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coolhouse-fogging system

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Post  stavros Sat May 28, 2011 3:08 pm

As some of you already know, i finally managed this year (only 3 weeks ago) to have a simple coolhouse constructed on 2 of my balconies, to host some trees. One of the problem i was facing was the wind, that blows in relatively high speed up here, and the harsh sun during the summer with temperature reaching 45C during end July - August.

Here are some pictures:
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Here you can see the water tank, the pump that sends the water to the foggers and the valve + timer.



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Here you can see one of my balconies with the polycarbonate transparent sheets stopping the wind and the ALUMINET ceiling and curtains (same like the green netting for shading but this is reflective too), the foggers, and the first bench i put there!!!



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Here you can see the other balcony, again the ALUMINET ceiling, curtains, the polycarbonate sheets, the foggers, and the benches (not completed yet) with some trees on, in different stages of development.

The timer goes off several times a day for a couple of minutes and the foggers create a "cloud" of water droplets which evaporate, dropping the temperature by a few degrees.

This summer my trees will suffer a bit less than other years ( i hope!!!)

This system is going to be upgraded....i will add to it another small tank where i will dilute my fertilizer, to use it as a big semi automatic watering can (not through the foggers but, by attaching a hose)

stavros

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Post  Greg Sat May 28, 2011 5:39 pm

What more to do to a balcony, I like it! well done Stauro!
Lucky those they live on a ground House with a big yard Very Happy

beware of the humidity levels. You may need a fan as well thumbs up


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Post  Savvas P. Sat May 28, 2011 5:41 pm

You have done a very good job there Doc,you have airconditioning in there as well?

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Post  stavros Sat May 28, 2011 6:42 pm

Greg wrote:What more to do to a balcony, I like it! well done Stauro!
Lucky those they live on a ground House with a big yard Very Happy

beware of the humidity levels. You may need a fan as well thumbs up


i thought about a fan but there is a bit of wind, almost like having a fan....in case i see there a need for one i will install.
As for humidity levels, the "ceiling" is only covered with the ALUMINET (like the green net for shade), and the foggers only work every hour for 1 minute, creating a very fine mist, just enough to lower the temperature...it is not even enough to wet the substrate in the pots. Once it gets warmer, i will adjust it to do it every 30 minutes. The system starts at 10:30 and goes on every hour until 17:30...it is important to let the area dry up before it gets dark...

stavros

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Post  stavros Sun Jun 12, 2011 11:20 am

Today, it was a nice hot day.....unfortunately all our plans for having a short holiday at a nice resort were vanished before they started, as my daughter is ill with high fever and tonsilitis....
I decided to take advantage of my misfortune and do some stuff that would have to wait otherwise....
One of these, was to try and figure out if this system that I installed would do the trick: to keep some sun rays away from my trees, and help cooling down the area. An electronic thermometre was used to do some readings. At 14:00, I took a reading in the sun exposed area of my balcony = 38 celcius (!!!) and another one in the shaded area where i have the fogging system working every hour for 1 minute from 10:30 till 17:30 and the reading there was 30 celcius !!!!! Mind you, the time slot between 13:00-15:00 is the hottest part of the day.

If the system does continue to work like this, my trees will be much more comfortable during the summer.

stavros

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Post  damianos Thu Jul 21, 2011 1:01 pm

I wanted to ask you how the system reacts during the past week of extremely high temperatures.

damianos

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Post  stavros Sat Aug 20, 2011 5:59 am

Hi guys,

I have been "away" for a while now....
So, here is an update
The system works great.
A few facts:
- No uv light enters, there is abundance of light though but not as harsh
- Due to the fact that the area is not confined within walls (the roof is only covered with the ALUMINET curtain and also one "wall" is open) , there is good circulation of air. This means NO levels of humidity higher than in the atmosphere.
- I installed 2 fans, and i had to use them when for many hours there was no air circulation; this has happened very few times
- The trees grow like crazy. I had no failures this year so far (!). On the contrary, the growth rate during the summer was phenomenal to me, especially the mediterranean species!!
- The foggers go off every hour from 10:30 until 17:30 for 1 minute, which only lowers the temperature for around 5-8 degrees celsius and for a few good minutes every hour, the temperature becomes more bearable for the trees, without high humidity levels. One minute per hour is not enough to make the environment "wet".

I'll try to take some pictures of the trees and post them. The trees are left growing freely (until the temperatures become more reasonable)


Last edited by stavros on Sat Aug 20, 2011 6:30 pm; edited 1 time in total

stavros

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Post  Savvas P. Sat Aug 20, 2011 12:46 pm

Gia sou Stavro,your absence worried us to be quite honest...hope everything is well and wellcome back....system works e?thats good news thumbs up thumbs up thumbs up

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Post  Greg Sat Aug 20, 2011 8:51 pm

great! ITs worth the effort thumbs up

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Post  stavros Sun Aug 21, 2011 8:45 pm

Hi guys Smile
ANother piece of info: all trees that were collected this last season and before easter 2011 were wired long before the summer. Today i had to remove all wiring because in some occasions the wire was biting so much that i was afraid that i would lose some branches. All trees grew so vigorously!!! Unbelievable!!!

stavros

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Post  will baddeley Thu Sep 08, 2011 12:41 am

Glad to hear your system has proved a success. I think with your recent temperatures, I would do the same to the whole house.

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