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Post by roofgardener on Feb 23, 2015 20:42:55 GMT
****Plantopticon News*****
28 degrees
28 DEGREES !!!!!!
(with a minimum temp of 17.5 degrees).
Thats over a 24 hour period, approximately 19:00 - 19:00.
IT LIVES.
It also perspires.... condensation galore, incuding all over the bulb, and into the wiring block. NOT good... but... nill desperato.
I've moved the bulb from the lid, to the side of the box, so that it isn't touching the soil anymore. I've also equiped it with a dinky little "condensation hood" made out of a bit of left-over insulation material, and duck tape.
And finally, I've punched a bunch of holes in the lid. (still no insulation yet) to see if this resolves the condensation problem.
Oh... and I've put a shovel or so more compost (in the absence of more sand) in, just to increase the heat reservoir effect.
Thermometer reset, moderator rods withdrawn, huge big brass "We Belong Germinated" knife-switch thrown.... Plantopticon on external power, and with all the safety switches duck-taped into the "to hell with it" position.
Lets see what we have this time tomorrow ?
If it works... then... perhaps time to put some seed trays in it ?
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 23, 2015 21:44:14 GMT
HELP. Can someone tell me when gardening got so complicated? Pleeaase.
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Post by grindle on Feb 24, 2015 4:23:35 GMT
sounds like you're having fun setting this up, let's hope your seeds appreciate it  Makes my warm windowsill seem very uninteresting  |
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 24, 2015 20:04:37 GMT
****Plantopticon News***** 28 degrees 28 DEGREES !!!!!! (with a minimum temp of 17.5 degrees). Thats over a 24 hour period, approximately 19:00 - 19:00. IT LIVES. It also perspires.... condensation galore, incuding all over the bulb, and into the wiring block. NOT good... but... nill desperato. I've moved the bulb from the lid, to the side of the box, so that it isn't touching the soil anymore. I've also equiped it with a dinky little "condensation hood" made out of a bit of left-over insulation material, and duck tape. And finally, I've punched a bunch of holes in the lid. (still no insulation yet) to see if this resolves the condensation problem. Oh... and I've put a shovel or so more compost (in the absence of more sand) in, just to increase the heat reservoir effect. Thermometer reset, moderator rods withdrawn, huge big brass "We Belong Germinated" knife-switch thrown.... Plantopticon on external power, and with all the safety switches duck-taped into the "to hell with it" position. Lets see what we have this time tomorrow ? If it works... then... perhaps time to put some seed trays in it ? Roofy, I think you have solved the problem of Nuclear Fusion, well done you. The Nobel Prize in science and confusing people is yours for the taking next year.   |
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Post by roofgardener on Feb 25, 2015 11:55:08 GMT
****Plantopticon News***** 28 degrees 28 DEGREES !!!!!! (with a minimum temp of 17.5 degrees). Thats over a 24 hour period, approximately 19:00 - 19:00. IT LIVES. It also perspires.... condensation galore, incuding all over the bulb, and into the wiring block. NOT good... but... nill desperato. I've moved the bulb from the lid, to the side of the box, so that it isn't touching the soil anymore. I've also equiped it with a dinky little "condensation hood" made out of a bit of left-over insulation material, and duck tape. And finally, I've punched a bunch of holes in the lid. (still no insulation yet) to see if this resolves the condensation problem. Oh... and I've put a shovel or so more compost (in the absence of more sand) in, just to increase the heat reservoir effect. Thermometer reset, moderator rods withdrawn, huge big brass "We Belong Germinated" knife-switch thrown.... Plantopticon on external power, and with all the safety switches duck-taped into the "to hell with it" position. Lets see what we have this time tomorrow ? If it works... then... perhaps time to put some seed trays in it ? Roofy, I think you have solved the problem of Nuclear Fusion, well done you. The Nobel Prize in science and confusing people is yours for the taking next year. Such sarcasm, in one so young. 'Tis a terrible thing to see ! OK.... on with the news..... *****Plantopticon News******** Well, it sustained 28 degrees overnight. There's still a lot of condensation on the underside of the lid, but the 'condensation hood' on the bulb appears to be working. I just need to wire up a couple of timers, and then its seed time. ****condensation news***** The Polyzeppelin isn't waterproof ! Water leaks under the sides (its on tarmac, not soil), so the floor DOES get wet. When we had extended rain (all night), there was even a small amount of standing water. Still..... having said that.... condensation has improved since I opened the ventilation window, and things aren't getting damp any more. The Pink Tiles help a great deal with the floor water.... and the standing water DOES dry up pretty quickly. Overall, I'm happy  |
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 25, 2015 20:40:01 GMT
Roofy, as long as you are enjoying yourself AS WELL as getting results, that is what gardening is all about.
