It was more me trying to save a penny than being smart. I was installing a
heat pump for summer phal forcing. The unit came with resistive backup and
it made no difference if the power company installed a 200 or 400 amp drop.
It was basically a free backup system that I knew I could not afford to run
very long. We hooted and howled as we watched the meter spin when I first
tested the unit. The fact that oil is now making the meter spin as fast has
yet to make me hoot or howl, more like moan and groan. I feel pretty silly
that my only heat pump is attack to a greenhouse not currently being heated.
I am thinking more and more that I will change that after our annual sale
this weekend.

Of all my heating options short of burning wood or coal, I think heat pumps
are my best option. I just have to figure out how to use solar to my best
advantage and come up with an efficient way to store and retrieve heat. I
think it is doable and the retrofit costs would not be that great. But with
the way the orchid economy is right now I am just not sure it is worth the
effort and money. I am afraid that doing nothing may just be conceding
defeat.

Al, I too have been thinking about greenhouse blankets for a while now. I
have done net searches looking for the perfect blanket and have not had much
luck. Pool covers and greenhouse thermal curtain are not right. I did find
a space blanket type material. It would stop IR loss but would add no R
value. We need big bolts of the material they make gloves out of, something
like Dupont's thinsolate.

Pat

"alpickrel" wrote in message
oups.com...
You were smart.

My old hoophouse frame is still standing right next to the
greenhouse. It is 15 x 30 (or so). Just the metal frame right now.
It has grapes growing on it. I have had the idea in the back of my
head to cover it with insualtion and black plastic water circulating
tubes and turn it into a giant solar hot water collector/storage unit
of some kind that I can then use at night to pump the heat into the
greenhouse next to it. The heat sink can't be IN the greenhouse
because to be of any real use, whatever goes in there...a pool or
whatever..., it has to be able to get hot enough to be of use long
after the sun gets off it, so plants won't be able to be grown in
there with it. (now I get K Barrett's joke about lying to herself
about her barrel of water.)

I was staring at my electrical subpanel for the greenhouse this
afternoon and wondering what it would take to run a line large enough
to power an electric heater that would make me feel like I was not
lying to myself when I plugged it in.

I still think a good option is to find a way to drag a big warm
blanket over the greenhouse every night.

I also wondered when somebody with the know how will get the bright
idea of turning clear 6 mil greenhouse plastic film into a giant solar
electric collector sheet. I mean I spend all summer trying to REMOVE
light and heat. It would be nice to be doing something useful with
it. There is talk of a spray-on solar panel.