Very Very New check my work please

[J.P.M.]

What i hoped to get with this system .. first of all.-- just to try solar and get my feet wet.. goals are,, run fan in summer and lights / maybe / in winter..the greenhouse is a new build and Im not sure what my exact times will be for fan or lighting . I have to see how things go with the green house and the solar combined.. both are new .

The solar/greenhouse combination are anything but new. In fact, it's one of the oldest applications of solar energy known. Benn around as long or longer than glass.

Spend your effort at foot moisturization efforts learning the possibilities and limitations of solar energy, particularly how it's best utilized for moderating temperatures in places like greenhouses and sunspaces.

A lot of work has been done and recorded in the open literature on the subject. I've probably read most of it over the last 40+ years. Most of it involves the thermal aspects and applications of the solar resource.

PV is a poor way to moderate temperatures in a growing space. Study and learn what others have done before you. You'll get a lot more accomplished, and do better than where you're headed now. At this time you don't know what you don't know, but suit yourself.

[carolinaken]

its just a little 10x16 greenhouse, Not anything elaborate. Just a backyard greenhouse to play around with and thats what Im doing with solar currently .

[J.P.M.]

its just a little 10x16 greenhouse, Not anything elaborate. Just a backyard greenhouse to play around with and thats what Im doing with solar currently .

Yea, mine wasn't elaborate either, and smaller than that, but I got a lot of heat, some respite from Buffalo winters, satisfaction, a few winter veggies and early start for seedlings in a 7,000+ Degree Day climate. It also offset about 10% of my house heat load already made very low through conservation efforts as a bonus.

I bet the more you read and study the vast amount of existing information that's out there in regards to what's already been done, the more enjoyable will be your learning experience when you play around. I'd respectfully suggest starting with " A Golden Thread, 2,500 Years of Solar Architecture and Technology", ISBN 0-442-24005-8.

Learn from others - you won't live long enough to discover on your own all that's already before you in plain sight. This ain't rocket science, it ain't new and it ain't hi tech, particularly when it comes to heating/cooling spaces and growing stuff.

[carolinaken]

J.P.M. Thanks for the head up and Im going to order A Golden Thread. Found it on amazon. Im disabled and my projects take 4 times longer then it should, My green house is my newest hobby ..

[J.P.M.]

J.P.M. Thanks for the head up and Im going to order A Golden Thread. Found it on amazon. Im disabled and my projects take 4 times longer then it should, My green house is my newest hobby ..

You are most welcome.

That's one of my most favorite solar books. Made me realize there really isn't much that's new under the sun.

On projects, yea. It usually takes me 3 tries and 2 rebuild/fixes before I get anything right, and that's after a lot of planning/research/persistence. I'd imagine you know a fair amount about persistence.

On books, the net is rife with tomes about sunspace construction, but if you already own a greenhouse, such literature is also full of nuggets of info/wisdom about things your mother never told you about keeping them from freezing. Big hint: Think moveable insulation and thermal mass. Google is your friend.

Also, there is a vol. (Vol. III actually) of something called the "Passive Solar Design Handbook", ISBN 0-89553-124-0, from Doug Balcomb and the solar elves at the Solar Energy Group at Los Alamos. That ISBN # includes the supplement which contains all the charts, tables and errata. Vol III pretty much summarized the state of the art in passive solar energy applications as of 1982. There's lots in there besides sunspaces,but sunspaces are well represented (chap. IV). Beyond some new materials, not much has changed since then with respect to sunspace and greenhouse applications in the way of basic principles. Don't know if Vol. III is still in print or not. You might need to have your local library chase down a copy.

Good luck.