The Application of Electronic Thermostats in Greenhouse Temperature Control

Gardening "thermostats" are important to successfully grow your own plants. Because they are the way to control equipment, they can create the right environment for plants to grow. If the plant is neither hot nor cold, it can only absorb nutrients, water and carbon dioxide. If the conditions are not right, photosynthesis cannot take place and the plant cannot grow properly. With the right temperature control, plants can grow healthily. You can use a thermostat to control heating or cooling equipment. The heating thermostat can be set to the desired temperature that you want to achieve in a particular area. The thermostat detects the temperature at the installation site and controls the wired equipment to the required temperature. This can be done by turning on and off the heater or cooler to maintain the correct temperature. If the temperature is lower than the thermostat setting, the heater is turned on. When the temperature is reached, the device begins to rotate in a "constant temperature". This way, the thermostat keeps the required temperature and doesn't waste money by overheating the area.

There are many types of thermostats to choose from. Be sure to choose a moisture-proof or dust-proof box. A typical household thermostat has an exposed bimetal strip sensor element that can send an error signal if covered with dust or moisture. A good choice for a greenhouse is a thermostat with a sensor that is activated by pressure due to the expansion of a liquid or gas in a closed coil.

The switch movement between the on and off signals of a mechanical thermostat is called differential. For mechanical thermostats, the temperature varies between 4 and 6 degrees Fahrenheit. Keep at least 60°F (constant temperature setting) in the greenhouse. If you have a thermostat with a temperature difference of 5°F, the oven will stop and stop when the temperature drops to 60°F. At 65 degrees Fahrenheit, both heat loss in the greenhouse and heating costs increase. It is important to choose a thermostat where the difference between on and off signals is small. Some thermostats have a heat estimator that shuts down shortly before reaching the closing point. This saves fuel.

The difference between electronic thermostats is small, usually +/- 1°F, and temperature controls are more accurate than mechanical thermostats. Electronic thermostat sensor is thermistor, and use electronic control circuit. A slight difference means that the furnace will be turned off only a few degrees above the set value. This reduces fuel consumption. Electronic thermostats usually have other built-in functions such as remote sensing, digital temperature display, day/night regression and variable voltage output. Remote sensing can locate sensors hundreds of feet from a thermostat controller.

One of the disadvantages of electronic thermostats is that the heater is often turned on and off. With today's most advanced heaters and furnaces, rapid circulation has little effect on efficiency, as the device only takes 1-2 minutes to achieve maximum efficiency. The higher starting frequency of the engine will increase the wear of the starter.

The energy savings from electronic thermostats come from more accurate temperature control and less heat loss from the greenhouse surface because the heater is turned off a few degrees above the set point. Assuming a mechanical thermostat at 6°F is compared to an electronic thermostat at 2°F, as in the same 30-foot x 100-foot greenhouse, the electronic thermostat saves about 500 gallons of heating oil, 750 gallons of propane, or 700 gallons of natural gas in a thermos during the heating season. This is important because the return on fuel prices offered today is short.

Making a little effort before the heating season starts can lower heating costs this winter. That way, more money could be spent on improvements to the greenhouse air-conditioning system, such as controls and computers that integrate all heating and cooling equipment.