SKR8PN's greenhouse journal and Zombie FYI thread

[ksalvagno]

Looking good. I bet you are going to love having a greenhouse. I'm trying to figure out where we could put one. Not enough sun around our garage (detached from the house) and our house has a wrap around porch all the way around.

Good luck with your project!

 

[SKR8PN]

I have been busier than a one armed paper hanger, but I have managed to get quite a bit done on the solar greenhouse project!!


Roof is on, ceiling insulation is in, ceiling is installed, and TWO 9 inch Velux light tubes are installed!
I went with a one piece (EPDM) rubber roof.

I was really wavering on whether or not to do the light tubes, but in the end decided I could afford to lose the insulation value compared to the light I would gain over the back bed. The roof/ceiling R value is up around an R 20. There is a total of 149 jugs with 5 gallons of salt water per jug. The greenhouse is 24x8(192sq ft) so that gives me 3.88 gallons of water mass per sq ft, not counting the beds or the 3ft x 24ft insulated brick/block walkway down the center. The front bed will be insulated under the dirt also( frost break) I think this will work out pretty well!

I have the two triangle shaped end windows on order( THANK YOU JELD-WEN!!!)

Next up is to start filling the beds, then install the rest of the glass when those two end windows arrive.
I found a really cool OSCILLATING ceiling fan at Lowes for $39.95 that will go right over the window in the center of the greenhouse!!



GAWD I'm TIRED!!

 

[Mackay]

Looks nice!! looks so tidy

Can you tell me about your black jugs? Where did you get them? cost per?

We just purchased 55 gallon steel drums for our green house. at $20 a peice. We have to paint them black..... but we are also going to build a sun room attached to the house and I rather see those black jugs there than the drums.

Do you think the salt water makes them hold heat longer?
how much salt per gallon?

Are you going to have a heater in there also?
Around our parts you really need one no matter how good your solar deal is.... its pretty dang cold in April... and May... and June.... and first part of July. :/

 

[SKR8PN]

I am going to TRY to do this WITHOUT any other heat source. I put 3 cups of rock salt per 5 gallon jug. That "should" bring the freezing point down to about 27-28 degrees I am not to concerned about the heat transfer of the salt water, just the frost protection.

I got a SCREAMING deal on these jugs off of Craigslist! A gentleman had them listed for 3.00 per jug (over 10.00 apiece NEW!!!) I bought 3 PALLETS ( 65 jugs per pallet) off of him for 2.00 per jug, DELIVERED! They are food grade, stack-able, with lids, and were left over from a project where he works.
They were going to SCRAP THEM!!
I have sold a few and given a few away and I still have a few left over. I painted them flat black with Krylon bug bombs.

You'll notice the very top row of jugs are still white. The sun will never get that high,to heat them up, but I wanted/needed the thermal mass anyway.......

 

[Mackay]

Nice! You lucked out!

Thanks for explaining the salt thing. My husband is an architect and did major study in passive solar applications.... he said your project looks great..... he'll get to test his skills here pretty soon.

 

[SKR8PN]

Nice! You lucked out!

Thanks for explaining the salt thing. My husband is an architect and did major study in passive solar applications.... he said your project looks great..... he'll get to test his skills here pretty soon.

Tel your husband I said THANK YOU!! You don't know how that means to me, to have someone with an education tell me my stuff looks great, and that is "should" work!!

This is being built from watching my fathers failures, and what I "feel" should work. I can't wait to get something planted in there and see it actually GROW!!.

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Hey, Skr8, I think I recognize those jugs

for you and The Wife.

 

[SKR8PN]

Hey, Skr8, I think I recognize those jugs

for you and The Wife.

You are more than welcome!
How is that new well working out? Do you guys have water from it yet??

 

[TanksHill]

Ok so coming from earthquake country. I never stack anything that high without securing it to the wall somehow. Are your jugs hooked together at all? Or are they falling not a concern?

It is looking amazing!!! I cant wait to see it with the glass in.

gina

 

[Quail_Antwerp]

Hey, Skr8, I think I recognize those jugs

for you and The Wife.

You are more than welcome!
How is that new well working out? Do you guys have water from it yet??

The well is in, but not hooked up yet.

To make a long story short, we're having a newer used home brought in hopefully in August and instead of having to buy all the water lines, hot water tank, etc. for this trailer, we're holding off until the other one is moved in and just going to hook up to that one.



And then we're having a house warming/well celebration party!