automatic door openers (Polytunnel)

[Caithness Gardener]

Has any one tried to adapt the automatic window ventilators to open the polytunnel doors? It occured to me yesterday. Given the winds up here I was thinking it safer to have thm open in than out! Anyone got any ideas how I could take thisa forward?

I have a temp sensor in the polytunnel (LIdl) and it has gone as high as 46C

[JennieAtkinson]

If you live in a windy area, make sure your polytunnel doors open inwards. You lose a bit of growing space, but far safer.

I would not go for anything that opened automatically in a windy situation. My polytunnel doors are open all the time now - probably the last three weeks, but before that I always opened in the morning and closed at night. It can be a bit of a pain to remember, but far safer than losing a door. When the doors are open I hang an open net in the doorway attached to hooks either side of the door and at the bottom. That way, bees can get in and out but it keeps the starlings and blackbirds out (they like pulling up the plants!) and also keeps the dog out (who has taken a fancy to eating the parsley!).

The danger of automatic opening is that we can often have a Force 8 gale and a lovely sunny day and I would prefer to be in greater control. I have purposely not gone for automatic openings on my new greenhouse for the same reason.

Hope this helps.

[Caithness Gardener]

Where abouts are you? In Caithness we can have gales too but I was concerned to keep the temp up without permanently having the doors opened. You could always have automatic "hinges" whixch you can disconnect when going away for a fortnight. Do you have automatic watering system?

[sparkyaj]

not sure if this is the answer your looking for................. I work as an electrician and had an interesting job fitting a posh conservatory out a few years ago. On each of the roof windows they had electric openers controled by a unit the size of a normal light switch that was also over-ridden by a rain sensor sat on the top of the glass.

If I remember rightly the whole setup cost around £100ish and took me an hour or so to fit once I had wired the fused spur supply to the control unit.

The winders are very heavy dutey and I would say if your runners are good on the doors they would open them a treat! after all, thse were lifting 4ft square double glazed windows up in the air.

the control unit works on a thermotatic control which you can set to any figure of your chioce. If it rains, they automaticly close the windows/ doors until it has stopped and then they re open in the dry.

Hope it helps...... OH, PS................. they are supplied by most garage door companies and conervatory co.s

[Alice]

Hello Sparky, would this work for Velux windows as I am always afraid to leave them open overnight in case it rains. Where can I buy these units or what can I search under. Thanks for any help.

[sparkyaj]

http://www.lookwest.co.uk/house/ddj.htm


Hi Alice, this is the web site of the company I did the work for.

I nkow they are away from your area but they should be able to tell you how much and what they are called. You might be able to order it from them or search more local to home. I'm not to sure with dorma windows because you usualy have a tilt and turn option with them.or at least the ones I have seen do.

Good luck. Let me know how you get on.

Rgeards,


PS, thank you for your reply to my other question....XX

[Alice]

Thanks for the link Sparky.........and for the wee kisses

[sparkyaj]

awwwww, anytime
let us know how you get on

[JennieAtkinson]

Where abouts are you? In Caithness we can have gales too but I was concerned to keep the temp up without permanently having the doors opened. You could always have automatic "hinges" whixch you can disconnect when going away for a fortnight. Do you have automatic watering system?

A very exposed area of Shetland!

Temperatures of 46 degrees must put your plants under alot of stress. Bernard Salt in his book Gardening Under Plastic (which I fully recommend) says that you have to try and get the best balance of daytime and nightime temperatures (ie not a huge difference in temperatures) and that doors should be open during the day most of the year to avoid fungus and disease. I do shut the doors at night if it appears cold (last night was one), but at the moment with virtually permanent daylight hours, our sun can be shining quite brightly and with amazing warmth in the ploytunnel at 2 am!

Mainly my polytunnel is to provide a sheltered and warm growing space. Unfortunately it cannot take the place of a greenhouse, as it is a totally different type of growing space.

I do have automatic watering (overhead) which came with the polytunnel and is useful if I am away on holiday. But I always water by hand when I can so the roots get the water. The overhead watering system works well, the main problem being that the water takes ages to clear from the pipe and two of the openings drip quite badly, so if there is a plant underneath, it suffers a bit from overwatering.

Do try and get hold of Bernard Salt's book as it is very informative.