So I met a new friend who teaches a DIY solar panel workshop around Vancouver, BC, Canada. He has priced out the components and it is about $106 in parts to build a 64 watt DIY solar panel. His own workshop, where he operates all sorts of power tools is completely off-grid (ie. Not hooked up to the electrical power lines) and powered solely by 4 x 64w solar panels feeding 4 deep cycle refurbished batteries. I plan to do the same for my new greenhouse which is my main spring project.

Last spring built my pergola so this spring plan to DIY build 4 solar panels to attach onto my pergola roof and run it to four batteries stored inside the new greenhouse (8'x12' x 10' high if I can get away with that height). I will run several LED grow lights (both DIY and manufactured), as well as the pump, filters, small 50w heater in the koi pond (110g black Tuff Totes feed trough) that I will half bury inside the greenhouse.

I plan to keep the greenhouse for mainly growing out my citrus collection (Meyers lemon, Key Lime, Eureka lemon, Eureka pink lemon, Vietnamese lemon & lime, 2 Calamansi, and hopefully by then, my 4-5 variety combo grafted citrus tree). I only plan to plant in-ground a couple of the trees and keep the rest in large planter pots with wheels (for moving around).

Also, since Burnaby by-laws limit greenhouse indoor space to 100 sq.ft. max, I will build a "cold frame" "awning" that will jut out 8-10' from the front of the greenhouse and roofed over with polycarbonate sheets. The greenhouse itself will be covered with double-layered polycarb. with perhaps a second layer of single-ply polycarb or acrylic sheets secured inside the frame (collected a good number of extra poly & acrylic sheets last year for this project). I know it won't be sealed & a vacuum, but having that extra layer of polycarb may raise the winter temp. inside a couple of degrees for an added safety/insurance measure.

So that's my plan for the spring. Now just have to get through this winter

So far, just having my citrus collection inside a temporary greenhouse (plastic sheet kit) with a 42w Daylight CFL running 24/7 has kept the trees warm enough and doing well. There are buds forming and a few flowering inside, along with my Meyers lemons are yellowing up beautifully even though we've seen a bit of snow and several nights hovering at or even below freezing lately. Hopefully this good fortune continues until I can get the proper greenhouse built in the spring and transfer everything inside the stronger, warmer, more insulated structure and then get the solar power project operational.

Thanks for reading.

Anthony

Very interesting read, especially because I have similar plans myself. Keep up the great work! Do you have any links to the useful information?

A few comments:

100 square feet, really? What is their reasoning for this? I've never heard of a legal limit for greenhouse size being imposed.

I'm kinda curious why you leave the 42watt CFL running 24/7 in your temporary greenhouse- why not just connect it to a greenhouse thermostat? This would only turn it on when the temperature falls to your preset level.

Also- why a CFL at all? An incandescent would actually be more energy efficient in this case as you want the "waste" HEAT generated by the bulb, not more LIGHT, right?

I noticed that Burnaby seems to be in zone 8, which is the same zone I am in. My greenhouse heating lamps only come on during nights under 25F or lower.
In reference to your solar setup, that sounds like a good idea, though in interest of keeping electricity needs to the bare minimum, you might want to work on the PASSIVE solar aspects of your greenhouse first.

Double layers of plastic will reduce heat loss, but it will also reduce the insolarization (sun heat input) of the greenhouse.
You didn't mention, but do you have materials in the greenhouse to store solar heat? (barrels of water. stones/rocks,etc)


Making sure that your greenhouse collects as much free solar heat as possible will majorly lower the requirements on your solar system.

http://aes.missouri.edu/bradford/education/solar-greenhouse/solar-greenhouse.php

I will have a 110 black tub for my koi "pond" along with a couple of black barrels.

Also looking at adding a big black composter with piping to extract waste heat

Just one tip, for greenhouse growers of citrus trees in frosty areas. NEVER trust to termostat - it is very dangerous component. I heard loads of stories from old growers from Slovak and Czech Republic - zone 6, how they lost nearly everything just in one night. Termostat saving money for electricity and can work properly for many years, but 1 night - usually the coldest and usually, when you are not at home , it will go wrong and your whole work of many years vanish like morning dew. I prefere manual switching in hot days and 24/7 heating during winter, it is safer.

If I was only allowed to have a 100 square foot greenhouse (you should move), I would design it in the shape of a solar greenhouse, with 6-inch thick insulated solid east, west, and north walls, and a slanting south wall to collect the sun's energy. On cool/cold nighst I would cover the south wall with those 2 inch thick silver sided insulation boards. I would also insulate the foundation 3 feet deep, thus making the entire soil inside the greenhouse a heat sink. This type of greenhouse would require very very little energy. - Millet (397 ABO-)

SeaHorse_Fanatic,

that's very interesting indeed!

Could you, please, post (or PM) the DIY solar parts list that your friend put together for you? Preferably with suppliers. I thing many of forum members might be interested in such a project.

Thank you! Looking forward to your reply.

I haven't taken my friend's workshop yet. As soon as I know, I will add the details to this thread or start a new one.

I don't think it is very cost-effective (4 panels plus 4 batteries & all the other components may easily add up to close to $1000), but its a cool project & environmentally friendly

I figure that by the time I add up all the costs involved in the entire project, I could easily buy a lifetime supply of citrus from the supermarket, but then again, addictions are supposed to be expensive and addicts are supposed to be a little crazy

BTW, I think the bylaw is 100 sq. ft. per greenhouse. I think I can have multiple greenhouses, but I'm running out of space in my backyard.

Already have a 24' x 20' covered deck with cedar pergola & polycarb cover, as well as two 12x8 sheds (one is mine, one is upstairs neighbour's), two 8' x 3' raised garden beds and two small portable 5'x5' greenhouses.

Not to mention my daughter's blueberry "farm" with 18 bushes of 5 or 6 different varieties and several fruit (non-citrus) trees including two fuyu persimmon, Fuji apple, Granny Smith apple, 4 variety cherry, and a fruit combo (peach, apricot, 2 types of plum) trees. Plus thornless blackberry, thornless raspberry, black currants, small fig tree, 30 plants of three types of strawberries, etc., etc..

Did I mention I'm the obsessive-compulsive personality type whose motto for his addictions is "Go big or go home"??

My other addiction is keeping fish and corals and at its peak, I had just under a 1000 gallons of saltwater reef tanks.

With two young daughters now (3 years old Felicia & 5 month old Isabella) and working as ridiculous hours as an academic tutor, plus moderating the local fish forum, life is a little busy Who needs sleep? 4-5hrs is fine.

Growing citrus trees though is a good life lesson for myself & my kids about the value of patience and the rewards of doing things yourself (like growing your own lemons, limes, etc.) instead of just buying it.

Besides, I love DIY and reno projects so this should be an interesting one for this spring/summer.

Anthony