Scuba_Dave

2nd day of heating the solar hot tub - up to 96 by 1:30pm
I expect to top 100 tomorrow


And as an added bonus the greenhouse has been staying under 80
I am going to need to make a new custom hot water panel for over the greenhouse
The 4x12 is too big
I think one 30" x 12' will work

The spare 4x12 panel will go out to the hot tub by the pool
OR, I might use it to preheat water to the water heater
I really need to collect some more sliding glass doors & make the solar hot water heater for the house

Maybe I can make one to help heat the greenhouse in the early spring & late fall

Seedlings are doing very well
Tomato plants are getting pretty big
Peppers are still small, very slow to grow
I will have to start them earlier next year
Actually I will need to start everything at least 2 weeks earlier next year

Abnshrek

Hey Dave I think that's awesome. A great mind is a terrible thing to waste, so stay at it :^)

__________________


I'm a Nannerhead :^)

Scuba_Dave

Hot tub hit over 104 just after Noon
Turned on the jets, grabbed a beer & went in for a soak
Very nice

Patty in Wisc

I'm jealous!!! We are s'posed to get frost tonight.
Can you post some pics of your solar thingy?

__________________
Got a lite?
Patty




____
Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

Scuba_Dave

Its not pretty, bolts are rusted, glazing is fogged
But dang if it doesn't work
Its up to 111 with the hot tub recirc off
Heating cycle at an end
I expect it to drop at least 3 degrees when I turn the pumps on
And at least 5 degrees overnight

But that means it could stillbe 103 in the morning
I really need to get 1/2 of this heating our hot water

Hey guess what ?
The control panel doesn't work over 106
It was just flashing "HO"
And my wife didn't even have her top off

As I said not pretty
But I did not want to invest in any paint or anything else until I tested it
Plan is to paint it, pick up new screws & new glazing
I think with new glazing one panel can heat each tub
Or I may need to make a small 2nd panel for this tub

The 4x12 against the house is really too big & shades the greenhouse too much
Pic was taken at 3:30, hot tub was 111 & solar heat was shut off
Even with the shading you see on the panels they were putting out 118 degree water

Scuba_Dave

Shut the solar heater off @1pm as the tub reached 106
Now I need to connect a loop to preheat water for the house
Recd the electric bill today - lowest bill in 4 years !!
35% lower then last month & the same month last year

I've moved a large number of tomato & pepper plants out to the big garden
Late Sunday I may move the rest out
Weather looks good for the next 10 days
We will be over a week past the normal last freeze

Scuba_Dave

Hot tubs working great, hasn't dipped below 96 even after 2 cloudy/rainy days
I just picked up 4 more solar water heaters - 3x6

I'm going to take the 4x12 off the top of the greenhouse & install a 3x6
That will let more light inot the greenhouse
Plus the (2) 4x12's are too much for the hot tub

I'm taking the 4x12 & another 3x6 & installing them on the hot tub out by the pool
That will heat the tub & excess will heat the pool

Then the last (2) 3x6's will be setup to provide hot water for the house

I've moved just about everything out of the greenhouse & into the reg gardens
I may start some other seeds in the GH, not sure yet

Scuba_Dave

I started another thread on the Hot tubs & solar heat

Solar heated Hot tub

My 1st cucumber is starting to grow, saw it yesterday
This is the earliests ever !!
We have had 2 90 degree days in a row
Its supposed to be cooler tomorrow, so I am going to move the bigger tomato plants out to the reg gardens

Now I'm not sure what to do with the greenhouse for the summer ?
Maybe start some flowers from seed

Scuba_Dave

I have a bunch of small cucumbers growing
Hopefully the plants can keep up & keep them growing
Summer squash I planted outside weeks ago has exploded in growth
Pumpkins are growing everywhere

I'm moving the rest of the plants from the greenhouse out to the main gardens
I'm growing maybe 8-12 tomato plants in the greenhouse

cowboyup4christ

Some more info on DYI Green houses
Backyard Greenhouse
free pvc greenhouse plans
The History of the Passive Solar Greenhouse - Why Build?
How to build a small, cheap, simple and easy greenhouse
Build a PVC Greenhouse
hope it is informative

__________________
Isa 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
In Christ
Jim Babb
Chile peppers go good with anything even naners and Ice Cream
http://www.uponhigherground.com/waddscreek/
http://www.hs.facebook.com/pages/Car...m/254209619224

Scuba_Dave

I just did a quick count of Tomato plants
I have around 173 growing...out of maybe 180+ that I moved
Some are small & may not amount to much
Others are too close together & I need to move them

I just need to find places to move them to !!

Scuba_Dave

Summer squash are starting to grow
Cukes are a few inches long now
Peas are flowering
No tomatoes growing but look like they are about to flower
Peppers a long way off I think

Patty in Wisc

Send some here!!! I have no 'maters this year, and the squash & peppers is way behind. The green beans are only thing doing well.
The yearly grapes & raspberrys are doing great too.

__________________
Got a lite?
Patty




____
Patty in Wisc has sadly passed away 9/05/11. We will miss you Patty.

Scuba_Dave

I picked some peas today...they never made it to the house
Shelled them & ate them outside
Also picked 2 cukes & they went with supper

No tomatoes yet, they are flowering....do not see any growing
No peppers yet either, not flowering yet
I had to transplant (3) Tomato plants as I'm building a support structure for a screenhouse for the back patio

We have been picking & eating red & black raspberries for a while now

cowboyup4christ

I am gonna try the passive solar route this year and see how they do. putting black plastic drums in the corners and filling them with water to release heat at night, also have a brick floor to absorb heat as well.

__________________
Isa 40:31
But they that wait upon the LORD shall renew their strength; they shall mount up with wings as eagles; they shall run, and not be weary; and they shall walk, and not faint.
In Christ
Jim Babb
Chile peppers go good with anything even naners and Ice Cream
http://www.uponhigherground.com/waddscreek/
http://www.hs.facebook.com/pages/Car...m/254209619224

Scuba_Dave

The cukes were labeled as 55 days to harvest
I just checked & that's ~100 days since the cucumber seeds were planted inside
And only 68 days since the 1st seedlings were moved to the greenhouse
And only about 36 days since they were planted in the garden

I've sent an E-mail off to Burpee & Ferry Morse asking them how they figure the harvest time

I want to get some growing in the greenhouse early next year

Scuba_Dave

1st Tomato is on the vine - only about the size of a marble

Scuba_Dave

I received a response from Ferry Morse:

So 100 days from the time the seed was planted....instead of the 55 on the package
Next year I guess I will start earlier & move them to the greenhouse sooner

Scuba_Dave

Well...not really a greenhouse....but a green screenhouse
The poles to this broke
So I built a framework & setup the screenhouse over the new patio
There is a garden at each end, have to see how they do now that they will be partially shaded

The Patio



Building it



Done, need to adjust the material



Inside, I am adding rope light

Scuba_Dave

Getting a head start this year
I made storms for the door & the last panel on the West side
Still have one jalousie window on the south side without a storm window
Its a big window....so that will take some doing
I lost one roof panel due to ice this winter
My fault maybe as I was cleaning off the roof
Put one of my spare panels in & good to go
It did take a while for the snow that fell in to melt

Today is the 1st day the GH has topped 70
I already have peas & cuke seedlings growing
Tomatoes & everything else are in the sunroom
I'll be planting more in the GH shortly
Getting a head start this year!!