Converting from Nelson to Cascada Automatic Waterers

Cascada Installation Guide

Converting Your Nelson 700 Series Waterer to a Cascada

A simple guide to switching, whether your Nelson is on a wall or in a corner. The hard part — water and power in the stall — is already done.

4 build options Reuses your existing water & power lines Dimensioned diagrams for every option

What’s inside

  1. Welcome
  2. Why people switch to Cascada
  3. How the Cascada works
  4. Your starting point: the Nelson 700
  5. Which option fits your stall?
  6. Flat-wall options (A, B, C)
  7. Corner option (D)
  8. Six rules for a trouble-free install
  9. What you’ll need
  10. Installation steps
  11. Cold-weather notes
  12. Support and warranty

Welcome

Switching is easier than you’d think

You already have water and power run to your stalls, and that’s the hard part. This guide walks you through swapping your Nelson 700 Series waterer for a Cascada using the lines that are already there. The right approach depends on one simple thing: whether your Nelson sits on a flat wall or in a corner.

We’ve drawn up an option for every situation, from a simple box you build over the existing pipe to a low-profile look that blends right into your barn. Pick the one that fits your stall and your style, or invent your own. The Cascada is flexible: water and power can come in from the surface on the left or right side of the unit, or from the back through a hole in the wall. Each of these is a permanent, finished modification to the stall, screwed and fastened in place.

Why switch

Why people switch to Cascada

The Cascada hangs a regular flat-back bucket and fills it automatically. It mounts to the wall in minutes once your lines are in place.

A familiar bucket, always full

Your horse drinks from a normal, plentiful, easy-to-clean flat-back bucket — no more guessing whether a sealed bowl is working.

Low-voltage and energy-smart

Only a safe 24 V DC cable runs to the unit; the 120 V stays sealed away in a junction box.

Built-in freeze protection

An internal heater plus your insulated lines keep water flowing through winter.

Know how much they’re drinking

An optional app tracks your horse’s water intake, so changes in drinking never go unnoticed.

The basics

How the Cascada works

The Cascada is a compact unit — about 6½" wide, 9" tall, and 5" deep — that screws to a flat wall at roughly 42" high. To hang a bucket, you lift the arm to expose a hanger, slip the bucket’s handle over it, then close the arm back down over the top to lock the handle securely in place. The bucket hangs below the unit. A sensor opens the valve and fills the bucket to the right level, then shuts off. Two things feed the unit:

  • Water — the Cascada’s inlet is ½", and a water line of any size adapts to it with a simple screw-on fitting. A Y-filter (included) is required on every install to keep debris out of the valve.
  • Power — the unit itself runs on low voltage. Your existing Nelson already brings a 120 V AC (normal wall voltage) line into the stall, so for safety that line and the power supply must be enclosed in a sealed dual-gang junction box (a dual-gang box is required to fit the power supply). The power supply converts the 120 V AC input down to a 24 V DC output, and only that safe low-voltage 24 V DC cable runs from the junction box to the Cascada.
The cleanest method: hollow-wall Running the lines through the wall, behind the unit — the hollow-wall method — is Cascada’s cleanest and #1-recommended approach (their step-by-step hollow-wall install guide walks through it with photos and a diagram). Options A, B, and D below all use it.

Your starting point

The Nelson 700 setup

Your Nelson waterer probably sits on top of a 6-inch (SCH 40) PVC pipe that comes up out of the floor. Inside it, the copper (or rigid) water line — typically ¾"–1" — and the 120-volt power run up together, wrapped in foam insulation (Nelson’s Waterline Insulation Accessory), with rising ground heat helping keep everything from freezing. (Some installs route the lines through a smaller inner pipe.) The outer pipe commonly stands about 2 inches off the wall, so its front face sits roughly 8 inches into the stall.

EXISTING CONDITIONS - Nelson 700 Series (as installed) Customer stall · measured from photos DRAFT v2 · not to scale · dimensions in inches Stall wall (T&G) 3/4" mat 6" SCH 40 PVC pipe + foam insulation 3/4"-1" water line (copper) + 120V power inside Nelson bowl housing (≈13" dia) ≈20" 2" gap 6" pipe ≈8" total face projection FRONT ELEVATION TOP-DOWN PLAN stall wall 6" SCH 40 PVC + foam insulation 3/4"-1" water line + 120V inside 2" gap ≈8" bowl footprint ≈13" dia LEGEND 6" SCH 40 PVC (insulated) Nelson bowl housing Stall wall (wood) 3/4" stall mat The 6" riser face sits ≈8" off the wall. Mounting a Cascada (5" deep) + bucket straight off that plane would push the bucket far into the stall - the reason for the front-face and capped-riser options that follow.
Existing conditions: the Nelson 700 on its 6" insulated riser.

