You never know where a Maxitrol regulator might show up: hockey rinks (infrared heaters), hotels (industrial boilers), neighbors’ backyards (barbecues), and even pig barns (heaters). That’s right, pig barns.
Most pigs are raised inside barns. The two US states with the most pig farms are Iowa and Minnesota, and both states have extremely harsh winters. Heaters along with proper ventilation are the best way to keep the pigs warm and healthy. Remember, pigs don’t have thick hair like cattle. (Did you know pigs can get sunburned?)
There are a number of different barns for different stages in a pig’s development, and each requires unique temperatures. Typically, there’s a gestation barn, farrowing (birthing) barn, nursery barn, and finishing barn. The piglets (11 to 13 per litter) move from the farrowing barn to the nursery barn when they are three weeks old and weaned. Their first week in the nursery barn the temperature is 80 °F. As the pigs grow over the next 6 to 8 weeks, the temperature is gradually lowered to 70 °F. They are then moved to the finishing barns for 16 to 17 weeks until they are sold to market. The finishing barns are kept at 70 °F.
Maxitrol’s 325‑L series line pressure regulators are used with both infrared heaters and direct-fired forced air heaters. The 325‑L series regulators are capable of precise regulating control from full flow down to pilot flow allowing the heaters to provide the specific room temperatures necessary.