Greenhouse Heating Without Electricity Anyone?? (solar, vegetables, south, cold)
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Wondering if anyone has used any of the ideas out there to heat their greenhouse during the winter without using electricity, and without burning the thing down.
Wondering if anyone has used any of the ideas out there to heat their greenhouse during the winter without using electricity, and without burning the thing down.
I have two of these myself, and find them very handy.
BUT - no way can you heat one w/out electricity. They are far too small, not enough thermal mass.
Where do you live, and what do you want these "greenhouses" to do for you?
Location: East of Seattle since 1992, 615' Elevation, Zone 8b - originally from SF Bay Area
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I use an oil filled radiator type heater, very safe plugged into a gfi outlet. No exposed heating elements, no fan. Heat without electricity is possible but gas heat is bad for the plants, wood burning stove or pellet stove is not safe or practical.
have looked in to a lot of options with my new Palram polycarbonate greenhouse.
One of the most intriguing options that would require no electricity is the use of thermal mass that warms up during the day and releases it's heat at night. If you had enough room, 2 or 3 black plastic barrels filled with water would likely keep temps above freezing with outdoor temperatures in the mid-twenties. Another option for more confined space would be to use 5 gal buckets stacked on top of each other along a wall. Of course the problem would be to find enough space for these but incorporating them below shelves may make use of limited space.
Another option that would be worth exploring more might be a solar pop can furnace which really gets incredible temperatures out of a simple and inexpensive design. The idea of course would be to build the day time temperature up high enough to be able to coast thru the cold nighttime. Many videos on you tube out there, here is just one of them.
"Adjustable vented end panels and full-length screens mean maximum cross aeration and temperature control"
Are you SERIOUS???
Other than setting it up in your living room, your quest is a lost cause. That item is closer to being a shade house than a greenhouse.
Back when gardens and such were vital, greenhouses were sunk about three or four feet into the ground to take advantage of the thermal mass of the earth, with some having double glazing to slow heat loss a little.
have looked in to a lot of options with my new Palram polycarbonate greenhouse.
One of the most intriguing options that would require no electricity is the use of thermal mass that warms up during the day and releases it's heat at night. If you had enough room, 2 or 3 black plastic barrels filled with water would likely keep temps above freezing with outdoor temperatures in the mid-twenties. Another option for more confined space would be to use 5 gal buckets stacked on top of each other along a wall. Of course the problem would be to find enough space for these but incorporating them below shelves may make use of limited space.
Another option that would be worth exploring more might be a solar pop can furnace which really gets incredible temperatures out of a simple and inexpensive design. The idea of course would be to build the day time temperature up high enough to be able to coast thru the cold nighttime. Many videos on you tube out there, here is just one of them.
Yes, these methods can work in a properly sited structure that is designed to take advantage of them.
They are not going to work in a 48 sq ft non-sheltered space that is enclosed with a single layer of poly.
OP hasn't responded with her/his location or purpose in using a greenhouse. But for anyone else who is interested, there is a lot of useful and field-tested info out there. There's also a lot of pie-in-the-sky experiments.
Here's three sources I would trust, because they've been doing it for a long time -
I'll also point out that while a greenhouse is wonderful, a good one is not cheap. Depending on your purpose, you might find other ways of doing what you want to do with smaller structures. Here's a couple of good sources about that - again, from people who've been doing it for a long time -
"Adjustable vented end panels and full-length screens mean maximum cross aeration and temperature control"
Are you SERIOUS???
Other than setting it up in your living room, your quest is a lost cause. That item is closer to being a shade house than a greenhouse.
Back when gardens and such were vital, greenhouses were sunk about three or four feet into the ground to take advantage of the thermal mass of the earth, with some having double glazing to slow heat loss a little.
apparently the OP is in South Carolina not the South Pole
Thanks for the replies. I'm sorry I didn't jump in quicker than 11 hours with a reply here, was out working in my garden, at friends house, etc.
I asked because I wanted to see if anyone had some solutions, and I did find some interesting options, Ghengis, I saw those two videos you posted earlier today.
I have a tiny "reach-in" greenhouse and it gets quite hot, but I can't fit much in there. I bought this GH 3 years ago and just got had a chance to put it up. Was just thinking if there was some way to bring the heat up at night when needed and wanted to know first hand. And yes Ghengis, I am in SC. Zone 7b
There are actually quite a few ideas out there, two like Ghengis mentioned, that actually sounds good. I have seen a house that has bottles of water around all the plants in my area and it appears to work for that person, though it doesn't look very good in their yard.
I don't have the option to do any type of electricity, nor would I want to. I'll surely come up with something with the searching. Was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge first hand from doing it.
"Somewhere out there" for a location is not one I'm going to bother to spend time trying to figure out. I'm probably further south and had both a large greenhouse and a small green shelving cabinet I made. Supplemental heat was required for both.
Sometimes I think it would be easier to just be quiet and let people learn the ugly truth on their own after spending beaucoup money and time and then losing plants. It gets tiring being shot as the messenger and the pay sucks.
Thanks for the replies. I'm sorry I didn't jump in quicker than 11 hours with a reply here, was out working in my garden, at friends house, etc.
I asked because I wanted to see if anyone had some solutions, and I did find some interesting options, Ghengis, I saw those two videos you posted earlier today.
I have a tiny "reach-in" greenhouse and it gets quite hot, but I can't fit much in there. I bought this GH 3 years ago and just got had a chance to put it up. Was just thinking if there was some way to bring the heat up at night when needed and wanted to know first hand. And yes Ghengis, I am in SC. Zone 7b
There are actually quite a few ideas out there, two like Ghengis mentioned, that actually sounds good. I have seen a house that has bottles of water around all the plants in my area and it appears to work for that person, though it doesn't look very good in their yard.
I don't have the option to do any type of electricity, nor would I want to. I'll surely come up with something with the searching. Was just wondering if anyone had any knowledge first hand from doing it.
Thanks all!
you may also want to look into bubble wrap for insulating the greenhouse, there are some greenhouse suppliers that have these that clearer than the normal shipping bubble wrap and would allow more light and heat thru.
"Somewhere out there" for a location is not one I'm going to bother to spend time trying to figure out. I'm probably further south and had both a large greenhouse and a small green shelving cabinet I made. Supplemental heat was required for both.
Sometimes I think it would be easier to just be quiet and let people learn the ugly truth on their own after spending beaucoup money and time and then losing plants. It gets tiring being shot as the messenger and the pay sucks.
QFT, good advice to heed
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