Greenhouse build questions... okay to post here?

alyaz

Is it okay to ask some greenhouse build questions here? Not sure it fits into any of the forums properly... If not okay, please delete...

Just looking for your thoughts on an alternative to passive solar heat storage, which typically seems to be done by having large plastic water barrels on the north wall of a greenhouse. Since water barrels are big and bulky and don't really fit well into the space of a square greenhouse, I'm thinking of trying the following.

The back wall of the greenhouse will be 14 feet long by 8 feet high - the bottom half (4') of the wall will be river rock and mortar. I'm thinking of buying 6" black sewer pipe (or the largest diameter I can find), using the appropriate glue and gluing on an end cap. I would stand these up on end, basically lining the back wall (above the rock work) with vertical black sewer pipe. They could be secured at the bottom, center and top with cedar strapping, or whatever. They could all be filled with water, an appropriate amount of plumbing antifreeze added to each pipe (it only gets down to about minus 5 C, for a few days here over the winter) and a top cap then put on.

So, would need about 28 - 6" x 4' lengths of black pipe to completely line upper portion of the back wall.

Thoughts?

Regards,

westbranch

Re: Greenhouse build questions... okay to post here?

incorporate a stone wall that is externally insulated from losing its heat, or stone to build raised beds.

stephendv

Re: Greenhouse build questions... okay to post here?

you could also half-bury the greenhouse and then use the earth itself as the thermal mass, e.g. http://www.treehugger.com/green-architecture/build-underground-greenhouse-garden-year-round.html

solar_dave

Re: Greenhouse build questions... okay to post here?

I saw a guy in Colorado use heavy shelving and plastic milk jugs as thermal mass.

Cariboocoot

Re: Greenhouse build questions... okay to post here?

There's a large number of ideas about this sort of thing at Build-It-Solar: http://www.builditsolar.com/

One reason why water is often used is because of its density and yet ease of handling.

alyaz

Re: Greenhouse build questions... okay to post here?

Thanks gang... and thanks Cariboocoot for the link to:

http://www.builditsolar.com/

animatt

Re: Greenhouse build questions... okay to post here?

solar_dave wrote: »

I saw a guy in Colorado use heavy shelving and plastic milk jugs as thermal mass.

I know this is late. But more for people stumbling onto this thread at a later date. Normal plastic milk jugs can work but break down in sunlight. So you would not want them in an area getting direct sunlight.

and

A much better alternative would be PET bottles. Basically all the clear plastic bottles like soda bottles, or gatorade or water etc. Much more robust container.

None clear plastic bottles are usually inferior for solar applications

matthew