Date: Tue, 31 Oct 2000 11:51:21 EST From: MCATALANI@aol.com To: cp@opus.hpl.hp.com Message-Id: <aabcdefg3177$foo@default> Subject: Re: Greenhouse
<< Some more greenhouse questions, if you don't mind. To
Michael Catalani, Susan Farrington and Joe Cumbee: What kind of foundation
did you use? Is your greenhouse portable? Ie., if you moved, could you take
the
greenhouse with you? Is it considered a permanent or temporary
structure? Did you have to get a building permit for it? Can you easily
expand the size of the greenhouse if you wanted to? Does the manufacturer
provide extension kits? How involved was it installing electrical power to
your greenhouse?
How many electrical outlets do you have, and in what voltage?
Did you find after you've used the greenhouse you needed additional
power? Ron >>
Hey Ron. My Jaderloon greenhouse came with 5-7 sets of blueprints. These are
used by your various subcontractors, if you don't do the work yourself. If
you hire the work out, you could have subcontractors for site clearance,
foundation, construction, electrical, natural or propane gas, and plumbing.
Where you live in the US would depend on whether or not you would need a
building permit, which would govern the need for subcontractors.
I'll touch on electricity first, because it's important that this is done
right. Some parts of the country allow you to run your own electricity, as it
is unregulated. Others have strict code enforcement laws, and it must be
performed by a licensed contractor. Even if you can pull your own electrical
system, if you don't do it for a living or have a degree in electrical
engineering, I would advise against it. A greenhouse is a very WET
environment (and mine is all metal), and unproperly wired and grounded
equipment can easily kill a person. My plans called for 220V service. All
equipment runs on 110V. I have a 200 amp breaker box in the greenhouse ,which
allows me to run 20 separate circuits. I could have used a lot fewer
circuits (the computer, lights, inflation blower, HAF fans, electrical
outlets, and watering equipment could run on a single circuit). Running
individual circuits allows me to work on one piece of equipment (I can shut
off the breaker for it) while the others continue to run. Running 220V allows
me to spread the loads for heavy amperage equipment that runs simultaneously
(such as the exhaust fan and pad pamp) across two separate legs. I have
three electrical outlets, one at each end and one in the middle.
The greenhouse is movable, although I wouldn't call it portable. Some of the
structure I would leave behind, such as the foot anchors, and would buy
replacements. I would also rebuild the endwalls if I moved it. My redwood and
glass greenhouse was movable as well (although I wouldnt call it portable
either). But when I sold my house, the buyers demanded it stayed. In all
likelyhood, I would probably leave the whole greenhoues structure, as it
costs little to replace. The equipment I would take with me if I were to move
again, as the majority of the cost is in these items.
The foundation of my large house is nothing but bare earth covered with the
supplied ground cover. Its a weed barrier, and allows excess water to drain
underneath while keeping the ground solid underneath.
It is expandable, but you must take into consideration the equipment (such as
cooling and heating) must also be able to accomadate the larger space as
well. For instance, a 3 foot high swamp coolre works well for a 45' long
greenhouse here in Memphis, but I doubt that it could keep the temperatures
down effectively in the summer if the length was doubled.
Michael Catalani
..
This archive was generated by hypermail 2b30 : Tue Jan 02 2001 - 17:35:14 PST