Fermentation heater

[oylerck]

I have access to an older pop merchandising cooler and was wondering if this unit

( Lasko #100 MyHeat Personal Ceramic Heater https://www.amazon.com/dp/B003XDTWN2/?tag=skimlinks_replacement-20 )

would be enough to keep up in the winter in an uninsulated garage. It rarely gets much below -20 with wind chill in northern Iowa. Also planning on using the inkbird 308.

 

[kristiismean]

Will the cooler be in the wind? if not, wind chill does not matter.

depends on how insulated it is. if it's a soda machine, yes, that would be enough to keep it from freezing and could easily bring it up into the 50's or 60's. those are insulated amazingly well.

If it's the glass front ones, that one might, running 24 hours a day, be able to maintain a 50+ degree temperature, but if it's 0, it would probably not be successful at bringing temperatures up into the 50's.

 

[augiedoggy]

I can tell you that you want to only run an older R12 style fridge or freezer and not a newer r134a unit because the r134a will actually turn slushy in freezing temps and can burn out the fridge or freezers compressor fairly quickly. you can try adding a heater into the compressor compartment as some do if you do end up with a newer unit.
I believe glass front or not if its going into the fridge compartment it will be enough to heat well into the 70s or higher in such a small space....I used one in my old cabin like that and it puts out a lot of heat.

 

[dyqik]

You could stick aluminized mylar sheet to front glass to help reduce the heat losses by radiation there if it's marginal. Best is to only lightly attach the mylar at the corners so that most of it isn't in tight contact with the glass.

 

[augiedoggy]

arent most glass cooler doors already double pane gas filled glass? I know mine is..

 

[oylerck]

I can tell you that you want to only run an older R12 style fridge or freezer and not a newer r134a unit because the r134a will actually turn slushy in freezing temps and can burn out the fridge or freezers compressor fairly quickly. you can try adding a heater into the compressor compartment as some do if you do end up with a newer unit.
I believe glass front or not if its going into the fridge compartment it will be enough to heat well into the 70s or higher in such a small space....I used one in my old cabin like that and it puts out a lot of heat.

How will I know if it's an r134a unit or R12?