The good news: your water line, your 120-volt power, and your insulation are all already there. We’re simply re-using them.

Match it to your stall

Which option fits your stall?

Start with one question: is your Nelson on a flat wall, or in a corner?

On a flat wall (mid-wall)

Three ways to go, from “don’t touch the plumbing” to the lowest possible profile.

A · Box around pipeB · Built-out wallC · Surface mount

In a corner

The corner does most of the work for you — Option D is the easiest conversion in this guide.

D · Corner wallC · Surface mount

Option C is the one approach that works in both situations.

Option Works on Existing pipe Sticks into stall Building Climate Look
A: Box around pipe Flat wall Stays in place ~11¼" box (unit angled in) Build a 3-sided box All climates Tidy wooden column
B: Built-out wall Flat wall Cut off and capped at ground level ~4¼" wall + unit Build a small wall All climates, insulated well Built-in inner wall
C: Surface mount Flat wall or corner Cut off and capped at ground level ~2" cover + unit Almost none Milder climates Lowest profile
D: Corner wall Corner Stays in place Hidden in corner One diagonal wall All climates Built-in corner

All options keep the water and power lines insulated, protected, and out of sight, and all put a shut-off valve within easy reach for winterizing, emergencies, or service.

Flat-wall options

For a Nelson mounted in the middle of a wall

A

Three-sided box around the pipeFlat wall · screws to the wall · pipe stays

Pipe staysNo plumbing cutsModerate buildBack-fedAll climates
OPTION A: Three-Sided Box Around the Pipe Cascada Conversion Guide 6" front face · 45° sides screw to the wall · open back · riser stays Not to scale - dimensions in inches TOP-DOWN PLAN front stall wall 6" pipe existing riser (stays) Cascada flat-back water bucket optional grain bucket 6" front face 28 5/8" across (open back) 11 1/4" deep 45° 45° Open back: the two 45° sides return to the wall and screw to it. The Cascada mounts on one angled face (16" wide for bucket clearance); a grain bucket can hang on the opposite angled face. ELEVATION: square to the angled (mounting) face angled face 16" wide 3/4" mat riser (behind) Cascada flat-back bucket 42" inside the box: - 1/2" line + the Nelson's existing shut-off valve - Y-filter (REQUIRED) - power-supply junction box - existing insulation kept access = removable panel (unscrew, not hinged) LEGEND 3-sided T&G box (open back) Cascada 6.5x9" Flat-back water bucket Optional grain bucket
Option A: three-sided box around the pipe (open back); Cascada on an angled face (plan + elevation).

The simplest build, with no plumbing to cut. You build a three-sided wooden box around your existing pipe. It has a flat 6-inch front face and two sides that angle back to the wall at 45°, and those angled sides fasten to the wall with screws. The back is open: the stall wall itself closes it off, so the box wraps the front, left, and right of the pipe. Finish the three faces in wood to match your barn. This is a permanent, screwed-in modification.

The Cascada mounts on one of the angled (45°) faces rather than the front, so it sits at an angle and the bucket tucks in closer instead of jutting straight into the stall. Make that angled face 16" wide so the flat-back bucket clears and sits flush. Check the bucket you plan to use to be sure it sits flat against the angled wall and doesn’t get hung up on the neighboring front wall. A grain bucket can hang on the opposite angled face if you’d like.

Inside the box, your existing pipe stays exactly where it is. You tap the water line, reuse the shut-off valve that’s already on the Nelson line, add the Y-filter (required), and run it to the back of the Cascada (the hollow-wall method), with the power-supply junction box alongside. Because the valve passes through the box face into the fitting, you’ll need a 5¾" hole saw for that opening, and you must contact Cascada for instructions on reconfiguring the valve for this back-of-unit installation. For access, use a panel that unscrews (not a hinged door) so you can reach the shut-off for service or line-purging.

