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Old March 25, 2014   #1
decherdt
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Default What about a 30ft long water balloon/bolster/row warmer

I suppose I may have just lost my last marble but I wonder if a 30 ft long surgical tubing water ballon would just explode, or hold heat for a month of cold nights? Or a large OD drip tape/no drippers? Drag/hoe a shallow trench, roll it out and hook up the hose, open and close a valve......Anyone have a favorite tubing or tape?
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Old March 25, 2014   #2
Doug9345
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What I understand is that your are proposing to bury a small diameter length of tubing using it as a tank. Short version is there is not enough mass to affect heat retention of the soil to any degree that you can measure.

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Old March 25, 2014   #3
Wi-sunflower
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I do use 2 inch layflat tubing in a 15 ft wide greenhouse for my heat. It is connected to a wood water stove tho and the water in the circulating lines can be close to 200* at times. Basically I use it as a "radiator" type of system. The green house is really more of a cold frame too as it's just 1 layer of plastic. It has kept plants from damage in the 20s but I don't think we've had any tamps lower than that.

Carol
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Old March 26, 2014   #4
decherdt
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Thanks Thats more like what I would need. I see that 4" or 6" dia is available. ( the bigger better AG rated stuff seems to be only sold by the pallet) Now I need to figure if 40 gallons in 30 ft of layflat warms a low tunnel better than 60 ft of soil heat cable.
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Old March 26, 2014   #5
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I still haven't figured out if you are just going to use it as a thermo mass or are you proposing to heat your tunnel? You are forgetting that the soil itself has a large thermo mass.
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