I'm nearing completion of my EdgeStar conversion and thinking of the next project. Instead of another wine cooler conversion or take over a closet (which my better half would frown upon ) ...

... why not thing big ...

some sort of large enclosure that could maintain a 60F temperature no matter the ambient temperature (30F-95F).

Possibly a fridge that is spec'd to be in an garage environment might be considered. But how would 60F be maintained in the winter months? A set of shielded light bulbs controlled with an Johnson Temperature Controller?

My initial thought is this would be mainly for box/cab storage.

I'm thinking out loud ... any ideas? :-)
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I am an absolute dunce when it comes to electrical stuff... but it would seem like to me a light hooked to a temp probe would certainly work for that. I would just make sure there was plenty of airspace between the light and anything else.
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How 'bout you build a small freestanding closet for your garage, use plenty of insulation and install a reefer on the outside with Johnson control for the inside temp? You can even put it on heavy duty casters to move it around when need be.
2x4 construction with OSB liner covered in Tyvek to fix an appropriate hard wood to and use spanish cedar for shelving.
The cabinet itself would be under 200$ and you can find a Vinotemp style external chiller for cooling which won't affect RH, and for the winter months a small but effective oil filled heater using the same temp control as the reefer.
Oh man I might just build one myself! A weekend project yay!
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:-) :-) :-)

You haven't even got the trays yet and your already looking bigger :-)

I say think REAL big and do the closet conversion.

I have a source for Honduran Mahogany that is already 1/4 thick for a really really good price. Just need to but it buy the pallet and I have no need for that much. I would get it if I could find someone else to take some :-)

Chas
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That would definitely work. Hell, you could use a standard low wattage bulb if the insulation was good enough, just make sure it's down in the bottom of the structure someplace so you get the right convection properties.

A home made microcontroller based temperature monitor and switch would be an easy thing to build and program for, say, up to a few thermometer units placed throughout the unit. I'm not sure how to build the bridge between a low power DC digital circuit and something that's running on AC power. I'm not sure why it would be much more than a sufficiently high capacity relay though.

Hmmm...
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Hey Chas,

Do they have support groups for us? That's right, I almost forgot, I'm in the asylum. :-)

My better-half surely will not give up a closet.

Can't wait to brag on the trays. :-)
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Great input!

Casters, indirect heat source, micro-controller, well insulated.....

Heat source ideas...

• light bulbs
• radiant panel(s)
• heat strip(s)

Structure could be

• fridge (frost free) or retro to thermoelectric
• gun vault
• converted cabinet
• built from scratch

thinking thinking thinking
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Here's the plan for now...

• A two stage temp controller (Ranco)
• two heating pads ("Brewer's Edge Space Heater")
• 17 cu.ft. manual frost freezer
• RH will be managed with beads
• Active humidification (only if necessary)
• Fans will be directed on the evaporator coils (which run through the shelves). This 'fan trick' is successfully used on smaller non-thermoelectrics

The two stage controller will come in handy during the fall and spring, otherwise it will be full bore heat in the winter and cool in the summer.

At the moment I am wondering how to feed the wiring in and out of the freezer.

The only reason I am thinking of this is because the garage is the only place that has not been invaded yet. :-)

It's still on the drawing board.
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You are looking for a solid state relay. The coil side is made to run on a DC circuit but the switched side can handle AC juice. The one you are looking for should be in the $15 range or so.
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IMHO any kind of direct heat source (including light bulb) is going to screw up consistant humidity levels.:-)

Inside the garage could probably avoid internal heat needs with proper seal and insulation unless you were in the Artic Tundra or something.
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Would a waterbed heater work? I know that they need the bag of water to act as a heat sink. A friend used one in his greenhouse hot bed.
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Another thought, my dad had a Coleman thermoelectric cooler that would heat and cool by reversing the poliarity of the DC input. I don't know how they work but it might be a fixall heat cool idea.
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