Best ifyou’d rather not touch the existing plumbing, and you don’t mind a slightly larger footprint.
What it usestongue-and-groove boards to match your barn, framing lumber and screws, a screw-off access panel, ½" fittings, the Y-filter, a dual-gang junction box, and a 5¾" hole saw. (Reuse the shut-off valve already on the Nelson line.)
B

Slim built-out wallFlat wall · pipe capped at floor

Pipe cappedSlim ~4¼" profileModerate buildBack-fedAll climates, insulated well
OPTION B: Slim Built-Out Wall (riser capped at floor) Cascada Conversion Guide Riser cut & capped below mat · lines in built-out wall · back-fed Not to scale - dimensions in inches TOP-DOWN PLAN existing front stall wall built-out wall ≈ 4¼" deep · 45° returns to the wall 45° 45° insulated water + 120V in cavity Cascada flat-back bucket (hangs below unit) 6" pipe capped below, edge 2" off wall - tucked under the wall access 4¼" ≈9¼" SECTION THROUGH WALL built-out wall insulated 3/4" mat 2" 6" PVC cap (capped below mat) near edge 2" off wall - sits under the wall lines exit cap → up the wall cavity junction box (power supply) Cascada flat-back bucket one ~6" front board (horizontal) unscrews for shut-off / Y-filter access 42" LEGEND Built-out wall ≈4¼" Cascada (6.5×9") Water line 120V → junction box Slimmer than A - no 6" riser to enclose; only the lines run up the wall. Riser is cut to the floor and capped below the ¾" mat; wall finished to match barn.
Option B: slim built-out wall over the capped pipe; Cascada back-fed (plan + section).

The built-in look. The existing pipe is cut off and capped at ground level with a PVC cap that sits just below your stall mat. The water line and power wire come up out of a hole drilled in the cap and run inside a slim finished wall, about 4¼" deep, that you build onto the front stall wall and finish to match the barn. The Cascada mounts to that wall and is fed neatly through the back (the hollow-wall method), with everything insulated and hidden inside.

Add the Y-filter (required) and keep the shut-off valve inside the wall. For access, make one of the front boards (a roughly 6"-wide horizontal board, about halfway up the wall) a removable board that unscrews, so you can reach the shut-off and Y-filter without opening the wall. Because the valve passes through the wall into the fitting, you’ll need a 5¾" hole saw for the opening, and you must contact Cascada for instructions on reconfiguring the valve for this back-of-unit installation.

Best ifyou want a clean, built-in appearance and a slimmer profile than the box, and you’re comfortable capping the pipe and building a small wall.
What it uses2×4 framing and tongue-and-groove facing to match your barn, a 6" PVC cap, pipe insulation, ½" fittings, the Y-filter, a dual-gang junction box, a 5¾" hole saw, and one removable front board for access. (Reuse the Nelson’s included shut-off valve.)
C

Surface-mount lines (flashing, wood, or conduit)Flat wall or corner · pipe capped at floor

Pipe cappedLowest profileMinimal buildSide-fedMilder climates
OPTION C: Surface-Mount Lines + Custom Flashing Cascada Conversion Guide Riser capped at floor · lines up wall surface · SIDE entry Not to scale - dimensions in inches TOP-DOWN PLAN front stall wall (unmodified) custom flashing ≈ 2" deep Cascada lines enter the SIDE pop-out flat-back bucket (hangs below unit) 2" 5" Cascada only FRONT ELEVATION 3/4" mat 6" cap custom bent-metal flashing over lines (matches barn metal) Cascada flat-back bucket Cascada (side-fed) shut-off (removable flashing access) 42" LEGEND Custom metal flashing Cascada (6.5×9") Water line 120V → junction box Slimmest profile - no box, no built-out wall. Lines surface-run up the wall and enter the Cascada's SIDE pop-out, hidden under custom flashing matching your barn metal. (Your example photo runs unit→ceiling; here it runs floor→unit.) Mount the 120V junction box (power supply) on the OUTSIDE of the stall wall.
Option C: lines surface-run up the wall under a cover, side-fed (plan + elevation).

The lowest-profile option, best for milder climates where you want to maximize space in the stall. As in Option B, the pipe is cut off and capped at ground level. But instead of building a wall, the water line and power run straight up the surface of the wall and into the side of the Cascada. You have a few ways to cover and protect the lines, all of them tidy: custom bent metal flashing matched to your barn metal, a simple wood cover to match the woodwork, or running the water and power in conduit or pipe.

