  turning it over into the dishpan and allowing the water to fill to the proper level. The water will get to about 3" deep in the dishpan. As the dogs drink, a gulp of air will allow water from the bottle to refill the pan.

Any pan or tray that will hold at least 3" of water can be used in place of the 18Qt. dishpan. I chose that because it fit well in the area we use for the water supply.

To refill the bottle you just have to lift it out of the pan and allow all the water to drain from the Fun Box into the pan. The Fun Box can remain attached to the bottle at all times. Since the bottle does not have to be removed from the box, it is easier for people who have trouble bending over to handle. It is also easy to clean the dishpan since there are no complex corners or curves that trap the scum.



Here is the completed unit ready for water and dogs


Do you find this project useful and feel that it will save you some money? If so, please support the concept of freely available projects by donating a little via Paypal to ripl@aol.com

If there is enough response, I will post plans for an under $25.00 foam generator that produces shaving cream consistency foam from dish soap and water.

Thanks and enjoy the Do It Yourself spirit.

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