# California cooler vegetable storage idea



## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

An idea for cool but not cold storage that could be useful, especially in off-grid houses.

http://books.google.com/books?id=ONoDAAAAMBAJ&pg=PA3&dq=Popular+Mechanics&lr=&as_brr=0&as_pt=MAGAZINES&source=gbs_toc&cad=2#v=onepage&q&f=false
Popular Mechanics September 1923 page 469


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

I've had two older house that had those - the first kind with just the vent at the top and the bottom. I didn't see where the article mentioned that they are always on the north side of the house. And they are a great place for vegetable and fruit storage. 
Since I moved 7 miles from the coast, I did not think about having one here. We just don't have many basements to have a source of cool air. 
I wonder if it would draw so much cool air from the basement that the rest of the house would be warmer.


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## Harry Chickpea (Dec 19, 2008)

The idea could probably be combined with the idea of earth tubes to provide the cool air. Was there any problem with rodents or bugs?


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## CrashTestRanch (Jul 14, 2010)

Solar Chimney, Windcatcher, Yakhchal, etc ...


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## where I want to (Oct 28, 2008)

Harry Chickpea said:


> The idea could probably be combined with the idea of earth tubes to provide the cool air. Was there any problem with rodents or bugs?



None that I had- the screening over the vents kept everything at bay. But then again, right at the coast there are not many insect problems, Maybe ants but I neve saw them in the cooler.

Oh and in the older house, the shelves did not have screen. It had redwood boards with lots of notches and holes drilled into it.


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