Any non freeze cabinet ideas?

[Shadowdog500]

We are starting get in the 20s during the nights now and it won't be long before I have to move things that can freeze from my shop into the house. I'm thinking about insulating a small cabinet with thermax and installing some sort of heating pad or something that is plugged into a therma-cube plug that turns on at 35 and off at 45. That way I can just leave stuff that may freeze in my shop all year round.
The cabinet only needs to stay above freezing.

I'm sure others here have done something similar so I'm looking for ideas.

Thanks,

Chris

 

[E.rodz]

Have done this one in the past.just put a light bulb in the cabinet just buy a trouble light bulb and being as it is inside the cabinet it will keep every thing warm.just use your brain if there going to be flamables in there.

 

[Ric in Richmond]

Green house mat for seedling starting.

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B0001WV010/?tag=atomicindus08-20

 

[tdkkart]

Have done this one in the past.just put a light bulb in the cabinet just buy a trouble light bulb and being as it is inside the cabinet it will keep every thing warm.just use your brain if there going to be flamables in there.

Bingo!!
I know a guy that does this for his power washer that he uses all winter, but stores in an unheated garage. Built an insulated box, installed a 60W light bulb on a thermostat.

 

[Milton Shaw]

What are we going to do when you can't buy 60 watt bulbs anymore, they are scheduled to go out of production in a couple of years like the 100 watts do this year.

 

[Sureshot]

I have a line volt thermostat rigged to a surface mount box on a board so I can use a light bulb or interior warmer to keep things warm.

 

[Train]

What are we going to do when you can't buy 60 watt bulbs anymore, they are scheduled to go out of production in a couple of years like the 100 watts do this year.

There's always heat lamp bulbs. I don't think they're going anywhere.

 

[Greatbear]

Seconding the greenhouse mats.

 

[D.J.]

Ok its a little large but a non working refrigerator with the light bulb on all the time would work.

 

[chopper1]

I don't use my garage fridge during the winter so I store all my paint and parishable items in there.

 

[machine_punk]

+1 on the light bulb.

When my dad was serving at an Air Force base in Italy, the local military had dogs and a big dog house (small shed) for about 10 dogs. They kept a 100-watt light bulb on 24/7 during the winter, to help keep the dogs warm.

Even a halogen bulb would work (might even be too hot).

 

[Torque1st]

A heat tape for pipes inside an insulated cabinet is cheap and will not burn out like a light bulb.

 

[5lima30]

Another option is an electric dehumidifier rod meant for gun safes. (They cost about $25) They work great for this purpose, are safe and will not burn out like a light bulb.

 

[ebruce]

Ok its a little large but a non working refrigerator with the light bulb on all the time would work.

The old refrigerator with the light on is what I see the most of in this neck of the woods. My Brother-in-law has one of the convenience store models with the glass sliding doors.

 

[willymakeit]

Old fridge. Put an inline bulb fuse inside with a light bulb. They will usally shut off at around 65/70 degrees. Keeps paint warm and you also have everything on shelves.

 

[sberry]

I agree with the fridge, Ideally would have a tstat so it doesn't get warmer than needed and as Torque said, there are better ways than a lamp that is not too reliable, when I do that I wire a couple in series, last a long time, never had one burn out.

 

[BevoZ06]

Another option is an electric dehumidifier rod meant for gun safes. (They cost about $25) They work great for this purpose, are safe and will not burn out like a light bulb.

I have a Golden Rod brand in my gun safe and it works great for humidity control. If the OP's cabinet is not too large it might also keep the temp up enough. If it's a large, uninsulated cabinet I don't think the Golden Rod would work for him.

 

[mebedave]

Ok its a little large but a non working refrigerator with the light bulb on all the time would work.

I think without the bulb would work

 

[Zeke]

It doesn't take much of a light bulb. I heat modeling clay in a 2 drawer file cabinet to 130* with a 60w. Left the light on in the kitchen oven for a few days and when I caught that the oven was warm enough to keep rolls warm.

So tell your wife that drying out bread crumbs is easy, just leave the light on.

See, this thread kills 2 birds with one bulb.

 

[chopper1]

Originally Posted by D.J.
Ok its a little large but a non working refrigerator with the light bulb on all the time would work.

I think without the bulb would work

I've never used a light bulb in mine and [knock wood] have never had a problem.

 

[henrysgarage]

I have a battery warmer, I wonder if that would give off enough heat.

 

[Br350obx]

Check out a Golden Rod at Cabelas,Gander Mountain or other hunting type place,they are used to keep the inside of a gun cabinets moisture free and warm to stop guns from rusting,this might do the trick.

 

[Torque1st]

Remember an insulated container will not warm up inside either so the temperature inside it trends to the average temperature in the shop/garage without some power input. Reliability is key, a thermostat helps power use but cuts reliability. Two bulbs in series increases reliability immensely. For my reptile cages I used two bulbs connected through a photo switch so that if the primary bulb failed the secondary bulb would light. I used to use two heat tapes on my pipes. There are many ways to solve this problem. The best solution is probably the one you can do with parts on hand. Remember; Murphy will always cause anything designed or built by man to fail at the most inopportune time.

 

[ebruce]

Two lights need to be wired in Parallel for reliability. If they are in series, one burned out bulb will cause the other to go out, and each bulb will be running on 1/2 the voltage.

 

[Boyd]

For those of you with thermostats on your bulbs: Are you just wiring a line volt thermostat in the power feed for the bulb fixture? Thanks.

 

[Sureshot]

For those of you with thermostats on your bulbs: Are you just wiring a line volt thermostat in the power feed for the bulb fixture? Thanks.

Yes.

 

[Torque1st]

Two lights need to be wired in Parallel for reliability. If they are in series, one burned out bulb will cause the other to go out, and each bulb will be running on 1/2 the voltage.

Actually the series wiring adds reliability with that 1/2 voltage. They just NEVER burn out running on low voltage.

 

[Spareparts]

I use an old fridge to keep my welding rod's dry and it works great, no thermostat, just a 60w bulb. Fount out that turning the light on and off was killing the bulb so I lost the thermostat and the bulb has been on for 3 yrs now. Mine stays at 100 or a little higher probally to hot for paint so maybe a 25 or 40 would be better.