The lines stay protected underneath the cover, and a removable section of the cover gives you access to the shut-off valve near the floor. Add the Y-filter (required). Keep the 120-volt junction box (power supply) on the outside of the stall wall (in the aisle or next bay, not in the stall) and run only the low-voltage cable through to the unit. Because the lines enter the side of the unit, this option does not cut a hole through the wall.

Best ifyou’re in a milder climate, want to keep as much stall space as possible, and don’t mind the look of surface-run lines under flashing, wood, or conduit. (Because the pipe is capped, this option gives up the ground-heat freeze protection; see the cold-weather notes.)
What it usesyour choice of cover (custom bent sheet-metal flashing, a wood cover to match the barn, or conduit/pipe for the lines), plus a 6" PVC cap, pipe insulation (and heat tape if your climate calls for it), ½" fittings, the Y-filter, a dual-gang junction box mounted on the outside of the stall wall, and mounting hardware. (Reuse the Nelson’s included shut-off valve.)

Corner option

For a Nelson mounted in a corner

D

Corner WallCorner · pipe stays in place

Pipe staysEasiest corner swapLight buildBack-fedAll climates
OPTION D: Corner Wall Cascada Conversion Guide Diagonal wall in front of & around the pipe - two existing walls do the rest - back-fed Not to scale - dimensions in inches existing wall existing wall 6" pipe (stays) Cascada flat-back bucket JB ≈16" along wall ≈16" diagonal face ≈ 23" wide Built across the corner, in front of & around the pipe. The two existing walls form the other two sides - only the diagonal face is new, and nothing gets cut. JB = power-supply junction box · access panel on a wall ELEVATION - square to the diagonal face diagonal face ≈ 23" wide 3/4" mat pipe comes up the center (behind) Cascada flat-back bucket 42" in the corner cavity: - 1/2" line + existing shut-off - Y-filter (REQUIRED) - power-supply junction box - existing pipe + insulation access = removable panel LEGEND New diagonal wall Cascada (6.5×9") Flat-back bucket Existing walls
Option D: a diagonal wall across the corner; Cascada on the diagonal face (plan + elevation).

If your Nelson is in a corner, this is the simplest conversion of all. You build a single diagonal wall across the corner, right in front of and around the existing pipe. The two walls already there form the other two sides, so there’s very little to build, and the pipe stays exactly where it is inside the new corner cavity.

The Cascada mounts on the flat diagonal face and is fed through the back (the hollow-wall method), with the water line, power, shut-off valve, Y-filter (required), and power-supply junction box all tucked into the corner, insulated and out of sight. Because the valve passes through the diagonal face into the fitting, you’ll need a 5¾" hole saw for the opening, and you must contact Cascada for instructions on reconfiguring the valve for this back-of-unit installation. Use a panel that unscrews for access to the shut-off.

Best ifyour Nelson is already in a corner. (It’s the corner cousin of the built-out wall, but easier, because the corner does most of the work.)
What it usesframing lumber and tongue-and-groove facing to match your barn, ½" fittings, the Y-filter, a dual-gang junction box, pipe insulation, a 5¾" hole saw, and a screw-off access panel. (Reuse the Nelson’s included shut-off valve.)

Read this first

Six rules for a trouble-free install

Whichever option you choose, these six things protect your Cascada valve and keep the install safe. They’re each repeated in context below, but they’re worth knowing before you pick up a tool.

1Solder the valve connection

The copper line joins the valve through a soldered ½" copper × ½" FIP sweat adapter. Never use push-to-connect (SharkBite-type) fittings here — the valve is torqued down firmly and a push-fit can slip.

2PTFE tape only, never pipe dope

Thread the valve in with plumber’s (PTFE) tape. Pipe dope will break the Cascada valve.

3Flush the lines first

Before connecting anything to the valve, flush the water lines thoroughly. Debris left in the line can lodge in the valve and break it.

4Y-filter on every install

The Y-filter comes with your Cascada and is required, so debris can never reach the valve.

5Seal the 120-volt side

The power supply lives in a sealed dual-gang junction box, and a licensed electrician makes the 120 V connections. Only the low-voltage 24 V DC cable runs to the unit.

