Green house heat

[Gene]

I can get a use central heating unit (propane) for free has any one seen one in operation in a greenhouse.I suppose they would work just as good. Does someone know if it'll hold up to the moisture in the GH as far as rusting out.
Gene

[shepp]

hi gene
yes they will work and they will last awhile ,and yes they will rust
i have seen some that were elevated 18" to 2ft of the floor.
typically a modine furnace is used , they are natural gas or propane also. mice like all furnaces so pay close attention they dont build a nest.

[Gene]

Shepp,thanks for the reply.I was wanting to use the heater to aim it under my benches that I thought I would cover them with plastic on the sides instead of using cables or heated water pipes .Although I think the heated waterlines may come out better in energy cost.

Have you seen these central heating units setup like this just a thought gene

[shepp]

hi gene
how big is the GH can you make the benches go around 3 sides.
and i would put the thermostat or additional thermometer under the bench. better yet do this i use a wall thermostat to raise and lower the temp
in the GH and soil thermometers to read the soil temp.
i use 3 of them.helps to know where the microclimes are.
i may hang plastic along my benches next winter.like a skirt.
when its in the 30's out side i run the GH thermostat at 58.
that keeps soil at 65. and this is at nite.....
it takes some fidgeting every day .just because the weather changes.

[Ann B.]

Hello, everyone!

In our area of the country, we tend to place our greenhouses with the ends facing North and South, rather than east and west. That is because we are more concerned with too much heat in a greenhouse in the summer, rather than not enough in the winter.

I don't know if this will help, but it is extra information on Greenhouse Heat Management. Unfortunately, I was unable to find much from the northern zones about Greenhouse management on the net. If anyone does, please let us know...

Here are the links I found. I hope they help someone:

http://www.sfasu.edu/ag/horticulture/hrt321/5.%20%20HRT%20321%20Heating.htm

http://aggie-horticulture.tamu.edu/greenhouse/ghhdbk/heat.html

[Jim Lang]

here's an Ohio site

http://ohioline.osu.edu/aex-fact/0801.html

[Ann B.]

Thank you, Jim!

That is a good one...

[shepp]

thanks jim and ann

[Gene]

Shepp I want to biuld a 14 by 60 foot greenhouse ,Im still trying to work out my finances, The builder has agreed to suppy me all the material if I sell my rooted plugs back to him.He already has my down payment of 500 dollars worth of plugs. He buys over 50,000 dollars worth of plugs a year I would like to be able to sell him 8 to 10 thousand myself. I hope I can do that so maybe I can send my little girl to college one day I have 12 years to get at it.I guess I could put the benches in a u shape to be able to circulate the air. Shepp I really apreciate your input here as well as Ann and Jim really good sites I believe the heated waterlines would be the best.I guess I go with the cental heat first tho
Gene