I am thinking of making a heated cabinet. Crazy?

go4donuts · May 6, 2014

I live up in the Great White North and I'm in the process of finishing the interior of my garage and making a shop. My garage is 24x24 detached and although it will be insulated and heat-able, I don't plan on keeping it heated all the time. One bad aspect of not keeping it heated is dealing with a few items that shouldn't be allowed to freeze.

I'm considering building an insulated cabinet with a very small heat source and a circulating fan inside to keep those items from freezing. One possibility is to use an old fridge or upright freezer, since it would come complete with insulation, and probably come free. Anybody else have something like this? Any ideas?

I'm concerned about fire safety, of course. I want to find a heat source that's very safe and be very careful with the wiring.

buffaloguy89 · May 6, 2014

I have heard of people using old fridges with a small light bulb inside. just enough heat to prevent freezing

rsanter · May 6, 2014

You might be surprised how just a light bulb will keep a closed cabinet warmed
Look at the fact that the easy bake oven used a 60w bulb to cook with

Bob

go4donuts · May 6, 2014

Light bulb - that's exactly what I was thinking of using. I thought the problem might be finding a small enough bulb. I've seen videos of people cooking a turkey in a foil lined-cardboard box with a light bulb as a heat source, so I think only a very small bulb would keep a fridge-sized cabinet above freezing. My other concern is that if I have only ONE bulb as my heat source, and the bulb burns out, then everything freezes. I was thinking about using a string of lights (those tiny Christmas lights, for example). That way, I can adjust the heat output by the number of lights I screw in, and if one burns out the others will carry long enough for me to change the duds.

sloppy · May 6, 2014

I used a igloo cooler with a heating pad in it. I put a baseboard heater stat inside the igloo to keep things right at 50... I will probably make something more permanent and use the light bulb deal this next winter..

An old fridge would be ideal..

The Cobbler · May 6, 2014

I once used a fridge for this exact reason, wired an electric heat t-stat and 2 light bulbs (incase 1 burned out) I din't use the fan but that would be a good idea.

James_B · May 6, 2014

I'm looking at one for my 3D printer. I have a Form Labs' Form One 3D printer, and the specification of the resin it uses states that it has a minimum operating temperature of 18 degrees C. For at least 4 months of the year, the room that the Form One is located in is colder than that temperature.

My plan was an insulated box with air circulation fans, and for a heat source, I plan to use an 85W heating element that was used for the "keep warm" function in a popcorn maker that I cannibalized. To control the temperature, I'll use a standard thermostat for a 115V baseboard heater. There'll be a second thermostat that will act as an over temperature monitor that will shut down the heating system if the temp goes above the resin's maximum operational temperature of 28 degree C.

Another heating element to consider are "pet heating pads", that range in size from 60W to 80W to 100W. The heating pads are self regulating, and since November, we've had 2 of the 100W pads running in our small shed for our semi-feral barn cat colony, and a 60W pad in the garage for one of our house cats that prefers to live outside. We sit the fermenter for our home brew wine on a third 100W pad when we are brewing a batch when it's cold in the house.

Rossco · May 7, 2014

You are not crazy.

Paying 300/400 month hydro to heat the shop is crazy.

I plan on getting a 'Just-Rite' chemical cabinet and filling it with foam (Double walled) then either a 220v strip heater or a light bulb on a timer. Then leave the sender of a inside / outside weather station in there. It should record min & max temp then adjust the timer accordingly.

go4donuts · May 7, 2014

The Cobbler said:
I once used a fridge for this exact reason, wired an electric heat t-stat and 2 light bulbs (incase 1 burned out) I din't use the fan but that would be a good idea.

Do you recall what wattage of bulbs you used?

