Thermal Mass in Greenhouse/Hoop house

[wifezilla]

It has been way more decades than I like to think about since I took my solar engineering classes. I am trying to add thermal mass to my quail/hoop house and I was wondering in anyone had a quick formula.

I just measured and the dimensions are 7'3" deep, 6" wide and 7'3" at the peak. It is made out of an old dog kennel with a hoop house structure made out of 3/4" pvc. Walls are 4 mil plastic held on with clamps.

Any advice is welcomed.

 

[patandchickens]

In most circumstances, "as much as you can feasibly pack in" is the most relevant formula You're not very likely to get excessive thermal mass in there, realistically.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[wifezilla]

Good point

I guess it comes down to how much floor space do I want to leave for the quail and how much light will I be blocking.

Right now I have 2 18 gallon Sterelite tubs, a 10 gallon muck bucket, and various 2 liter bottles scattered next to the plants. It know it isn't enough because I need to vent in the daytime and I am still getting frost on some of the plants at night.

Think think think...

 

[patandchickens]

WZ, I don't think it's realistically possible to have enough thermal mass (exposed to air/sunlight anyhow) to avoid daytime venting and nighttime cooling.

For the nighttime issue, you might try, uh, whatsisname, Elliot Coleman(?)'s approach where you cover the stuff in the greenhouse with floating row cover or a little hoophouse -- sort of a tunnel-in-a-greenhouse. This will hold more heat around your actual plants even though the greenhouse *air* cools off more.

For daytime venting, uh, you just have to vent the greenhouse Either manually or by buying an automagical gizmo.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat

 

[wifezilla]

Tunnel in a tunnel sounds good