Author Topic: Updated Photos! - Greenhouse Ideas - DIY Solar Panel - Construction Photos  (Read 12326 times)

lebmung

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Re: Greenhouse Heater Suggestions?
« Reply #50 on: November 15, 2019, 05:18:40 AM »

You talk about $2500 A/C for a small greenhouse.

If you use electricity to heat then dont use electric heaters but instead use a heat pump ( an air conditioned used to heat).
Electric heaters are rated to 95 % efficiency maximum but the air conditioner has up to 400% percent efficiency.
That means you get 4 kw of heat with one kw of electric power consumed by the AC.
This efficiency drops if outside its too cold and at minus 15C  ,the efficiency of the AC is same as that of the resistance heaters.
You will need to heat the greenhouse mostly at night.

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #51 on: November 15, 2019, 08:59:22 AM »
That heat pump price is problematic for my GH project.
It's a DIY so I can keep the quality up and price down somewhat.
As long as I can prevent freezing temps this winter... I will be OK.

Kevin

lebmung

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #52 on: November 15, 2019, 11:46:18 AM »
Kevin for your size and zone with that greenhouse to maintain a minimum 5C temperature you will draw about 900 - 1200 kwh per month for winter months. Probably it will coat you $100-$140 per month. This estimate is for double foil poly, or polycarbonate cover, no air leaks.

SeaWalnut

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #53 on: November 15, 2019, 02:14:59 PM »
It doesnt have to be that expensive.I mentioned buying one from used wich would be a lot cheaper.
And doesnt has to be Daikin or even a reverse cycle heat pump because even with a normal average air conditioner heat punp you will still save a lot of monney in a winter,maybe 2,5 cheaper than to heat with resistance heater and the air conditioner allready has( look for it) resistance heating incorporated.
I would pay 100 dollars on an air conditioner from used .
There are somme that are window mounted and they have the condenser and the fan in one piece ( no need for pipes).
Just look at efficiency rating on the label for heating az you want the most efficient to the lowest temperature possible but any ordinary air conditioner used for heating will save you a lot of monney compared to resistance heating.

Seanny

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #54 on: November 15, 2019, 09:44:49 PM »
It's cheaper if you run a loop of water pipe from water heater to the green house.
Use copper pipe in the green house to use it as a radiator.
Hook up a recirculating pump to a thermostat in the green house.
When you are sleeping you put the water heater to work on your green house.

brian

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #55 on: November 15, 2019, 11:42:01 PM »
Wouldnt it leak a ton of heat to the outside air with a pipe exposed running across the yard?  Unless your water heater fuel source is much cheaper than electric i think this would be counterproductive, and if it were you could pipe that fuel to a small heater inside greenhoise
« Last Edit: November 15, 2019, 11:48:31 PM by brian »

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #56 on: November 16, 2019, 10:36:31 AM »
Right now I'm just running the electric milk-house style space heaters on freezing days/nights.
These heater go for about $20 each.
Most days they need no supplemental heating.
I'm not trying to maintain a tropical climate around the clock... I just want them to survive the freezing temps.
It's pretty interesting the way plants can adapt to the temp variations.
It's not unusual for sunny day temps to reach 100F+... with some night-time temps going into the 30Fs.
The plants seem to take it all in stride. They are much more flexible than you might think.
In fact... My citrus had it's best year ever. As did my Pitangatubas, Cherry of the Rio Grande, Guavas, Starfruit, Jaboticaba etc.










« Last Edit: November 16, 2019, 10:46:14 AM by Kevin Jones »

spaugh

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #57 on: November 16, 2019, 12:42:13 PM »
Wouldnt it leak a ton of heat to the outside air with a pipe exposed running across the yard?  Unless your water heater fuel source is much cheaper than electric i think this would be counterproductive, and if it were you could pipe that fuel to a small heater inside greenhoise

I think you are right and it would make more sense to pupe natural gas or propane to the GH and run a gas heater directly.  No losses, no pumps or other junk. 

Easiest is probably get a big propane bottle and run the heater off it. 
Brad Spaugh

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #58 on: November 16, 2019, 12:43:57 PM »
Right now I'm just running the electric milk-house style space heaters on freezing days/nights.
These heater go for about $20 each.
Most days they need no supplemental heating.
I'm not trying to maintain a tropical climate around the clock... I just want them to survive the freezing temps.
It's pretty interesting the way plants can adapt to the temp variations.
It's not unusual for sunny day temps to reach 100F+... with some night-time temps going into the 30Fs.
The plants seem to take it all in stride. They are much more flexible than you might think.
In fact... My citrus had it's best year ever. As did my Pitangatubas, Cherry of the Rio Grande, Guavas, Starfruit, Jaboticaba etc.











Nice Kevin, good job with the plants and GH.
Brad Spaugh

SeaWalnut

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #59 on: November 16, 2019, 06:32:21 PM »
Right now I'm just running the electric milk-house style space heaters on freezing days/nights.
These heater go for about $20 each.
Most days they need no supplemental heating.
I'm not trying to maintain a tropical climate around the clock... I just want them to survive the freezing temps.
It's pretty interesting the way plants can adapt to the temp variations.
It's not unusual for sunny day temps to reach 100F+... with some night-time temps going into the 30Fs.
The plants seem to take it all in stride. They are much more flexible than you might think.
In fact... My citrus had it's best year ever. As did my Pitangatubas, Cherry of the Rio Grande, Guavas, Starfruit, Jaboticaba etc.










Nice collection of exotic fruit trees.