GYPSY400 · May 7, 2014

Not a bad idea at all for the cabinet.
What are your plans for heating it? If not wood stove, then it might be beneficial to keep it warm all the time.. like 8 or 10°c.. Just so the cement stays warm.. my pad is insulated, shut the heat off for three days and it only went down to 7°c

Sent from my SGH-I747M using Tapatalk

laser3kw · May 7, 2014

I am in the same position. That would be a good idea to keep paint and cleaners from freezing.

jkwilson · May 7, 2014

You can get a decent thermostat like this on eBay that will easily handle a couple of bulbs or use a Thermocube

I've used that thermostat in a couple of projects with good results. It's cheap, easy to hook-up and use and it works. You can put two bulbs on the circuit and it will just stay on longer of one blows. I use nichrome wire instead of bulbs to get a much more distributed heat source.

go4donuts · May 7, 2014

jkwilson said:
You can get a decent thermostat like this on eBay that will easily handle a couple of bulbs or use a Thermocube

I've used that thermostat in a couple of projects with good results. It's cheap, easy to hook-up and use and it works. You can put two bulbs on the circuit and it will just stay on longer of one blows. I use nichrome wire instead of bulbs to get a much more distributed heat source.

That Thermocube would be perfect. I could put any kind of small heater, along with a fan on it. Sadly, they don't ship to Canada, but at least I know something like it exists. I'll check around town and see if someone sells it or something like it. Thanks!

Garage Customz · May 7, 2014

24x24 is not a small space, so have you thought of building a closet that you could put some wire shelves in and then heat with a small baseboard electric heater?

I have a 10x10 "room" that I built inside of my garage to store all of our tools and items we don't want to freeze. We store probably 40-50 gallons of paint and other liquid items in there, and I heat it with a small electric oil radiator type heater. Set it on low and it will keep it 55 degrees even all the time. Insulated walls and a metal exterior entry door. The bonus is it can be locked and it keeps out people you don't want in there.

James_B · May 7, 2014

Even in hotter climates, heated cabinets are useful in workshops. I used to live in sub-tropical Australia, in an area with a climate like Florida. At work, we had a steel, half height office storage cabinet fitted with a single 60 watt light bulb that we used to store our welding rods. The warmth from the bulb kept them dry in the high humidity environment.

James_B · May 7, 2014

jkwilson said:
You can get a decent thermostat like this on eBay that will easily handle a couple of bulbs ...

I've used that thermostat in a couple of projects with good results. It's cheap, easy to hook-up and use and it works. You can put two bulbs on the circuit and it will just stay on longer of one blows. I use nichrome wire instead of bulbs to get a much more distributed heat source.

I got a few nearly identical thermostats to those out of the control boxes for waterbed heating elements. That style has both normally open and normally closed contacts, and are useful for a lot of projects. Back in Australia, I had one set up to run in refrigerator or airconditioning thermostat mode, so that it turned on when the temperature got above a certain point. It was mounted in the car and controlled a couple of server grade 12V computer fans that were fitted into the flow-through air ventilation path in the car. On really hot days when the car was parked in the sun, the thermostat and fan system kept the car interior to a less than oven like temperature.

wssix99 · May 7, 2014

You might also look at purchasing a clothes drying cabinet. That should give you more precise control of the heat.

Arps · May 7, 2014

We use a plywood cabinet with a 60w bulb in it at work to keep our caulk and sealants more pliable. It works surprisingly well. Its probably 3' tall, 2' wide, and 1' deep. It just has a workshop light with a metal shroud on it.

buddyboy · May 7, 2014

consider using a heating rod. I use them in my gun safes to keep moisture out of the air.

they only use 5W to 10W instead of a light bulb that uses much more, and are more durable.

if your box is insulated well it should keep it above freezing.

the rods only get up to 100F to maybe 150F they feel like a very very warm cup of coffee.

kbs2244 · May 7, 2014

I have never done it, but I have seen a few fridges used for this.
Mostly for welding rod dampness control.
Most guys just over ride the door switch to keep the bulb on all the time.
They didn’t worry about overheating and used it often enough to find a burned out bulb soon enough.

One guy used it for his wife’s artist paints and was afraid they would evaporate if they got too hot.
He said he used the fridges built in thermostat to control the heat.
He “just wired it backwards” so the bulb went off if got too hot.
I didn’t get into the details with him, but it seems like it should be something a good DIY guy could do.

