Cabinet Heaters

[Derraco]

Hi all, hope you can help a new-ish shooter.

Where my safe is located can get quite chilly. Won’t say more for security reasons, hope you don’t mind.

I’m thinking I’d like to install some sort of VERY small heating solution inside the cabinet. A tube like device on a very low wattage. I don’t want the cabinet warm, just not cold, if that makes sense!

Does anyone have any recommendations at all?

 

[VSS]

Cold in itself isn't a problem, but if it's also damp then you'd be wise to fit some sort of small heater, just to keep things dry.

 

[Derraco]

Yeah I think I’m okay on that front. I’ve put 2 VP90(?) things in there, as well as one of those funky moisture catch bags that you stick in the microwave to “recharge”.

It’s just that now it’s getting to winter the rifles are SO cold when I get them out, it’s leaving me a tad concerned is all.

 

[sako85708]

You could try a thermostat switch and a small light bulb, its what we use in our farm workshop to keep the welding rods dry

 

[VSS]

Yeah I think I’m okay on that front. I’ve put 2 VP90(?) things in there, as well as one of those funky moisture catch bags that you stick in the microwave to “recharge”.

It’s just that now it’s getting to winter the rifles are SO cold when I get them out, it’s leaving me a tad concerned is all.

Well, my humble opinion is, that providing that it's absolutely not damp, and providing that you allow your rifles to adjust to temperature before putting them away, all will be well. If you fit a heater, then put a cold rifle straight into a warm cabinet, that in itself can cause trouble.
But by all means fit a heater, if that suits you best. Plenty of folk will be along to say you should.

 

[Derraco]

You could try a thermostat switch and a small light bulb, its what we use in our farm workshop to keep the welding rods dry

You mean just like a normal lightbulb? Sorry if that’s a daft question.

 

[Derraco]

Well, my humble opinion is, that providing that it's absolutely not damp, and providing that you allow your rifles to adjust to temperature before putting them away, all will be well. If you fit a heater, then put a cold rifle straight into a warm cabinet, that in itself can cause trouble.
But by all means fit a heater, if that suits you best.

Ah yeah, so like it’s temperature change that’s worse for them, rather than just being cold?

 

[sako85708]

You mean just like a normal lightbulb? Sorry if that’s a daft question.

We use the old type 40 watt house bulb

 

[VSS]

Ah yeah, so like it’s temperature change that’s worse for them, rather than just being cold?

That's my belief, but I may be wrong.
What you don't want is condensation on your rifles. Temperature fluctuations will cause that, I think. Hence why, when I come in from shooting in cold wrather, I allow my rifles plenty of time to adjust to household temperature before I wipe them down with an oily rag and put them to bed.

 

[Pedro]

It's the difference between the ambient temperature and the gun/cabinet that can cause moisture to be drawn out of the air and onto surfaces. Hence the condensation on windows and the like. I agree that inside a cabinet you would probably have enough heat generated by a low wattage light bulb. You could also try an electric tubular greenhouse heater. Possibly not inside the cabinet though, to keep the ambient temperature up a bit without breaking the bank.

 

[sako85708]

Good old ebay just the job !!

 

[Johno2486]

Try reptile heat mat (for heating vivariums) come in various sizes and wattage, this combined with a 'pulse' thermostat (not an on/off stat) will keep the inside of your cabinet at the temperature you set it to, and more importantly will take up no space whatsoever, stat controller obviously stays on outside of cabinet, only mat/stat probe inside, works a treat, cheap to run.
Thermostats (Habitat Pulse) can be picked up 2nd hand as can heat mats, other option is to use a heat cable again for heating reptile housing, but mat easier option.

 

[75]

Reptile heat mat as above - had them in my cabinet in previous house when I needed to fit it in a floored but uninsulated loft. I just plugged them into a timer plug so they came on for a few hours at night.

Not a spot of rust over about 3 years (but tools left out in the open in the loft used to develop rust).

 

[Derraco]

Some really great advice here team - thank you so much! I shall have a look at some options and see what might work best

 

[Cris]

Yep reptile heat mat also in my cabinet and an old computer fan on low speed to move the air about.

 

[kripton]

Yeah I think I’m okay on that front. I’ve put 2 VP90(?) things in there, as well as one of those funky moisture catch bags that you stick in the microwave to “recharge”.

It’s just that now it’s getting to winter the rifles are SO cold when I get them out, it’s leaving me a tad concerned is all.

I tried the moisture catch bags - mine leaked and the resulting fluid was far more damaging than plain water - two rifles had to be reblacked and one needed a new barrel.
I have now used a small tube heater for in excess of 15 years without any problems. It is a good idea to let your rifle acclimatize to room temperature before you put it away.

 

[Derraco]

I tried the moisture catch bags - mine leaked and the resulting fluid was far more damaging than plain water - two rifles had to be reblacked and one needed a new barrel.
I have now used a small tube heater for in excess of 15 years without any problems. It is a good idea to let your rifle acclimatize to room temperature before you put it away.

It’s one of those bags with beads in, rather than the one that pools water thankfully.

Which tube heater do you use?

 

[Whalberg86]

Yeah I think I’m okay on that front. I’ve put 2 VP90(?) things in there, as well as one of those funky moisture catch bags that you stick in the microwave to “recharge”.

It’s just that now it’s getting to winter the rifles are SO cold when I get them out, it’s leaving me a tad concerned is all.

Fyi, Watch out for those microwave moisture bags. I had one in my safe and at some point it ended up resting against the stock on my M12 extreme. Next time I took the rifle out it had permanently discoloured the grey stock to a kinda brown where it was in contact... Quite annoying

 

[Len the dog]

Dimplex thermostatic tube heater from Screwfix. Forget the cheap Chinese crap off fleabay unless you want a house fire.

 

[JTO]

Sound to me that you would be advised to find a drier place for your cabinet.