Sterilizing first load in the Solar kiln

[flatrock58]

After working on the Solar kiln for several months I have almost finished the first test run.  Had about 500 bf of poplar and 400 bf of pine.  Dried from 14% down to 8.5% in 6.5 days.  Using the halogen lights to heat it up to 150 degrees to sterilize, starting last night.  Should be done in the morning.  A few more bugs to work out then I will try a load of oak.  




<br


>
 

 

 

[farmfromkansas]

Interesting way you built it.  Do you have extra capacity?  What is the heat you have gotten to during the day  with just solar?

[flatrock58]

I wanted to build a solar kiln that I could close off and sterilize after the wood was dry.  So far it seems to be working ok.  Will know for sure when I try oak.  Here is the week temps and humidity  graph

 

[WDH]

That is exceptionally well done.

[flatrock58]

Thanks Danny.  I built it so I can add a nyle 53 in the future for winter drying .  Lets see if I make enough money selling wood to justify the Nyle!

[doc henderson]

nice work flatrock!

[dirtmotor]

Wow looks great

[Stephen1]

I like that. I think I should be building a solar kiln next.

[flatrock58]

farmfromkansas.  I am putting the wood in the inside chamber and using the solar chamber for just a heat source.  The solar chamber is about 6.5'x13' and the inside chamber is about 7.5'x 13'.  In hind site I probably should have made the inside chamber a little deeper but I was concerned about the size and heating a larger area.  If I add a nyle 53 to the inside chamber for winter drying I guess I could use the solar chamber for slabs or other wood half the year.

[Andries]

There's some clever innovation going on there, @flatrock58. 
Well done!
Could tell us what hardware / software you're using to track humidity and temperature?

[scsmith42]

Very well built and innovative concept!  Thanks for sharing.

[flatrock58]

Andries  I am using a sensor push cube from amazon.  Yellowhammer uses them in his kiln.

[Nebraska]

That is pretty awesome!

[Nebraska]

How are you venting? I didn't see them.

[flatrock58]

Nabraska.  I am not venting.  I have a dehumidifier that comes on over night .  I will probably have to tweek it some and look at venting. 



 

I used the Yellowhammer halogen light method to heat it up to sterilize.  Didn't realize my lights were 350 watt till I hooked them up.  So it too a while with 5 lights.  Need to get a thermostat.  I was adjusting temp using a timer to switch on and off two lights to maintain the temperature once it got to 150 degrees.

[flatrock58]

Sensor Push 
https://www.amazon.com/SensorPush-Wireless-Thermometer-Hygrometer-Android/dp/B01AEQ9X9I/ref=asc_df_B01AEQ9X9I/?tag=bingshoppinga-20&linkCode=df0&hvadid=&hvpos=&hvnetw=o&hvrand=&hvpone=&hvptwo=&hvqmt=e&hvdev=c&hvdvcmdl=&hvlocint=&hvlocphy=&hvtargid=pla-4583863979577536&psc=1

[farmfromkansas]

How do you handle the dehumidifier?  Use a timer?

[flatrock58]

farmfromkansas I use a timer for the dehumidifier.  It was getting too hot in the day to run it.