Day 1
06/07/12
I set up a Dalek black plastic compost bin with base plate close to the place where the HotBin is being trialled.
I obviously had enough traditional composting material available to more than half fill the Dalek, so got it going straight away. I used a mixture of week old material from an existing compost bin, fresh weeds, cut nettles, grass, hay, guinea pig droppings and paper scraps. I filled the Dalek bin up to the top with this mixture. This is the same sort of material I filled the HotBin with.
Part filled.
2 hours after I filled the bin. the internal temp was 20 C, external temp was 18 C. Much the same as the Hotbin, just a few feet away.
I put the lid on and kept it in place, apart from taking readings.
Day 2
07/07/12
The bin level has dropped very slightly
Ambient temp was 20 C
Internal material temp was 30 C.
A good temp rise for a Dalek bin filled wiith compostables..
Day 3
08/07/12
Level of material dropped slightly more to around 20 cm from the max level at the top of the bin.
Ambient temp13 C.
Internal temp with thermometer inserted about 10 cm into material in middle was 40 Celsius.
At the edge of the bin the internal temp was 25 C .
No obvious steam or heat was noticable.
Day 4
09/07/12
(readings taken at 11am)
Ambient temp. 16 C
Dalek contents have slumped by ~ 30 cm from the max level
Internal temp middle of material @ 10 cm down into material 50 C
Feels hot when the lid is removed. Steaming gently now!
At 6pm the internal temp. was still 50 C in the middle, @10 cm down and the internal temp. at the edge, @10 cm down was 40 C.
Getting going now!
This is the type of bin I use, but we don't have base plates for ours.
ReplyDeleteI usually have five on the go at any one time, as one is full to the top we move onto the next and then go back filling up more as the levels drop.
When the first bin has been used for about 2 months or so it's gets tipped into the worm bed for them to do their stuff, then after that it is usable on the veggie beds again.
It's good to do a comparison like you are to see which is best there are so many on the market.
The good thing with compost though is that you can do it virtually any way and eventually you will end up with goodness for your garden.
Sue xx
Sue xx