75 or 100 watt bulbs seemed to be the most common.
Remember the new curly ones will not work.
They don't get hot.

go4donuts · May 7, 2014

buddyboy said:
consider using a heating rod. I use them in my gun safes to keep moisture out of the air.

That sounds like the kind of thing that might work for me. What is the original purpose of these heating rods, i.e. where would I go to buy one, or what kind of appliance can I scavenge a free one. Do they screw into a light socket, or plug into a standard outlet - I'd prefer not to have to do a bunch of wiring/fabricating.

87jeepwrangler · May 7, 2014

put your shop computer in the cabinet, since it's probably running some/all of the time anyway. computers make a good bit of heat.

go4donuts · May 7, 2014

Garage Customz said:
24x24 is not a small space, so have you thought of building a closet that you could put some wire shelves in and then heat with a small baseboard electric heater?

Actually, I'm finding the opposite about the amount of space in a 24x24 garage. When I bought this house/garage, it was my first garage in years and first double garage. At first, my mind boggled at all the space I had compared to the tiny basement workshop I've had for the previous 15 years. But as I'm doing the planning, knowing that it has to maintain it's basic function as a place to park at least one vehicle and provide some storage, I'm finding space is at a premium.

I'm trying to make use of all the space, including high space near the ceiling (only 8 feet), so I plan to make this heated cabinet small, but tall. Probably 24-30 inches wide, 12-14 inches deep, and 6 feet tall. Or, I might go the other way and have it horizontally oriented, but hung high on the wall, with the lowest shelf about 5 1/2 feet off the floor - above my shoulder height. I'm tall, so I can easily reach that, and it won't take up floor space. A horizontal unit might also be easier to heat evenly, with less tendency for the warm air to rise to the top half, leaving the bottom cold - that's why I want a fan in it.

go4donuts · May 7, 2014

87jeepwrangler said:
put your shop computer in the cabinet, since it's probably running some/all of the time anyway. computers make a good bit of heat.

Now, that's something worth thinking about! Already, I'm realizing how a high-speed YouTube connection may be the best tool in the shop. The previous owner/builder of the garage was thinking and put an underground conduit from house to garage with all the necessary cables and a pull string. My wireless should work from there too, but I have a spare, older laptop with no wireless that I was thinking of using in the shop.

LifeLongWNYer · May 7, 2014

Well, since the government decided to "help us" by outlawing incandescent bulbs, it looks like our friends up north of us can make a few bucks by shipping us some 100 w light bulbs.

When I was younger, I drove over to Canada and brought back beer with 5.0 % ( or better ) alcohol. Now in my old age, I am smuggling light bulbs.

.

James_B · May 7, 2014

LifeLongWNYer said:
Well, since the government decided to "help us" by outlawing incandescent bulbs, it looks like our friends up north of us can make a few bucks by shipping us some 100 w light bulbs.

When I was younger, I drove over to Canada and brought back beer with 5.0 % ( or better ) alcohol. Now in my old age, I am smuggling light bulbs.

Up here, we're in the same boat. New 75-watt and 100-watt incandescent bulbs were banned from January 1 (old stock could be sold until the stock runs out). The 40-watt and 60-watt bulbs get the same treatment at the end of the year. Refrigerator, oven, and some specialty bulbs are exempt from the ban as there isn't a suitable replacement.

The Cobbler · May 7, 2014

go4donuts said:
Do you recall what wattage of bulbs you used?

I think I used either 40 or 25 watts

The Cobbler · May 7, 2014

LifeLongWNYer said:
Well, since the government decided to "help us" by outlawing incandescent bulbs, it looks like our friends up north of us can make a few bucks by shipping us some 100 w light bulbs.

....

.

same here in Canada, but I have a life time supply of 100 & 60 watt incandescent bulbs , well, 30 or 40 of each

LifeLongWNYer · May 7, 2014

Okay, I didn't know that the politicians in Canada are as screwed up as those here in the U.S.A. and passed the LED/CFL Manufacturer's Profitibility Insurance Act up there too. You were a year behind us, but still in the same boat.