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Post by roofgardener on Feb 25, 2015 21:53:52 GMT
wise words indeed, Daitheplant.... and I really appreciate them *****Plantopticon News***** The internal bulb is silly. OK... the condensation shield works, but it means it doesn't actually shed any light over the seedlings. I have ripped it out, and cast it unto the Abyss. Instead, I have put the Anglepoise Lamp on top of the Plantopticon as a substitute. All Hail the Anglepoise Lamp ! This also means there is more space for seed trays. SPEAKING of which.... I have now put my first Wilko's 30-cell "plug" seed tray into the Plantopticon, and verily seeded it with Begonias. Probably. The seeds are so darned small it's difficult to tell. For all I know, I'm attempting to germinate raw soil. (but my gardening gloves - and hankerchief - and trouser pockest - will be a picture of Begonia lovelyness in the Spring... ) ****WOPR News***** I've wired up the Timer switches .. one for heating, one for light. Thermometer reset - everything is now under automation control. All possibility of human interference is removed. "Wouln't.You.Prefer.To.Play.A.Nice.Game.of.Chess" ? (a small prize will be awarded to anyone who gets that reference). Meanwhile.... the PolyZepellin is... nice. I'm enjoying going into it for an hour each day after work. It's not quite right yet... but it's getting there. I'm enjoying myself. Now lets see if I can get any results |
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Post by SueA on Feb 26, 2015 21:03:33 GMT
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 26, 2015 21:30:45 GMT
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Post by SueA on Feb 26, 2015 21:38:54 GMT
No daitheplant , I mean he's like the Bruce Dern character trying to keep everything alive in the pods at the end of the film all by himself, mind you roofy does fancy himself as a Bond villain! |
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Post by daitheplant on Feb 26, 2015 21:44:39 GMT
No daitheplant , I mean he's like the Bruce Dern character trying to keep everything alive in the pods at the end all by himself, mind you roofy does fancy himself as a Bond villain! So he is going to be responsible for the end of life as we know it then?   |
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Post by roofgardener on Mar 1, 2015 9:27:48 GMT
I LOVED that film !
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Post by roofgardener on Mar 5, 2015 13:08:21 GMT
***Polytunnel News***** Well, we've had stormy weather, with strong winds. So far, the PT hasn't flinched ! The wind was strong enough to seriously "flap" the cover (like a tent), causing a chair inside to be whiplashed over, and some christmas lights to fall down from the ceiling, but that was all. The structure itself never moved. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY. The polytunnel in its new location.  I've also re-jigged the insides to give a bit more shelving space for plants and propagators.  The 'tables' on the left constitute my main working area. The lower-level 'dip' area is my potting bin (containing all my seedling compost). Storage is to the right. Below is "mission control"  The HelioThermic Plantopticon  Storage  Some primroses and strawberries where looking a bit sad, so I brought them "indoors" for a while to perk them up. I need to put the primroses somewhere a bit more shaded, though.  Below is the area that the polytunnel USED to live in. It will now become my 'hardening off' area, once I have a few more shelving units.  My pride and joy... the WheelyBut !  And finally, the South Wall. I'll be adding more shelving, and binding a matrix of canes into the shelving units. The idea is that the entire length of the wall becomes one long interlocking 'hedge' of runner beans, peas, nasturtions, and various decorative "buddy" flowers lower down (Marigolds etc).  Well, thats the plan, anyway |
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Post by dianthus on Mar 5, 2015 19:12:22 GMT
Wow!!!!
The Hanging Gardens of Babylon....... relocated to 'Roofdom' |
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Post by daitheplant on Mar 5, 2015 19:45:30 GMT
Your getting there Roofy. My polytunnel is full,  I need to get another one.  |
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Makes my warm windowsill seem very uninteresting 
I need to get another one. 
