Hoophouse Disaster
Anyone ever seen anything like this?
Any idea what could have happened?
Seems almost impossible to me.
This was a commercially build FarmTek hoop.
http://ravallirepublic.com/news/local/article_120a0252-81c2-11e0-b462-001cc4c002e0.html
Views: 196
Replies to This Discussion
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Permalink Reply by randy stout on -
Yes I have seen something exactly like this, in my own field. Last June, had the same problems and caused them myself. Had the roll up sides up and by looking at the picture theirs are up also. Big no no. Just so happened mine was a farmtek too but that is beside the point. I have seen others that did the same thing and all are because the sides were rolled up.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Fleming on
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Since I posted this I've had a chance to talk to the owners of this hoop.
About all i can say is it was a freak occurrence. Sides were rolled down when it happened.
They had 1-1/2" pipe in the ground in concrete two feet deep for each hoop, all of them on one side were sheared off at the ground. Think what happened to bend the hoops is after the pipes sheared from high wind the hoop was lifted then slammed down hard.
What's weird is they had a small green house 30' from the hoop that wasn't attached to the ground at all.
It was totally fine.
Also there was no damage to any of the plants in the damaged hoop.
All I can say is stuff happens.
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Permalink Reply by Greg on -
I have had a 26X96 farmtek for six years, always have the sides rolled up when warm, and never have had a problem. Can't leave the sides down if it is sunny and warm, they are made to roll up, so I am confused as to what is meant as to it's a big no, no to have sides rolled up. I'm in the process of covering my 30X96 farmtek this week.
And we have been through some 60 mph winds here in the last couple of years. If it is stormy and windy, I do try to lower the side and batten things down, but have been through some good winds with the sides and ends up and open.
I feel bad for what happened on the other end of the state. Maybe farmtek will help them with a replacement. I am a real proponent for the use of high tunnels. And it was their first year.
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Permalink Reply by randy stout on
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What is meant is that when you have high winds, like those with a storm front, the sides need to be rolled down. We have had 60 + mph wind with no damage also, but on those freak occurances with the right conditions, you will have serious problems. We have 9 houses and have only had problems with the 1. The others were rolled up on the same day as they had been for years before with no problems. I am just saying that now all sides are rolled down with the potential for high winds. I have a friend who has over 2 acres of tunnels and ALWAYS closes them when a storm front is coming.
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Permalink Reply by Bill Fleming on
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Our two hoops go even a step further, the sides roll up and down automatically via a thermostat. No wind problems in six years but we're not in an extreme wind area. Highest gust I've seen in the last 20 years is 40 mph.
For anyone interested in automating their roll ups it can be done for less than $125 for two sides using these motors> https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=5-1663&catname=elec...
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Permalink Reply by Michael Kilpatrick on
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Yup- straight line winds- but, Farmtek is not know for the best houses- Harnois, rimol, or ledgewood.
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Permalink Reply by Curtis Haderlie on
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I'm interested in Bill's comment about using the motors to automate the roll up sides. What else do you need to control when and how far these motors run?
Bill Fleming said:
Our two hoops go even a step further, the sides roll up and down automatically via a thermostat. No wind problems in six years but we're not in an extreme wind area. Highest gust I've seen in the last 20 years is 40 mph.
For anyone interested in automating their roll ups it can be done for less than $125 for two sides using these motors> https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=5-1663&catname=elec...
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Permalink Reply by Michael Kilpatrick on
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rimol sells them and i think harnois sells them too- saw them on a harnois house at woods market garden in brandon, VT.
Curtis Haderlie said:
I'm interested in Bill's comment about using the motors to automate the roll up sides. What else do you need to control when and how far these motors run?
Bill Fleming said:
Our two hoops go even a step further, the sides roll up and down automatically via a thermostat. No wind problems in six years but we're not in an extreme wind area. Highest gust I've seen in the last 20 years is 40 mph.
For anyone interested in automating their roll ups it can be done for less than $125 for two sides using these motors> https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=5-1663&catname=elec...
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Permalink Reply by Craig Sirna on
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With Snow and wind loads anyhing can happen with Mother Nature. I recommend that everybody consider using double poly inflated on your High Tunnels. It increases your wind load, because it flows over it like a airplane wing and with snow load it slides right off. I have several houses with no problems in winds over45-50 mph and being in the snow belt no problems. I have one Farmtek house with no problems
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Permalink Reply by Craig Sirna on
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Bill do you have any pictures of how to setup the rollup sides with the motor gearbox unit It looks like it's affordable for my several houses. Do you know how long of a house it can do?
Bill Fleming said:Our two hoops go even a step further, the sides roll up and down automatically via a thermostat. No wind problems in six years but we're not in an extreme wind area. Highest gust I've seen in the last 20 years is 40 mph.
For anyone interested in automating their roll ups it can be done for less than $125 for two sides using these motors> https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=5-1663&catname=elec...
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Permalink Reply by Bill Fleming on
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Craig, I stated doing a write up with parts list etc then realized pictures would make it so much easier.
I'll try to get pictures today but no promises, lots to do today!
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Permalink Reply by Bill Fleming on
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All that is required besides the motors
https://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=5-1663&catname=elec...
is two push button switches per side that are the normally on type, push to off. These limit how far the sides open and close. These work for me>
http://www.surpluscenter.com/item.asp?item=11-2699&catname=electric
A cooling type thermostat that has a wide ranging differential. I use this one because we use many of them elsewhere but I'm sure you could come up withe one cheaper >
http://www.grainger.com/Grainger/RANCO-Electronic-Temperature-Control-3ZP77
A keyed coupling like this one that connects to the motor shaft
http://www.thebigbearingstore.com/servlet/the-1527/5-fdsh-8%22-Shaft-Coupler-with/Detail
A foot long piece of pipe that fits inside the pipe that your side rolls up on is welded to the coupling. For me that is ¾” pipe that fits inside the 1-1/4” roll pipe.
A little bit of welding and hole drilling is needed to make a motor mount that also holds the two switches.
Our sides are 60’ long but the motor could probably handle rollups at least twice that long. The motors are strong enough that you can’t stop them with a 16” bar so if you can roll up your sides without gear reduction or a bar no longer than 16” it will work Ours roll open 6’ and are easily adjustable to open all the way or only a few inches. The pipe the motor crawls up is hinged at ground level with a single bolt so the rollup can follow any angle changes in the hoop. Ours rolls straight up then follows over to the angle to the peak of the hoop.
The motors have three wires, clockwise, counter clockwise and neutral. The push button switches are wired in series, one on the CW wire, the other on the CCW. The upper switch is on the wire for the motor rotation that rolls up the side, lower switch on the roll down side. Rotation depends on which side of the hoop the motor is installed. Upper switch is connected to the thermostat wire that powers on when the temp rises.
The push buttons are pushed to the off position when the side and motor climbs up a 1” pipe and hits the adjustable piece of angle iron held in position with a U bolt.
Hoop album http://s642.photobucket.com/albums/uu142/illflem/Hoop%20House/?acti...
The main reason this is possible to do so cheaply is the motor from Surplus Center. I’ve looked elsewhere and a equivalent motor goes for over $300.
They also have 12 volt DC motors that would work for rollups if a person was off the grid and wanted to do it with a battery and solar panel. Wiring would be a little more involved but wouldn’t cost much.
© 2013 Created by Allison Bray.
