Getting a heat source inside my fridge

I finally aquired a fridge for fermentation, which will be a lot more convenient than my old but effective system. However, my garrage gets near freezing over night this time of year (it also reaches the 60s in the days: south facing door...) so I need to put a heat source inside the fridge for nighttime.

Edit: I should have been clearer originally. The problem is how to get electrical power supplied. I have some ideas about what the heat the inside with (100W incandecent bulb, maybe) but the only solution I can find for the power right now is unsatisfactory: shut the door over an extension cord and tape it so it won't pop open.

Any thoughts on how to do this? I have a 7/8" hole in the side (it came that way) that I could use to put something in there, but that's too small for a standard plug to fit through.

All suggestions and advice are appreciated. Thanks.

I have an STC 100 and my friend plugged in a "lamp" (used for photography) into the heating slot. I replaced the light bulb with a bulb meant specifically for heating that I got from Lowe's for about $9.
It get below freezing here in Kentucky, (mine is also in the garage) and maintains my temp just fine.

You could use a heating pad as your heat source. If the plug doesn't fit you could just cut the cord and splice it back together after you feed it through the hole or just plug the hole and have the cord come out of the door.

A number of people use reptile heaters (bulbs or pads) or rig a lightbulb inside a paint can. I went with the $30 fermwrap. It's a little more expensive, but it's easy and works perfectly. Plus, I'm not confident enough in my knowledge of electrical systems to wire up anything on my own, so I didn't really want to go the DIY route. Although the savings was pretty attractive.

I guess the question should be asked whether you have a two-stage temp controller, too. If you don't, you're either limited to only heating (if your controller permits that) or heating gets very difficult as you'll need something that provides only enough heat as to not overload the cooling of the freezer.

TheZymurgist said:

I guess the question should be asked whether you have a two-stage temp controller, too. If you don't, you're either limited to only heating (if your controller permits that) or heating gets very difficult as you'll need something that provides only enough heat as to not overload the cooling of the freezer.

Click to expand...

Yep, STC-1000.

for a simple heating set-up, i just use a digital temp controller and run a hair dryer set on low, it's been working great in my small chest freezer, (will try it in my bigger fridge soon) and moves the air around at the same time. pretty simple to wire up the temp controller to run any type of heat source,(and cooling if needed) and this is out on my porch, so the temps get below freezing also.... here's the controller i use for this .. http://www.ebay.com/itm/Digital-Tem...d&pid=100005&rk=2&rkt=6&sd=281294885235&rt=nc

Seedling mats are pretty cheap and can be easily stuck onto a wall of your fermenting chamber.

I used the existing hole that was intended for the ice maker's water supply. But I seem to remember it being too small for the plug on the cord end to pass too. I just cut the end off the cord and installed a replacement plug. While I was at it I also ran power to an old wireless camera which I aim at the bubbler on one of the fermenters. I very seldom look at the monitor but often listen to the "heartbeat" of the fermenting beer on the camera's audio.

Make the existing hole bigger........
Probe around in the cabinet / insulation jacket looking for wires and refrigerant coils.
Nothing noted?
Open it up slightly, so your plug will fit through.

I would suggest some tin or "aviator" snips, L/H cut if you are right handed, and R/H cut if left handed.

They will cut right on the tip, so just mark a circle 1/8 inch outside the existing hole, and trim away.

That'll give you a 1/4 inch bigger hole.......( heh, heh, heh.....)

I just bought one of these:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B000FGDDI0/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20

Its hard to find heating pads now with a normal mechanical switch and without the automatic turn-off after two hours or whatever.

I've solved the problem for now: it turns out that if I dangle an electical cord right at the corner of the door on the non-hinge side, it doesn't pop open. Thanks all.