.

rburke65 · May 7, 2014

Problems finding a small enough light bulb.? They make 15 watt bulbs for ovens and if that isn't small enough there are 7 watt and 4 watt night lights.

sberry · May 7, 2014

Wire 2 100 watt in series, they last forever.

LS6 Tommy · May 7, 2014

rsanter said:
You might be surprised how just a light bulb will keep a closed cabinet warmed
Look at the fact that the easy bake oven used a 60w bulb to cook with

Bob

X2. Used to put a 40-60 watt bulb in the building automation cabinets I built that were to be installed in unconditioned spaces.

Tommy

rice rocket · May 8, 2014

Is this worth doing to keep condensation off tools as well?

There were periods in early spring where temperature fluctuations would cause huge amounts of condensation on tools and even the cordless tools. If I could attach a heating pad in the bottom of my tool chest and one of my wall cabinets to store all the power tools in, it'd probably add some useful life to my tools.

This seems cheap w/ decent reviews. 50W.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F54AOW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

James_B · May 8, 2014

rice rocket said:
Is this worth doing to keep condensation off tools as well?

There were periods in early spring where temperature fluctuations would cause huge amounts of condensation on tools and even the cordless tools. If I could attach a heating pad in the bottom of my tool chest and one of my wall cabinets to store all the power tools in, it'd probably add some useful life to my tools.

That is definitely worth considering.

This seems cheap w/ decent reviews. 50W.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B000F54AOW/?tag=atomicindus08-20

Many of those type of heating pads have an in built timer and will shut off after about 2 hours.

Dave in Mass · May 8, 2014

I have an unfinshed / unheated garage. There was another GJ thread about not letting your Li-ION batteries freeze. I banged this cabinet together from scraps I had hanging around the garage and when the temp drops, I turn the light on. I use a 40w and even on the coldest nights when the outside temp was around 0, and the inside temp of the garage was in the 20s, the cabinet would stay at about 55 -60 degrees, and this is an outside wall.

I keep batteries and (right now) some JB weld in there. I may build a bigger one but figured you might need a light bulb per shelf. Works well for now and you can see a scrap built open container underneath it to keep my chargers close to the batteries.

buddyboy · May 8, 2014

any sporting goods store that sells gun safes should carry them. like dicks, tractor supply, bass pro.

http://www.tractorsupply.com/en/store/cannon-safe-inc-gunsaver-dehumidifier-rod-102042399--1

not sure if mine has a thermostat or not, but perhaps check out a few pet stores for those reptile habitat heaters. I would think those would have timers or temp controls on them... might cost more $$$

drill a 1/4 hole in the back of an old fridge for the cord, mount the heater near the bottom you would be more than good to go

buddyboy · May 8, 2014

light bulbs work too, although they can break and get a lot hotter.

the light bulb might be cheaper upfront, but because the rod is 1/2 the wattage you'll save in the long run (maybe even enough for a six pack!)

yhprum · May 9, 2014

I recall chicken egg incubators used nothing but incadescent lightbulbs with a furnace thermostat.

raiderhillbilly · May 9, 2014

An old freezer and a Gun Safe Dehumidifier would be all you need. It would also be very energy efficient and safe (UL tested). Incandescent light bulbs are going to use too much power and burn out. Here is what I have in my Gun Safe:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1138614184/goldenrod-gunsaver-dehumidifier-rod-110v

go4donuts · May 10, 2014

raiderhillbilly said:
An old freezer and a Gun Safe Dehumidifier would be all you need. It would also be very energy efficient and safe (UL tested). Incandescent light bulbs are going to use too much power and burn out. Here is what I have in my Gun Safe:

http://www.midwayusa.com/product/1138614184/goldenrod-gunsaver-dehumidifier-rod-110v

Ladies and Gentlemen...I think we have a winner. This would be perfect. Low output, plug-in ready, and twenty bucks. How do you beat that! Thanks for the tip.

I am thinking of making a heated cabinet. Crazy?

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