Greenhouse Air Conditioning And Other Random Questions

  • Thread starter Eddie G
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Eddie G

Eddie G

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Hello fellow farmers!
I'm in the process of designing and building a 30' by 100' greenhouse. I'm trying to figure out the size of the dehumidifier and air conditioner needed to keep the environment perfect. I attached picturesome of the average yearly weather. If this location wasn't so close to the coast i would consider outdoor, but with humidity going up to 80%+ on a regular basis, I feel a dehumidifier is mandatory, but what size? I'm looking at a quest 215 (215 pints a day) but the hydro shop guy said people use it in 30' by 50' greenhouses (do I need a bigger one?)

I haven't looked into air conditioning yet (too damn scared of the price) I think a swamp cooler is no good (with humidity reaching 80% at some point during the day/night) the main issue is we are off grid. Is there a recommended size air-conditioner for a greenhouse this size? I'm an indoor guy and calculating btu's generated indoors is easy, I have no fuckin clue what to do!

Wich brings me to another question... solar.. I'm trying to work out kilowatt hours needed. Should I plan on having all equipment running 24/7? Last thing I need is having environmental controls turn off because the power bank is tapped. There is a 10000 watt generator onot the farm but gas is expensive/inefficient.

I'll post some pics when I start the build! And I will start a detailed grow journal!

Thanks for the input!
Eddie G
 
Daily high and low temperature temperature f
Probability of precipitation at some point in the day percent pct
Relative humidity percent pct
ubi

ubi

146
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30 by 100................ i would put at least four of those quests. thats alot of plant material and water in the room. at least 250 to 500 gallons of water (in pots and plant matter)
 
Eddie G

Eddie G

14
3
30 by 100................ i would put at least four of those quests. thats alot of plant material and water in the room. at least 250 to 500 gallons of water (in pots and plant matter)
Thanks for the reply! Your right, one unit would probably work fine in that space when it's empty. But when it's packed with transpiring plants it would Definitely not be enough.
 
Blaze

Blaze

2,006
263
Based off those weather averages for your area an A/C or cooling of any sort is not needed.
 
Eddie G

Eddie G

14
3
Based off those weather averages for your area an A/C or cooling of any sort is not needed.
Really? A lot of farmers around here get pm. also it hits 80 degrees regularly. won't the inside of the greenhouse be 10 to 20 hotter? I am hoping to build it with roll up sides, and framing the ends with huge fans.
 
iKharon

iKharon

843
143
Really? A lot of farmers around here get pm. also it hits 80 degrees regularly. won't the inside of the greenhouse be 10 to 20 hotter? I am hoping to build it with roll up sides, and framing the ends with huge fans.
12x20 poly tunnel is same way.. build an end wall, wrap the back.. then my sides roll up with a fan rigged over them. Just get that air in low and blow it around to cool it. Also if shit gets bad, freeze gallon jugs of water and put them in front of a few fans, when they melt, swap em out.
 
grayarea

grayarea

1,565
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this one time ncga was all like we are separating the women trimmers from the men.
blamedemotivator.jpeg
 
Blaze

Blaze

2,006
263
Really? A lot of farmers around here get pm. also it hits 80 degrees regularly. won't the inside of the greenhouse be 10 to 20 hotter? I am hoping to build it with roll up sides, and framing the ends with huge fans.
If you have good air exchange and circulation the inside of the greenhouse should not be any hotter than the outside ambient temperature. Keeping your greenhouse warm and dry with good airflow will help prevent PM. Unless you are in a climate that hit over 90 regularly I think cooling is a waste.

Remember that if you go the route of roll up sides, your exhaust fans won't have any effect. You need to set up your greenhouse to either have passive ventilation, via roll up sides and a ridge vent, or active ventilation, where the greenhouse is totally sealed and exhaust fans extract the hot air and exchange it for outside air.
 
Eddie G

Eddie G

14
3
If you have good air exchange and circulation the inside of the greenhouse should not be any hotter than the outside ambient temperature. Keeping your greenhouse warm and dry with good airflow will help prevent PM. Unless you are in a climate that hit over 90 regularly I think cooling is a waste.

Remember that if you go the route of roll up sides, your exhaust fans won't have any effect. You need to set up your greenhouse to either have passive ventilation, via roll up sides and a ridge vent, or active ventilation, where the greenhouse is totally sealed and exhaust fans extract the hot air and exchange it for outside air.
So your recommending just a few exhaust fans for negative pressure and air exchange. Do i use an intake fan as well? I'd rather it be sealed than have the sides open for pest reasons
 
Blaze

Blaze

2,006
263
If your exhaust fans are powerful enough, your intake can be passive. Our new greenhouse uses three large exhaust fans and a passive intake on a cooling wall on the opposite side. You still need circulation fans inside the greenhouse though, just having exhaust fans is not enough.
 
grayarea

grayarea

1,565
163
If your exhaust fans are powerful enough, your intake can be passive.

Or u could design the greenhouse around the 1 fan. i prefer to own it i guess. "powerful enough" implies not owning it.
 
Eddie G

Eddie G

14
3
I have terrible news, Unfortunately the county is not permitting new greenhouses on existing cultivation sites. I have to remove the existing structures to stay compliant. At least we can continue to grow outdoors (wich was technically banned) but now the existing sites; illegal under local law, but legal under state law can continue....
 
Eddie G

Eddie G

14
3
I have terrible news, Unfortunately the county is not permitting new greenhouses on existing cultivation sites. I have to remove the existing structures to stay compliant. At least we can continue to grow outdoors (wich was technically banned) but now the existing sites; illegal under local law, but legal under state law can continue....
Confusing...
 

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