Mark in Texas

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #60 on: November 16, 2019, 08:02:09 PM »
Right now I'm just running the electric milk-house style space heaters on freezing days/nights.
These heater go for about $20 each.
Most days they need no supplemental heating.
I'm not trying to maintain a tropical climate around the clock... I just want them to survive the freezing temps.
It's pretty interesting the way plants can adapt to the temp variations.
It's not unusual for sunny day temps to reach 100F+... with some night-time temps going into the 30Fs.
The plants seem to take it all in stride. They are much more flexible than you might think.
In fact... My citrus had it's best year ever. As did my Pitangatubas, Cherry of the Rio Grande, Guavas, Starfruit, Jaboticaba etc.

Looking good!   I too go cold with a heater setpoint at 34F,

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #61 on: November 17, 2019, 08:26:09 AM »
Last night was forecast to be a low of 36F... so no supplemental heat.
Yesterday is was a beautiful sunny day with GH temps hovering around 100F at their peak.
Same for the next few days.
With these dryer conditions I hope to get more work done on the new GH.

Kevin


Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #62 on: November 19, 2019, 08:44:18 AM »
Doors framed in and recycled pavers brick path laid in.


Waterproofing and installing OSB 4X8s on north wall today:
This is the product I am using for waterproofing the OSB panels:


I used a lot of these Simpson Strong Tie Brand 18-Gauge Gusset Angles too


Kevin

« Last Edit: November 19, 2019, 12:35:50 PM by Kevin Jones »

brian

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #63 on: November 19, 2019, 12:36:15 PM »
Looks great.  You might want to put foam board insulation on the floor if you are using containers, or around the perimeter (in-ground) if you are planting in the dirt.  A lot of heat can be lost through conduction through the ground

Mark in Texas

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #64 on: November 19, 2019, 05:53:58 PM »
Nice job Kevin.   What zone are you in?

I run a dirt floor.  Works great and come time to drop another roll of tied up RootBuilder it's convenient to choose your spot, backfill and plant

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #65 on: November 19, 2019, 09:50:26 PM »
Mark,
I'm in West central Alabama - Tuscaloosa... in the northern part of 8a.
I too will keep an unfinished floor. This GH will be packed with containerized plants.
I actually use the ground as part of my thermal mass heat storage strategy.
When I know it will be cold... I soak the floor with water during the day to absorb as much solar heat as possible.
I soak all of the containers as well.
It's most effective on sunny days. The wet ground and the wet containers store heat during the day and radiate it back out at night.
I believe it helps take the edge off anyway.

Kevin

SeaWalnut

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #66 on: November 19, 2019, 10:51:29 PM »
Have you considered a small rocket stove on wood branches or pellets?
Somme people even use corn grains as fuel for them and its quite cheap to run like that thogh il feel petty since somme people die of starvation in somme countryes.
That would be cheaper than all gas or electric heating.

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #67 on: November 20, 2019, 09:30:27 AM »
Mr Walnut,
While I do like the idea in theory of a pellet burning stove.... In the right situation it would be ideal.
In this case... I have issues with any heater that requires combustion ventilation.
I would prefer not to pierce the structure with the chimney/vent a combustion stove would require.
Also... Air leaks, water leaks, etc.
Although I do find the image of a cozy fireplace in my structure rather nice.

Kevin
« Last Edit: November 20, 2019, 09:47:09 AM by Kevin Jones »

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #68 on: November 20, 2019, 09:39:51 AM »
Recycled brick paver path being laid....





« Last Edit: November 20, 2019, 09:41:33 AM by Kevin Jones »

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #69 on: November 20, 2019, 09:52:28 AM »
More construction pix

Lumber loaded from Home Depot:



Layout:





Gusset Details:







Lots of clamps while Gorilla Glue drys:


« Last Edit: November 20, 2019, 09:58:27 AM by Kevin Jones »

SeaWalnut

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #70 on: November 20, 2019, 10:09:26 AM »
Ive just installed my rocket stove today and with normal ,vertical chimney smokes a lot until it heats the chimney.
But with a short horizontal chimney works at perfection.

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #71 on: November 20, 2019, 11:07:03 AM »
Sounds nice.

Kevin


Mark in Texas

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #72 on: November 21, 2019, 08:30:08 AM »
Exciting eh?

In Corpus Christi which has about the same RH and heat you have I had exactly the same config as you except the lean too was attached to the entire south wall of a garage, painted white for reflection same as your OSB board.  Grew the hell outta orchids, ferns, etc.  I installed a high speed fan in the ridge of a short wall and on the opposite short wall installed a willy nilly aspen wet pad that worked very well for cooling.  I basically laid out a 12' roll of 1X2" hardware cloth on the ground, snipped the wires here and there and bent them in 90* to snag/hold the pad, folded it up to make a 6' pad, wired the sides closed, hung it with a recycle pump, float valve, perf. PVC pipe overhead etc. etc.

Door had a flat panel hinged on the top at the bottom framing kept close with a few magnets at the bottom, sealed with foam tape.  Come winter when the temps got up the  exhaust fan would kick in, flip the panel open and cool perfectly.

Mark 
« Last Edit: November 21, 2019, 08:33:14 AM by Mark in Texas »

Kevin Jones

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #73 on: November 21, 2019, 08:59:59 AM »
Ingenius Mark!
Sounds sort of like the same principal as the vent of my clothes dryer.

I have two largish doors.... on the east and west ends...approximately 4X8.
Extra large to pass containerized plants in and out with minimal damage.
And to be opened for temp regulation on hot days.
The south wall plastic is designed to roll up for warm weather.
I may need some sort of ridge vent on the north wall as well.
Haven't sorted that out yet.

Kevin

Seanny

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Re: Greenhouse Ideas - DIY - Construction Photos
« Reply #74 on: November 21, 2019, 03:26:54 PM »
Put in some windows and use these Agriculture Solutions Univent Automatic Vent Opener.