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Old May 31, 2016   #58
murihikukid
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Join Date: Feb 2016
Location: Invercargill New Zealand
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Hi Rosedude...Sorry to be so direct but are you actually reading my posts....You state """It seems like you are trying to build something that is more complicated than it needs to be. A rubber hose with a liquid in it is not going to be a very efficient way of transfering heat to cold wet soil. It could work, but right away you are starting with an inefficient system, all in the name of saving money.""""
First..I have not got a plan yet..its an idea...Where did you get the idea I was intending to use a rubber hose with a liquid in it ..and saving money???
Second..I have enough intelligence to know in any heating system thermostats are crucial ...""""""There are plenty of heat sources you can connect to this thermostat that will work better than your hose and pump idea-"""" Is there?? please read this article
http://articles.extension.org/pages/...or-greenhouses

As I understand written by experts....They advocate using tubing with heated liquid for a raised bed ...I am just taking it another step ..IE instead of soil in a raised bed my soil is in a series of drums..

"''''''''''You can even use this controller with the heater/pump you have started to build. """
I have not started to build anything yet ...simply because I have not got a plan but one thing I know I will use the STC 1000 Digital Thermostat cause I already have one and know how to program it..
'''''' It really doesn't matter how many hoops of tube you have as long as the fluid in the tube is as hot or hotter than the temperature you want for your plants"""""
'
Ahhhh at last ....Yes you have given me information that I am looking for and I thank you for it....It seems to me that there is going to be quite a bit of trial and error here ..especially the number of loops in the drum but surely water in the soil conducts as does the stainless steel drums ...I am thinking of about 4 loops in the 450mm x 350mm drum with Alloy/Pex tubing ...if I can get a soil temperature of 70 degrees F from 100 degrees F flowing through the loops I would be more than happy....

RE your second posting .....Its nearly the shortest day of the year and my living room is freezing ?? Well nearly because my tomatoes in their growing room IE the freezer have my electric blanket ..they have my best blankets wrapped round and over them and they have inside the blankets eight only five foot floro T8 tubes providing light and warmth... They appear to be now quite happy growing since I put the electric blanket and blankets round them whereas previously I considered they had become dormant... Its amazing how cold the house is since I did this....I only have my beloved cat to keep me warm..but the Tomatoes come first...
The temperature guage directly above the foliage is showing 62 degrees F..It is not enough..I know that and when I switch the lights off at 2am it will go down to 50 degrees F......
These plants will need to be transplanted fairly soon into the drums in another freezer so its vital i get a system up and running as soon as possible ...
I realise I have to take a gamble and buy the Aluminium/Pex composite tubing which I understand is a great product ....loop some drums ...and build a header tank and control unit ....I was hoping for help which I may or may not get...

I am hoping to get advice on using the pumps controls etc from a Westinghouse washing or dishwasher machine ....same principal but would it be powerful enough ...Well my friend in Canada might reappear and tell me.. cause he is an expert on such matters...

Regards Ron.

Last edited by murihikukid; May 31, 2016 at 04:02 AM.
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