6Back-fed? Call us first

Options A, B, and D feed the unit through the back: you’ll need a 5¾" hole saw, and you must contact Cascada to reconfigure the valve for back-of-unit feeding.

Tools & materials

What you’ll need

Comes with your Cascada: the unit, wall gasket, valve assembly, insulation kit, low-voltage power supply, power cable, fastener kit (includes the ½" MPT fitting), and the Y-filter.

You’ll also want (all options):

  • A standard flat-back bucket (Miller / Little Giant 20 qt / 5 gal)
  • Y-filter — required on every install for reliable operation (it comes with the Cascada; install it so debris can’t reach the valve)
  • Standard ½" plumbing fittings and plumber’s (PTFE) tape. Never use pipe dope: it will break the Cascada valve.
  • Soldering supplies (torch, lead-free solder, flux) and a ½" copper × ½" FIP (female) sweat adapter. The connection to the valve must be soldered. Do not use push-to-connect / SharkBite-type fittings: the valve is torqued firmly against the ½" FPT fitting and a push-fit can slip.
  • A dual-gang junction box (required to fit the power supply)
  • A cordless drill, 1/8" bit, level, and a #3 square-drive bit
  • Your Nelson line already includes a shut-off valve you can reuse.
For the back-fed installs (Options A, B, and D) A 5¾" hole saw to cut the opening for the Cascada valve to pass through and thread into the plumbing fitting. Contact Cascada for instructions on reconfiguring the valve for this back-of-unit installation.

Plus, by option:

  • Option A (flat wall): tongue-and-groove boards, framing lumber, screws, a screw-off access panel
  • Option B (flat wall): 2×4 framing, T&G facing boards, a 6" PVC cap, pipe insulation, one removable front board for access
  • Option C (flat wall or corner): your cover of choice (custom bent metal flashing, a wood cover, or conduit/pipe), a 6" PVC cap, pipe insulation (plus heat tape if needed), mounting hardware
  • Option D (corner): framing lumber, T&G facing boards, pipe insulation, a screw-off access panel

A licensed electrician should make the 120-volt connections at the junction box.

Installation

Installation steps

  1. Prep and shut off — turn off water and power; remove the Nelson bowl.
  2. Handle the pipe — Options A and D: leave it in place. Options B and C: cut off and cap at ground level.
  3. Build the mount — the three-sided box (A), the built-out wall (B), the corner wall (D), or the cover run (C). For A, B, and D, cut the valve opening with a 5¾" hole saw and contact Cascada to reconfigure the valve.
  4. Flush the lines — before connecting anything to the valve, flush the water lines thoroughly. Debris left in the line can lodge in the valve and break it.
  5. Connect the water — use the existing shut-off valve and the Y-filter (required). The copper joins the valve through a soldered ½" copper × ½" FIP adapter (see below).
  6. Run power — mount the dual-gang junction box and power supply (for Option C, on the outside of the stall wall). An electrician ties in the 120 V AC; the 24 V DC low-voltage cable runs to the unit.
  7. Mount the Cascada — gasket, fasteners, then connect water and power.
  8. Test — hang the bucket and confirm it fills and shuts off.
Connecting the copper line to the valve (soldered, mandatory) The Cascada valve is torqued firmly against a ½" FPT fitting, so the connection must be soldered; do not use push-to-connect (SharkBite) fittings, which can slip under that torque. Sweat a ½" copper × ½" FIP (female) sweat adapter onto your copper line, flush the line, then thread the valve into the fitting using PTFE tape (never pipe dope, which will break the valve). Order along the line: copper → soldered ½" FIP adapter → existing shut-off and Y-filter → Cascada valve.

Winter

Cold-weather notes

  • Capping the pipe removes the ground-heat path. Nelson relied on ground heat rising up the 6" pipe for freeze protection. Options A and D keep the pipe, preserving it; Options B and C cap it, so in cold climates rely on foam insulation, heat tape, and the Cascada’s built-in heater, and make sure the supply line still drops below your frost line. Option C is best suited to milder climates.
  • Keep all lines insulated within the box, wall, corner, or cover.
  • The Cascada has built-in freeze protection, and the shut-off valve makes winterizing easy.
  • Add heat tape under the cover (Option C) in colder climates.

Help

Support & warranty

Whether you’re planning a new install or adjusting an existing setup, the Cascada team is happy to help — and we’d love to see your finished install.