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Post by Flytrap on Apr 4, 2007 17:25:10 GMT -5
With the awfully cold weather we had our here this winter, my electrical bills hit the proverbial roof. I had been using electrical heaters with some propane burners as back ups. A real pain. There's got to be an easier way. I'm thinking of installing a gas water heater and just recycle the hotwater. This way, the ambient temperatures will be more constant, and the air will not dry up as fast. It was the air dryness that killed off most of my lowlanders this past winter... not the cold. any hints, or ideas
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Post by jay on Apr 4, 2007 17:30:14 GMT -5
how big are your green houses?
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Post by martin on Apr 4, 2007 17:40:29 GMT -5
Dont know if its possible, but can you put isolation, probably only on the GH sides. It is much more efficient to provide more isolation than to provide more heating power.
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Post by Flytrap on Apr 4, 2007 17:45:24 GMT -5
My green house is 20'+ long by 6.5' wide by 12' tall at the ridge. And thanks for the great suggestion of an isolated warm spot. I've been thinking of that... and I may put that idea to action this summer in preparation for next winter. Here's a link to an earlier OCPS thread that shows the greenhouse in relation to the rest of the bog (it's halfway down the page) : ocps.proboards78.com/index.cgi?board=photos&action=display&thread=1150140201
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Post by jay on Apr 4, 2007 19:41:26 GMT -5
Did you plan on running the hot water though you green house and back into the heater? thats most likely the best way, unless you turn to wood or oil heaters.
A friend of mine has his water heater in the greenhouse hooked up to solar panels ..high start up cost but free after. I know its not much but hope it helps, i will ask around
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Post by sdeering on Apr 4, 2007 20:29:48 GMT -5
I may try this teck for my greenhouse when I get time to build one. It’s called Solaroof. Its a free teck on yahoo look it up. Its actually from eastern Canada. tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/solaroof/messagesIt uses a 3 foot gap between the two layers of your greenhouse poly covering that are sealed. At required times this gap is filled with soap bubbles. It’s supposed to provide R30. This gap can also be set up so your GH is positioned east west the long way. The back wall can be filled with foam to reflect light down from the inside of the north wall in winter. The soap water mixture can also be sprayed inside of the 3’ gap to cool/absorb heat when needed. This heat is stored and used at night in the form of warm bubbles. Also can be used for shade. This is a quickie in how it works there is more to it, the controls would be the most complicated. I think I could build one. May need Lloyds help on the electronics end, I see hes into that. I believe most heat sources are similar in price, Unless you have alternative sources like wind, or wood. To save money you have to keep the heat in and be able to store it.
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Post by lloyd on Apr 4, 2007 21:07:21 GMT -5
Depending on the mechanical setup the electronics and associated programming could be complicated. There could be various sensors both analogue (temperature, humidity, light etc.) and digital (valve & vent positions, motor speed, flow rates). Then controllers and start up circuits for the heaters, fans, pumps, stepper motors, etc. However the price of the electronics would be trivial compared to the mechanical components and so it would be better to just buy a commercial controller. You could get fancy and add a little web server for remote access and to send you emails when something happened.
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Post by sdeering on Apr 4, 2007 21:34:04 GMT -5
The foam maker is just a small furnace fan. So you would have to run a couple of fan motors and a couple of low pressure pumps for the foam/ cooling water part. It could run off of temp and light sensors, timers. It would be nice to set up a PC control though and have net access.
I haven’t mentioned it yet but I have an older CNC milling machine that I converted over to PC control. The PC runs 3 large stepper motors/controllers. I built the DC power supply rewound a big toroid transformer to get 70v dc, breakout board for the interfacing. It’s a cool bot. I love to watch it. It is very cool. I only wish I had more time to play. I will have to get some picks up in the hobby post I guess.
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Post by lloyd on Apr 4, 2007 21:54:44 GMT -5
I think I need an extra life or two to try all these hobbies and ideas.
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Post by sdeering on Apr 4, 2007 23:14:55 GMT -5
Ya I hear ya. I wish I was only interested in one thing LOL
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