dual purpose refrigerator?

[artieb]

hi, fist time post. Please be gentle with me!
What I was wondering if anyone has used a 100 watt or so light bulb to heat a refrigerator in the winter time so that to keep tape and paint and stuff from freezing? And then in the summertime unplug the light, turn on the refrigerator to keep my beer cool?
What do you think? Artie

 

[ScottsGT]

Seems plausible to me. Now when it spends the winter staying warm, it might grow some mold or mildew and get quite funky inside.

 

[JakeKohl]

You don't drink beer during the winter?

 

[artieb]

Hot rum drinks! , this has been a brutal winter. I was setup to keep my shop warm, couldn't afford that.
The first beer maybe taste funky, it gets better with the second, and so on and so on. ....

 

[dlc63]

Hello Artie! I'm new here too but this is a good idea but was wondering also if you could use a lower wattage bulb like a 25-60w and with the door closed achieve the same outcome? I would think a 100w would be a bit much. Just brainstorming though.

 

[Wildstar]

25 will most likely be more than adequate. 100W will turn it into an Easy-Bake oven.

 

[artieb]

I have been tinkering with the wattage, I have a small dorm refrigerator and 60 watt got the temperature from 50* to 100* F. Quickly. I'm trying a 40 watt now. Been using CFTs so much lately, can't find many old fashioned filament bulbs. Thanks for the input ! Artie

 

[dogmir]

I actually just saw a setup where a guy had a side by side he used a 40 watt in each side to achieve this. He didn't mention using it to cool in the summer however. I can't imagine it would be that hard.

 

[LS6 Tommy]

You could always jump out the door switch so the light stays on all the time...

Tommy

 

[Mattlt]

You may want to use two smaller bulbs instead of one larger one. That way when one burns out...

 

[MDSPHOTO]

I have a small dorm fridge that I unplugged and now use as a humidor for my cigar boxes. The seals on a fridge are perfect for maintaining proper humidity.

 

[artieb]

Why wouldn't a bi-metal thermostat work to regulate temperature? I'm sure current draw would be ok?

 

[Voi]

Why wouldn't a bi-metal thermostat work to regulate temperature? I'm sure current draw would be ok?

Fridges are heated with various line voltage heaters all the time for a variety of reasons and there are all sorts of line voltage thermostats that will work. Just one example is home brewers who need a constantly warm area to ferment their brew in the winter.

There are also many examples on the net of how to convert a fridge into an incubator.

Also, there are heat pads, heat tapes and heat ropes that many use in place of light bulbs.

You won't need a narrow range of temperatures like the above examples so you can get away with a cheaper on/off style thermostat.

 

[JCfreak]

Put the light bulb in with a thermometer. Adjust wattage up or down to raise or lower the temp.
I've used snake cage heaters for my homebrew. Has a thermometer built in.

 

[LifeLongWNYer]

Instead of changing light bulbs to get the one which provides the right amount of warmth, how about just putting one in, and using a dimmer to correct the temperature if it is getting too warm.

That can be used to compensate for "cold", "very cold" and "brass monkey cold" temperatures in your garage too.


.

 

[Rex_A_Lott]

Many years ago I had a small dorm size refrigerator to keep my welding rods dry. A 25 W bulb was plenty of heat. I started with a 100W and it was so hot I couldnt grab the rods with my bare hand.
I have a normal Fridge I use all year round, I wouldnt recommend trying to switch back and forth.
Good Luck.

 

[Sureshot]

Just wire in a line volt thermostat. They typically have a lowest setting of 50 F. I have used something similar for years in an un-insulated building. Even at -40 it works fine.

 

[Vvmvbb]

Yeah, thermostat or maybe some kind of temperature controller. You can get controllers with alarms if you like.

 

[Richard Cranium]

the frig. needs to cycle to keep the seals lubed. If you unplug it or turn it off you will most likely kill the refer, a better ideal would be to set the thermostat as warm as you can and then put a small watt light bulb in to warm it up and cause the refer to cycle it cool back down. People has been putting light in refers to keep their welding wire dry for years.....

 

[sni-per]

How about a "gun safe heater" instead of a light bulb??