Solar for a small greenhouse

[TychoMonolyth]

I have a small 12x8 greenhouse. Bought a small 12v RV ceiling fan for summer heat exhaust. In this climate, I had to replace the roof with better poly panels or the roof never survives the winter. Hence the side peak mount for the RV fan.

I'm looking for a solar panel and deep cycle (marine?) battery system to run the show.

Any suggestions?

 

[Three Berries]

Get a AGM battery as they are maintenance free. Odyssey makes very good ones. Beware half price copies.

https://www.odysseybattery.com/


Here is a company that specializes in renewable power.

https://www.renogy.com/

 

[troutman]

You will 1st have to determine how much power you'll need and go from there.

 

[Three Berries]

I just got a couple of 6" USB powered fans. I'm amazed at the low wattage they use. Fully 1/3 of what a 120v one use. Only about 8 watts on high. And the AC Infinity Cloudline 67 series of exhaust fans are also very low wattage. The Bluetooth one is all set up for temp and humidity control.

 

[troutman]

I just got a couple of 6" USB powered fans.

I got 2 AC Infinity Axial S1238 cooling fans for my Spider Farmer 2' X2' X5' grow tent.

 

[Three Berries]

And for sure you need meters to monitor the power.

https://www.amazon.com/watt-meter/s?k=watt+meter

 

[TychoMonolyth]

Normally, I'd do a lot of research before I jump into anything, but I'm running out of room fast (I already have 10 flats so I have to get this stuff into the greenhouse quick. This is what I ended up putting together.

I'm rolling the dice on the small battery but I'm probably going to need a bigger one.
(Plug and play because I'm an idiot.)

 

[TychoMonolyth]

I might not need the inkbird controller, but I can use it in my tent.

But I still need to find a 12v controller for the heater and ceiling fan.

 

[tobedetermined]

Very cool project, tycho.

 

[Three Berries]

I might not need the inkbird controller, but I can use it in my tent.

But I still need to find a 12v controller for the heater and ceiling fan.

Inkbird makes 12v DC controllers.

Beware that heater, it will suck the juice.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

I only need the heater when it drops below 40-45 for a few weeks in May. Then it's pretty good here at night. That little heater can really pump out the heat so it won't be on very long.

 

[troutman]

This method is better in the long run. I read about it over a decade ago.

Large containers of water can hold solar heat gained in the day and release it at night.

https://ceresgs.com/tips-on-using-wa...ar-greenhouse/

https://homeguides.sfgate.com/heat-g...ter-21599.html

This last method is cool cause it uses ground geothermal heat to keep the greenhouse warm.

https://permies.com/t/62395/Greenhou...l-mass-storage

 

[f-e]

Might run half hour on that battery.

12v, 20Ah (20 amps for an hour)
12v @20a = 240w (for an hour)
Lead acid doesn't really like deep discharge. It actually likes about 50%.

The 100w panel will rarely produce 100w. In the depths of winter, who knows. In the UK we fancy about 10% of that. Not enough to half charge the battery each day.

 

[troutman]

Lead acid doesn't really like deep discharge.

Look again. The battery he showed is a Lithium type.

i.e. LiFePO4.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithium_iron_phosphate_battery

 

[troutman]

Want real heat. Get a small wood stove and don't look back.

Don't let your chicken cook though.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DEXxtKXL8AU

 

[f-e]

Look again. The battery he showed is a Lithium type.

i.e. LiFePO4.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Lithiu...sphate_battery

So it is
I didn't realise he was so posh

While a quite safe version of that chemistry, it's not that cheap...
HobbyKing is always worth a look. Something will be on some crazy special offer. Though you might have to get a BMS which may seem daunting. Some cut corners and just use a balancing charger and a low voltage cutout to stop deep discharge. I can off help with that. I have made a few proper packs. Model guys shouldn't be listened to at any cost, they have fires all the time. At UK events batteries must be charged outside in flame proof bags, as they just keep doing it wrong. Home eBike builders burn a house down almost every year on the forums. Boeing had to ground some of it's main models as they couldn't suss out an issue. It's almost ship shipping only for this stuff. Nobody will fly the stuff unless in the cabin in your device.


I expected a car battery, because a car or leisure battery makes much better sense

 

[troutman]

^^^ Also to properly charge a deep cycle battery you need a deep cycle charger.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

that would melt the house. lol

 

[Three Berries]

I'll second the water heat storage. Nothing better and quite cheap as long as you have the room.

 

[TychoMonolyth]

I like the water thing, but you have to understand, the greenhouse is in my wife's garden, and anything that looks a little hobo gets kyboshed. Filling a water barrel once in a while wasn't good enough because it looked "hillbilly" so I had to bury and run a hose inside a pvc pipe to the garden. for her. lol. You could walk the queen through this garden.

I could just say "No", but she makes more money than me, and it's her garden. But that's ok, I almost have her convinced that a nice little hoop house at the back of the yard might be a good idea for me.

She keeps bringing up my last "easy greenhouse". It's probably why I have to run everything by her before I do it.
In my defense, the wind did this to it. Twice. lol