This was a great video. I've been searching different methods to heat my greenhouse and I've heard a few people mention Thermal Mass heating. This was the best explanation of the process I've seen so far. Thanks again bro keep up the good work 👍
I am not sure about this project, but I love the idea! I was thinking of using two-hole cinder blocks standing upright but buried underground. The bottom hole would be your thermal mass, rocks, or sand, and the top hole would transfer your heat through. This would be buried under the walkway and not under the plants: it seems water, air, and heat would not make a good combination. I like how you get the heat, and putting it in the center of the greenhouse with a T at the top would be great. (The outflow of the underground path would be near the end doors.) Still thinking the cinder blocks could be staggered to help transfer heat. A few inches of sand at the bottom to help set the blocks and hold heat. Then, backfill with sand. I would think about how I would run the heat so it gets better distributed away from the center... Oh, well, I cannot do anything until I finish another project in that area, :(
This small experimental system yeah about two hours or so and it equalizes with natural warming. Now if we had water or sand only, we could have better results. This was simply experimental and we showed some results in the next video, thanks for checking this out
Plus the more heat added the longer it will stay warm. This system is literally just storing heat that would be lost to atmosphere, a larger thermal mass experiment is on the way*
Would red chimney brick be a better substitute for the concrete blocks you are using? I know you mentioned clay brick in place of the limestone. What would be better?
Certainly! The concrete mixture isn’t a good insulator of heat not nearly as conductive as clay bricks are, limestone and brick are both better alternatives for thermal mass storage than man made concretes.
It would hold temps, and possibly warm faster, but with the porous nature of it it’s got lots more air than limestone, sand clay, water, metal and solid stone will therefore hold the temps longer due to density and specific heats of each . Great question! Thanks for checking this one out!
It’s just pulsing cause the sun is down and it has residual ambient light. I can adjust settings to allow it to pulse or run 15 min on and 15 off for 24/hr cycles with an easy to use timer great questions, this was a small diy build I wanted to share and collect data from before I build something a little larger. Thanks for watching!
@@Earthdwellershomestead Love the channel man. my compost bin is hot at the moment I am only using a convection method to bring the heat in my greenhouse
This being a small experiment, not much. Scaled up it could keep the entire greenhouse warm well into the night, great question as we’re developing a large heat sink system!
@@Earthdwellershomestead I Love idea,get the concept but unable to understand how or why it works. Im missing steps. Perhaps if you visually show each step? visual learner sorry. thank you.
@desertedenblooms okay I see now, we’re just drawing air that rises to the top of the greenhouse and forcing it through all the Rock warms the rock. Instead of leaving warm air at the top of the greenhouse to be lost to the atmosphere over time through transfer, we’re able to store it closer to the floor for decent periods till the rocks reach ambient temp of the greenhouse. Thanks for checking this out and asking questions
Rock has a specific heat capacity of 0.22btu/lb/deg F. If you have 200lbs of rock it will store 44 btu per deg F, which is the same as 44lbs or 5.27 gallons of water
This was a great video. I've been searching different methods to heat my greenhouse and I've heard a few people mention Thermal Mass heating. This was the best explanation of the process I've seen so far. Thanks again bro keep up the good work 👍
Thanks for the kinds words! We’re trying to develop the channel/diy’s/ and general information for everyone’s benefit. There’s more to come lol
Very cool project!
Here is a similar but not the same fan as the listings seem to change frequently-> BFB1012VH Fan for 12V 1.80A Turbo Centrifugal Fan a.co/d/dGm6ZkZ
My first test at hot composting went really well. I got it to 105 F. the probe was only 3 inches deep. so is much hotter further in.
Very nice! Are you using the heat or just experimenting with ratios and honing the skill?
Great info, thanks brother. ✌️God bless
Thanks for checking this one out! Merry Christmas 🎄
I am not sure about this project, but I love the idea!
I was thinking of using two-hole cinder blocks standing upright but buried underground. The bottom hole would be your thermal mass, rocks, or sand, and the top hole would transfer your heat through. This would be buried under the walkway and not under the plants: it seems water, air, and heat would not make a good combination. I like how you get the heat, and putting it in the center of the greenhouse with a T at the top would be great. (The outflow of the underground path would be near the end doors.)
Still thinking the cinder blocks could be staggered to help transfer heat. A few inches of sand at the bottom to help set the blocks and hold heat. Then, backfill with sand. I would think about how I would run the heat so it gets better distributed away from the center...
Oh, well, I cannot do anything until I finish another project in that area, :(
So that would only buy you maybe an extra hour of heat at sundown wouldn’t it? Then it would go cold shortly thereafter. Right?
This small experimental system yeah about two hours or so and it equalizes with natural warming. Now if we had water or sand only, we could have better results. This was simply experimental and we showed some results in the next video, thanks for checking this out
Plus the more heat added the longer it will stay warm. This system is literally just storing heat that would be lost to atmosphere, a larger thermal mass experiment is on the way*
Would red chimney brick be a better substitute for the concrete blocks you are using? I know you mentioned clay brick in place of the limestone. What would be better?
Certainly! The concrete mixture isn’t a good insulator of heat not nearly as conductive as clay bricks are, limestone and brick are both better alternatives for thermal mass storage than man made concretes.
What about lava rock instead of river rock would it hold it hotter?
It would hold temps, and possibly warm faster, but with the porous nature of it it’s got lots more air than limestone, sand clay, water, metal and solid stone will therefore hold the temps longer due to density and specific heats of each . Great question! Thanks for checking this one out!
Awesome..I am currently building a thermal mass also. And what do you use to pulse the fan? A timer relay?
It’s just pulsing cause the sun is down and it has residual ambient light. I can adjust settings to allow it to pulse or run 15 min on and 15 off for 24/hr cycles with an easy to use timer great questions, this was a small diy build I wanted to share and collect data from before I build something a little larger. Thanks for watching!
@@Earthdwellershomestead Love the channel man. my compost bin is hot at the moment I am only using a convection method to bring the heat in my greenhouse
@@Earthdwellershomestead what kind of timer?
Also how much of a area will it heat?
This being a small experiment, not much. Scaled up it could keep the entire greenhouse warm well into the night, great question as we’re developing a large heat sink system!
great idea but Im not sure of how to do this? i must of missed something..thanks
You get the idea but not the same idea built?
@@Earthdwellershomestead I Love idea,get the concept but unable to understand how or why it works. Im missing steps. Perhaps if you visually show each step? visual learner sorry. thank you.
@desertedenblooms okay I see now, we’re just drawing air that rises to the top of the greenhouse and forcing it through all the Rock warms the rock. Instead of leaving warm air at the top of the greenhouse to be lost to the atmosphere over time through transfer, we’re able to store it closer to the floor for decent periods till the rocks reach ambient temp of the greenhouse. Thanks for checking this out and asking questions
Rock has a specific heat capacity of 0.22btu/lb/deg F. If you have 200lbs of rock it will store 44 btu per deg F, which is the same as 44lbs or 5.27 gallons of water