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Greenhouse test

Discussion in 'Growing Areas' started by T. migratoris, Jun 27, 2010.

  1. Jun 27, 2010 #1
    T. migratoris

    T. migratoris Active Member

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    Big test of the new greenhouse's cooling system today. We went well over 100F for the first time since putting the automatic controls into operation (we'll eventually hit 110F or so later in the year). So far so good. I have the setpoint at 84F with a 4 degree differential between stages. The first cooling stage fires at 84 - open shutters & one exhaust fan. If that doesn't keep up the second stage fires at 88F - open shutters, evaporative cooler pump on, one exhaust fan operating. The computer shows the max temp today at 88F and the cooler pads are wet so we apparently triggered CS2 & it did the trick. I was pretty worried about the ability of the cooling system to keep up. There's one more cooling stage as a fail-safe that fires a second exhaust fan but I've never seen it operate in auto mode. Maybe in August.

    Need to start shopping for that standby generator ....
     
  2. Jun 27, 2010 #2
    Jon

    Jon Mmmm... bulbophyllum...

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    Fantastic! Isn't it great when everything fires right the first time? Congrats!
     
  3. Jun 28, 2010 #3
    John Klinger

    John Klinger Active Member Supporting Member

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    Sounds real good. If all goes as set, you will really enjoy nthat.
     
  4. Aug 25, 2010 #4
    T. migratoris

    T. migratoris Active Member

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    107F yesterday ... 107F today already and we may not be done heating for the day. The greenhouse is at a steady 88F in cooling stage 2 - no sign of needing CS3 (so far). I don't have any way of knowing for certain but my gut tells me the 50% Aluminet is really making a difference on days like this. Supposed to cool a bit tomorrow ... we'll see.

    Update ... peaked at 108F. Broke previous record by 3F. GH steady at 88F with the Aluminet & evaporative cooling.
     
  5. Aug 28, 2010 #5
    Uluwehi

    Uluwehi angraecoids, dendrobiums and more Supporting Member

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    I'm glad to hear that your set-up is working so well.
     
  6. Aug 28, 2010 #6
    Ray

    Ray Orchid Iconoclast Supporting Member

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    Might I ask why you don't want the pads at stage one?
     
  7. Aug 28, 2010 #7
    This_guy_Bri

    This_guy_Bri weirdo

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    the reason we don't have our pads come on at stage one is in case the temp outside is enough to cool things off without the energy use for the evaporative cooling
     
  8. Aug 28, 2010 #8
    T. migratoris

    T. migratoris Active Member

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    The CS1 exhaust fan is very economical to operate at about 0.9A, so CS1's very inexpensive. CS1 costs about 2 cents per hour to operate, or about 20 cents a day if it runs 10 hours or so on a typical warm-hot day.

    Running the pad pump adds another 5A, so the combination of the pad pump & exhaust fan costs about 14 cents per hour. Theoretically the combination would run somewhat less than the exhaust fan alone due to quicker cooling and quicker return to the setpoint, but it would have to run a whole lot less to come out ahead from a power consumption standpoint. Plus there would be more frequent and numerous on-off cycles which are hard on relays, contactors & shutter motors.