I deal with frozen pipes a lot for work. I would build an open box around it and blow a jet heater in it. Then insulate and close it off That's the fastest way I can think and it's very little effort! Sent from my SM-G892A using Tapatalk
He's got 3 girls too...put up a lil tent over the hydrant, get 'em all in there gabbing...wah lah! Thawed hydrant Even if the hydrant is near or inside your barn, some housecleaning and some sheet metal will allow you to heat it with a torch...propane would be OK, MAPP gas better, Oxy/Acetyl best...obviously you'd need to use some common sense and not get anything red hot or anything. And as the diagram posted earlier shows, there is nothing to worry about melting, except at the top and the very bottom...which I doubt would even be possible if it is deep enough to be below the frostline. As others have mentioned also...build a well insulated box around it, then a heat lamp or other minor heat source will do the job if given a day or so to work on the ice.
Not really a dead short, your basically running 12 v through a copper pipe, it works better if you can put negative on other end but that can be quite a distance away. Or take car battery to one end of pipe alligator clip negative. Take separate battery to other end and clip on positive.. It works
