Found this at IcMag greenhouse forum and wasn’t sure if y’all had seen it. I like playing around with concrete as it’s cheap and easy construction learned a lot about it doing the DIY skatepark in slab City…
I’m going to be doing a lot of concrete building on my property this spring and this seems like a great idea for heating the greenhouse and for heating my wife’s n I’s house and i wanted to share with you all in case you haven’t seen it…
Credit to original creators of video n thread poster
If going through all the effort of digging and laying concrete, why not just run a hydronic loop in concrete with a wood fired boiler? The hydronic loop could be able to be thermostatically controlled and give you control over the temperature.
@Orison well for one my wife and I aren’t hooked up to power grid, or any municipality… and I really enjoy using concrete… cheap strong and if you fuck up just smash it and start over!! Heh
I find the ancient uses of it to be very interesting…
Here’s me making a hip at the high dive pool in av city…
The photo with my momma iis just to help get an idea oof what the pool looks like. It was an Olympic high diving pool in the 40s… perfect mellow but huge quarter pipe transitions made it too perfect to not be a DIY skatepark tho!
Very nice dude, I was a trade mason, and I also skate. I helped build a few DIY spots here in NY.
The lack of power would make hydronic harder but a small circulation pump wouldn’t draw much juice, sub 50 watts, you would be able to power that off of very modest solar. You would still be utilizing the concrete to transfer the heat just letting the pipping inside of it direct the heated water, instead of air ducts.
My main worry with the exhaust gas system is if the concrete ever cracks from the thermal expansion, carbon monoxide exhaust gas could flood the greenhouse and kill everything.
I get the keep it simple approach though, just wanted to throw extra ideas out there for you to think about.
I have always wanted to install a super simple greenhouse structure over my local DIY spot to keep it warm and dry in the winter.
I use those everywhere. vehicles, garage, warehouse. I have a buddy using one to heat his entire 40’ Office trailer. My only complaint on them is that they don’t have a true thermostat, basically when the unit hits the set temperature it just runs on its lowest setting instead of turning off, which still outputs a good bit of heat. Theres an Australian fellow who makes a really nice aftermarket controller that solves that issue though.
Again very low power draw, I’ve had units that run completely off grid with a single 100 watt solar panel and a 35 AH car battery. (plus diesel)
They are all mostly the same, if you do want to go with that aftermarket controller it only accepts certain models, I will add a link to the controller, that has a FAQ on what models work. They need to be mounted with exhaust and intake facing downwards so unless you but the all in one tank/box unit you will need a mounting bracket.
haha, I literally just got one at a TA truck stop for my clones and seedlings to get an early start. Also go hella handwarmers to use under the clone trays…great minds I guess…
Damn you got a lot of the answers I have been looking for! And a few questions I haven’t though to ask yet… Ha
Honestly the Australian site is a little over my head… I can understand most but after a bit but feel like someone doggy paddling upstream… keeping up but not getting too far
