New Method to Heat/Humidify GH

[Anton]

I have set up an inexpensive way of heating and humidifying a small outdoor GH.

Recently I have been researching ways to heat and humidify my newly constructed GH. A friend of mine told me of a friend of his who uses a simple and unique way to heat and humidify a large room in which he has his tropical fishtanks.

What is involved is to use a small heater as used in a circular hotplate style BBQ and over this place a large metal container of water. The heat generated from the small flame, hot water (which is below boiling point), and the steam keeps the temperature up and the steam also keeps humidity up.

I have now set this up today and below are the images I took tonight at 8pm having originally put it together at 2.30pm. The water level in that time has only dropped 2 inches (see second image).

I have set the flame as low as it will go without going out so that the water doesn't boil, conserves gas, and doesn't overheat the GH, or over humidify it.

The first image shows the set up, the second, water levels, and the last shows the temperature inside the GH and outside, and humidity level, as mentioned above at 8pm.

You can see that it is sitting at 21C (68F) and humidity at 82%, but I am going to drop the humidity a bit by letting in some more air movement from outside. My fan keeps the air circulating and stops condensation from the humidity collecting around the GH.

[fred]

that is pretty impressive Anton

a good lesson to all who want to add humidity to there orchids.

lol smart thinking 99 lol

[Anton]

I just checked on things, it's 9.50pm, temperature inside GH is 21C, outside temp is 16C, humidity is around 80%.

I'll have to work on that to get it a bit lower, but it can wait until tomorrow.

Seems successful to me.

[fred]

congrats with that Anton

[arleneg]

Anton, that's a great idea...and inexpensive way to heat and humidify a gh. That's killing two birds with one stone, my kind of way (when possible).

[Anton]

Update

It is 8.30am and the water in the 15 ltr (4 gallon) stock pot has dropped 4 inches over night. Temp is 19C but humidity is still up.

Humidity is the only thing I need to work out how to control.

[eldone]

To help lower the humidity how about running a dehumidifier. That will also help put some heat into the space while lowering the humidity if it gets too high. Just a thought.

[Anton]

Good one 99.

[tom499]

How did the insulating go? I'm hoping to get mine suited up for next winter, then more plants can continue to live outside.

Maybe you could just move the bowl further from heat source? then less water would evaporate, and theres no need to run another appliance.

[eldone]

Another method would be to put en electric solenoid valve in the water line feeding the water container. Then you would need to add a controller with a probe in the container that would control your water level in the container to maintain a small amount of water in the container. In addition the solenoid would need to be interlocked with a humidistat so that when the humidity levels increase to a predetermined setpoint the solenoid valve is disabled. This would prevent the water from filling the container anymore until the humidity levels dropped again. Another advantage of this type of system is that you don't have to keep an eye on the water levels as it would maintain it automatically for you.

Here is a link to a site that has the wiring diagram for this type of controller. http://www.uoguelph.ca/~antoon/circ/sensor1.htm

[BillC]

G'day Anton, Looks like you have, to a large extent, cracked the problem. Keep the updates coming mate. Bill

[Anton]

Well Tom hit it on the head, I have already put the water container on one of the shelves with the flame on the ground. (great minds think alike)

The warm air goes up through the mesh warming the air and the pot, and only a small amount of evaporation should occur from the stockpot.

I will have to wait until morning to read the digital hygrometer to find out how low the humidity goes over night.

Just a few minutes ago we came home from a meeting, (11pm) and the humidity was 85%, that's when I decided to set up as mentioned above.

Outside air temp is 14C, inside the GH a pleasant 21C, so hopefully the humidity will drop now, so I'll give a report in the morning. If I can keep it low without having to resort to complicated gizmos, it'll make me a happy chappy.

The other thing I have to weigh up is quantity of gas used. This is only the second night, and I am only using a 6Kg gas bottle.

[robb]

good work anton! looks like a superb setup, and the plants ought to be quite happy! do you have any concerns about the combustion by-products? ie: lots of carbon dioxide and particulate emissions. i'm sure the plants will help with the CO2, but the particulates? what sort of gas are you burning? propane?

[Vivienne]

Anton, I applaud your work. Sounds a lot like me... trying to solve a problem my own way rather than a manufacturers more expensive method. If that made any sense. Good job!

[Anton]

Well I checked the setup at 8am (20 m inutes ago) and the temperature inside 19.5C, outside 8C! with 74% humidity which is tolerable.

I have left ventilation to allow fresh air to come in one end where my fan is and it pushes the air to the other end of the GH and it leaves via a ventilation hole there. so I don't think there are any nasties left behind.

I am using propane gas in a BBQ cylinder.