Anybody used a a diesel heater for a greenhouse

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Anybody used a a diesel heater for a greenhouse

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gray_b

Joined: 24 Jun 2011
Posts: 254
Location: Leafy Shires of the Midlands

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 23 8:19 am Post subject: Anybody used a a diesel heater for a greenhouse
Anybody used a a diesel heater for a greenhouse Something like one of these Shortened link Got to work out if its cheaper than using electricity. But maybe somebody has some experience, in keeping a large greenhouse above freezing. One concern is emissions. They say it uses 0.15-0.45 liters of diesel per hour to create a warm space. But how much to keep a greenhouse above freezing?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 23 1:14 pm Post subject:

the gas ones eat quite a bit of oxygen from the air and require a good level of ventilation

i reckon liquid fuel ones do as well, so carbon monoxide might be an issue in a closed greenhouse

there will be particulates and other combustion products, not good for people or plants

fire hazard?

apart from that, they seem quite fuel hungry, but i spose it is only on for the coldest days

clean and warm makes sense, is there a way to get the fumes outside and warm air inside? i cannot think of one with that kit

some of the gas ones have a heat exchanger and fans, so the air for combustion and resulting fumes is outside and the warmed air goes into or around the area to be warmed
those are ok on big building sites and for marquees etc, the correct size might work for a big greenhouse

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 23 1:19 pm Post subject:
ps a greenhouse can be cold but not arctic, above freezing or warm, all have needed different kit what is your minimum temp? what is it made off? how big is large?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Sun Oct 22, 23 1:20 pm Post subject:
ps a greenhouse can be cold but not arctic, above freezing or warm, all have needed different kit what is your minimum temp? what is it made off? how big is large?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15985

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 23 6:59 am Post subject:
No experience but think more information is needed to suggest possible alternatives if it is not suitable. Like size, any insulation, what are you growing so what temperature do you need etc. The old paraffin heaters used to be used just to keep it above freezing and there are other alternatives.

gray_b

Joined: 24 Jun 2011
Posts: 254
Location: Leafy Shires of the Midlands

Posted: Mon Oct 23, 23 12:28 pm Post subject:

Greenhouse is a standard glass/aluminium frame 20ft x 10ft

Concrete floor, no insulation.

Exhaust to go through bottom of aluminium plinth. So no proplems with fumes. Concerned that no catalytic converter??, maybe not required on small engines (if you can call this an engine)

Outside minimum temperatures last year hit -12 deg C for the odd hour in a day, but most of time during winter no less than -5 deg C

Would like to keep just above freezing for most of the time all day and night, but slightly increasing during March/April to 5 deg C during day and night.

Nicky cigreen

Joined: 25 Jun 2007
Posts: 9887
Location: Devon, uk

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 23 10:56 am Post subject:
what plants are you growing in there that you want frost free ? - out of curiosity do you have power nearby? I would guess that an electric gh heater designed only to come on when temps hit 0C would be more efficient?

dpack

Joined: 02 Jul 2005
Posts: 46235
Location: yes

Posted: Tue Oct 24, 23 1:13 pm Post subject:
i was thinking if the exhaust gasses ended up in the greenhouse it is not very big, low tech might work recycled bubble wrap, plenty of fermenting manure, heat storage(old bottles painted black, full of water, sunny place) ?

Mistress Rose

Joined: 21 Jul 2011
Posts: 15985

Posted: Wed Oct 25, 23 7:54 am Post subject:
I was thinking of glass to store heat too. On TV ages ago they used broken glass (done a special way so it doesn't produce sharp bits) as a sump and passed warm air from the top of the greenhouse through it to make a heat store. Details in Dick Strawbridge's stuff perhaps as it was in that.

gray_b

Joined: 24 Jun 2011
Posts: 254
Location: Leafy Shires of the Midlands

Posted: Sat Oct 28, 23 5:16 pm Post subject:
I have seen on youtube videos of people recycling the heat from the exhaust gases. Using a homemade heat exchanger. Also seen exhaust pipe being made from some sort of ribbed flexible pipe, akin to a finned radiator.

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