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permaculture - Re: [permaculture] Re: Greenhouse design for southern climates

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  • From: CHINAGRVE@aol.com
  • To: permaculture@lists.ibiblio.org
  • Subject: Re: [permaculture] Re: Greenhouse design for southern climates
  • Date: Sat, 3 Jan 2004 14:11:34 EST


Dominic,
     The drums are sealed with screw in plugs. You can get 2" and 3/4' galvanized plugs -  regular pipe thread .Mine are right up against the windows .  Paint half the drum dark for maximum absorption. I painted mine dark green to match my green tin roof. I don't put any chemicals in mine because it makes them easier to drain if you move things around.  I am also heating part of house and bathhouse this way.  You can also buy plastic thermal storage tubes.  I have these in my bathhouse and the are very attractive.  I have three large floor to almost ceiling windows on the south side with 6 tubes filled with dark blue dye up against the window  .Thats the only heat in there and it's been very comfortable.  The only drawback of the plastic is that they are pretty expensive. You can see pics of these drums at www.solar-components.com/tubes.htm.  The other problem with the plastic is you need to handle them carefully - I cracked one and had to order a repair kit.
     Being I have chemical sensitivities, I don't want to use a wood stove unless absolutely necessary - so I am doing passive solar.  I only have radiant floor heating in kitchen -  it's on north side but south rooms are heated with drums.  So far this winter - my first winter in my almost finished house I only had one day that I was cold with this system - I'm in Mountainair, NM on 40 acres.  At my old house in Albuquerque, I had a small greenhouse - around 12' by 5' with three drums and it never froze.
Marilyn Conway

       

Dominic,
     The drums are sealed with screw in plugs. You can get 2" and 3/4' galvanized plugs -  regular pipe thread .Mine are right up against the windows .  Paint half the drum dark for maximum absorption. I painted mine dark green to match my green tin roof. I don't put any chemicals in mine because it makes them easier to drain if you move things around.  I am also heating part of house and bathhouse this way.  You can also buy plastic thermal storage tubes.  I have these in my bathhouse and the are very attractive.  I have three large floor to almost ceiling windows on the south side with 6 tubes filled with dark blue dye up against the window  .Thats the only heat in there and it's been very comfortable.  The only drawback of the plastic is that they are pretty expensive. You can see pics of these drums at www.solar-components.com/tubes.htm.  The other problem with the plastic is you need to handle them carefully - I cracked one and had to order a repair kit.
     Being I have chemical sensitivities, I don't want to use a wood stove unless absolutely necessary - so I am doing passive solar.  I only have radiant floor heating in kitchen -  it's on north side but south rooms are heated with drums.  So far this winter - my first winter in my almost finished house I only had one day that I was cold with this system - I'm in Mountainair, NM on 40 acres.  At my old house in Albuquerque, I had a small greenhouse - around 12' by 5' with three drums and it never froze.
Marilyn Conway

       




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