The real "300$" walipini (pit greenhouse)

My current predicament is finding my damn infrared temperature gun so I can start learning how much I need to heat the tank in order to make it through a night.
That and because my fire is heating from the top of the tank, the water isn't really convecting around very much. I'm getting a warm layer of water on the top and cold on the bottom. I'm thinking of adding a "U" shaped pipe that brings the exhaust down first, to the bottom of the tank, before rising up to exit, some concerns about maintaining a strong enough draft though.
For now I'm just using a drill with a paint mixing bit on it to circulate the water now and then. Maybe I should upgrade to a 50 pounder propane tank or something, that would get the heat further down too.

Suggestions?

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pick one

Tha is exactly what I want to do. Another Ontario resident from north if Ottawa. I have been dreaming about a walapini for a couple years now. I just need the time and money. But it will be mine, oh yes, it will be mine.

I'm currently changing my water tank. Heating from the top was a silly idea. A new mig welder showed up this Christmas so I can easily weld the new fire chamber now.

Im not sure if this video will give you an ideas on how to heat your water. I've had a green house before with a 55 gallon drum painted black and it held the heat alright bit it was only a 6x6 greenhouse and the drum up a lot of space

bearded.beaver said:

Im not sure if this video will give you an ideas on how to heat your water. I've had a green house before with a 55 gallon drum painted black and it held the heat alright bit it was only a 6x6 greenhouse and the drum up a lot of space

Click to expand...

Ya, I've been considering an external solar water heater. The data I read from a Manitoba study showed that they weren't really able to make it through a cold night (-20c) with just passive solar and no fancy evacuated solar tube collectors ($$) , just steel barrels full of water. So, instead I decided to go for a cheap 2-in-1 solution and put a black metal tank with a fireplace built in. This, hopefully, should make for a short burn time to heat it and some passive solar gain. Also, it's important that the stove doesn't let off too much heat to the room and cook the plants. I can always just vent more I guess.

I stuck three propane tanks end to end for a bigger burn chamber. There wasn't enough heat with the original sized stove. This one will go horizontally and be fed from the front as opposed to the top

The new setup will be less like a snorkel and more like an oversized water jacket or hot water furnace.

I read that you can add baking soda to slow the rust when steel comes into contact with water, as the inside of this tank will. Anyone know anything about that or another additive?

In the photo below I've positioned the fireplace to show how it will sit when it's welded inside the water tank. The tank will be on its end and have firewood fed from the front



And here's some action shots.

Someone likedthis so I thought I'd update.

The greenhouse works well for being a warm area, but I'm afraid I made it too narrow to really be of much use as a greenhouse. Also, the slant of my roof in relation to the slope of the hill made for poor drainage. Water came up around the floor boards for a short period of time this spring. Mostly the dirt was wet and humid around the greenhouse, so it's kind of a flop. The whole concept is to have a dry pocket of sand around your building.

The propane tank heater worked alright, but it wants to rust at a very rapid rate. I had read previously that snorkel stoves are typically made of aluminum or tin or something and thought I could just make a cheapo. Ended up with orange soup. Going to buy a bottle of argon and do some aluminum welding this summer me-thinks.

We got a log mill, so I'm going to try something in a better location come fall.