EcoRenovator - View Single Post

Acuario · 02-29-20, 12:52 AM

Here's an update on the greenhouse and future plans..

So far no very strong winds so the poly tunnel is still standing although it is starting to deteriorate. Everything inside is growing like crazy, we have runner beans climbing string guides, loads of tomato plants, lettuce, rhubarb, peppers, cucumbers, pumpkins all coming along nicely and it's only the end of February.

Anyway, at some moment we will get strong winds - that's guaranteed so phase 2 is in progress.

I've just spent the last 2 days with my builders hat on building the main back wall. Today I'll start the front wall. The orientation is pretty close on south facing so my plan is to have a glass (or equivalent) roof, glass sliding door and 3 big glass windows in the south facing wall. The north wall won't have any windows and will provide shade behind it for the rhubarb.

Fortunately a double glazing company that I work with have just moved workshops and have loads of doors/windows left over from various jobs that I can get extremely cheaply. I've chosen sliding windows for all of them so I can hopefully automate opening/closing for ventilation.

The plans for heating/cooling I have at the moment are:

I have 2 steel single panel radiators with fins left over from a job. I'll paint them black and mount them on the roof (glass covered etc..) for heating water.
2 x 100L water tanks (ex heaters) I'll connect together for hot water storage. These are ones I've taken out and replaced so free.
An external unit from a mini-split that I'll connect to a coil heat exchanger in one of the tanks as a backup.
A mini split internal unit I converted to a fan coil so it works with hot water rather than refrigerant. I've removed all the electronics and just kept the axial fan which can be controlled by a relay. See how this was done here
I already have water tubing and insulation in the floor from when I originally built the greenhouse so I'll connect this up too.
An automatic window open/close system (this is why I chose sliding windows ). I need to sort out a reversible motor with torque not speed or a gearbox.. I'll connect this to threaded bar and to the windows so they slide open/closed.
Automatic watering. Should be fairly simple with an electronic valve.

I'll update as things progress.

Acuario

02-29-20, 12:52 AM	#6
Acuario Apprentice EcoRenovator Join Date: May 2011 Location: Tortosa, Spain Posts: 221 Thanks: 2 Thanked 81 Times in 46 Posts	Here's an update on the greenhouse and future plans.. So far no very strong winds so the poly tunnel is still standing although it is starting to deteriorate. Everything inside is growing like crazy, we have runner beans climbing string guides, loads of tomato plants, lettuce, rhubarb, peppers, cucumbers, pumpkins all coming along nicely and it's only the end of February. Anyway, at some moment we will get strong winds - that's guaranteed so phase 2 is in progress. I've just spent the last 2 days with my builders hat on building the main back wall. Today I'll start the front wall. The orientation is pretty close on south facing so my plan is to have a glass (or equivalent) roof, glass sliding door and 3 big glass windows in the south facing wall. The north wall won't have any windows and will provide shade behind it for the rhubarb. Fortunately a double glazing company that I work with have just moved workshops and have loads of doors/windows left over from various jobs that I can get extremely cheaply. I've chosen sliding windows for all of them so I can hopefully automate opening/closing for ventilation. The plans for heating/cooling I have at the moment are: I have 2 steel single panel radiators with fins left over from a job. I'll paint them black and mount them on the roof (glass covered etc..) for heating water. 2 x 100L water tanks (ex heaters) I'll connect together for hot water storage. These are ones I've taken out and replaced so free. An external unit from a mini-split that I'll connect to a coil heat exchanger in one of the tanks as a backup. A mini split internal unit I converted to a fan coil so it works with hot water rather than refrigerant. I've removed all the electronics and just kept the axial fan which can be controlled by a relay. See how this was done here I already have water tubing and insulation in the floor from when I originally built the greenhouse so I'll connect this up too. An automatic window open/close system (this is why I chose sliding windows ). I need to sort out a reversible motor with torque not speed or a gearbox.. I'll connect this to threaded bar and to the windows so they slide open/closed. Automatic watering. Should be fairly simple with an electronic valve. I'll update as things progress. Acuario