Winter storage of paint/caulking in cube van - Contractor Talk - Professional Construction and Remodeling Forum

chrismolloy · 10-02-2007, 11:31 AM

I am a contractor working in a cold climate here in Canada. I would like to have some sort of box to keep caulking/paint warm 24/7 in my cube van. It should run off DC current and be able to keep items at about 70 degrees Farenheit. Any one know of a product or has made such a thing?

dougchips · 10-02-2007, 11:36 AM

I have a cooler for my truck that turns into a heater by flipping the cord (red dot=hot, blue dot = cold). I have proved several times that it will kill a battery if it is left plugged in all night. You can buy one at K-Mart/Walmart.

chrismolloy · 10-02-2007, 07:08 PM

Thanks for the non-solution. At least we know that one does not work. Anyone have a working solution?

mdshunk · 10-02-2007, 07:15 PM

Do you plug in a block heater on cold nights? Perhaps you could get one of those coolers and plug it into the 120V that you use for your block heater? Perhaps you could get one of those magnetic block heaters, store your caulk in a metal tool box, and magnet the block heater to the tool box?

KillerToiletSpider · 10-02-2007, 07:37 PM

A twelve volt welding rod oven and a couple of deep cycle marine batteries will do the trick, you just have to remember to charge the batteries every night.

blackdoggie · 10-02-2007, 07:44 PM

Get your self a little Coleman Powermate Sportcat PerfectTemp Catalytic heater from Northern Tool for 40$ it will last for 14Hrs on one tank of propane. If your willing to do a little work you could install a 12V heater 50$ (from Northern tool) in a reflective insulation lined wooden box with a extra car battery and a solar charging panel.

send_it_all · 10-02-2007, 07:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismolloy

Thanks for the non-solution. At least we know that one does not work. Anyone have a working solution?

meeee-yooowwwww

dougchips · 10-02-2007, 09:44 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismolloy

Thanks for the non-solution. At least we know that one does not work. Anyone have a working solution?

Well then charming you might want to exclude DC power from your selection or be willing to plug the heater or your truck into an AC source.

RobertCDF · 10-02-2007, 10:02 PM

I would put a heater in the the entire box and plug it in every night. Cold tools do not work as well as warm tools. Especially cordless tool battteries.

Mike Finley · 10-02-2007, 10:03 PM

I'd think keeping it at 70 degrees might be aiming a bit higher than you need to. Anywhere around 50-60 degrees should do what you need and make things a bit more attainable.

Greg Di · 10-05-2007, 07:29 AM

This thread/question comes up like clockwork every year right about now.

The solution I use is a small lunch-type cooler. I put all caulks and glue into this and keep it between the seats in my van. When I come home, I bring the whole bag into the house every night.

Wires, heaters and lightbulbs seem like a long way to go.

kgphoto · 10-05-2007, 10:13 AM

Greg's system is the most simple as long as you are not absent minded.

You could also go the RV route and put a solar cell on the roof of the vehicle and connect it to it's own battery to power a low wattage light bulb in an insulated box/drawer. That way if it ever does get fully drained you can still start the car, but the rest of the time it runs without attention.

chrismolloy · 10-08-2007, 04:42 PM

Thanks for the ideas. I tried the bring it in the house each night but forgot it enough times to warrant trying to build something. I think I'll try the insulated box with a lightbulb/thermostat and a separate battery on a solar charger. I'll post how well it worked.

220/221 · 10-09-2007, 12:43 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chrismolloy

Thanks for the non-solution. At least we know that one does not work. Anyone have a working solution?

You could always shove the tubes up your as s.

Sincerely, Dougchips

lazerguy · 10-17-2007, 07:16 PM

Sorry but I think the ''solar-charged-battery'' system won't work. It just takes too many watts to keep a box warm during a cold winter night, even if the box is pretty well insulated.
My guess is a minimum of 20-30 watts to prevent freezing in a 2 cubic feet box lined with 1.5'' styrofoam.

I live in Canada too (Montreal QC) and in my case, it's the diesel truck that doesn't like the cold. I got a solution that perhaps you might apply to your needs???

I ran two 3/4'' heater hoses, teed from the cab heater connections (in the engine compartment) all the way back to the cargo.
There I installed a pressure-resistant steel tank, that holds 10 gallons of engine coolant. The tank is installed in a plywood box lined with styrofoam.
So the tank is connected to engine's coolant circuit.

It works like this: when the engine runs, the hot coolant flows through the steel tank, then through the cab heater, then back to the engine.

Engine coolant stores an amazing amount of heat. When you stop the engine at night, the tank stays warm for many hours.
Typically, parking my truck at 18h00 at night, with 0F outside, next morning the tank is still around 80-90F.
I built the tank from two 1/4'' steel plates (for the ends) and a 1/4'' wall x 8 in dia. steel tube. The tube is sandwiched between the two plates, and everything is held together by six 5/16-18 threaded rods.
The joints are sealed with Loctite Red RTV Gasket Maker, applied to the plates first and squeezed between plates & tube.
My tank hasn't had a leak, and I've been using it for 2 years now.

For my needs, an electric pump flows the warm liquid back to the engine right before I start it. It's like a super-fast block heater.

For you, no pump required. But you might want to build a first layer of insulation around the tank, just to slow down the heat coming out. You want to keep the paint/caulking from freezing, not cook it... when hot the tank can get up to 180F!
Then build another box around the first, with enough room for both the tank and your paint jugs.
It shouldn't be difficult to keep a pretty good size box from freezing.

A tank of hot engine coolant can store over 100 times the amount of energy that you'd get from a fully-charged battery.
Not to mention the heavy electrical load on your alternator, if you had to recharge an empty battery every morning.

Sorry for that long post, I hope it will help.

rcypher · 11-01-2007, 03:18 PM

Found this BSS through this thread quite by accident. Looks interesting.

To add to lazerguy's setup, I seen on tv a while back where you can get diesel fired block heaters. A very quick google found this link. Not the one I seen on tv so there are more out there. It would have the added benefit of not having to remember to plug your van in, and keeping things warm when out on the job with no place to plug into.

wont let me post the link....espar dot com

A W Smith · 11-01-2007, 03:29 PM

instead of going through all the trouble of making a tank with sandwich plates why not pick up an old air tank or compressor at a garage sale?

I met this somewhat eccentric painter years ago in Long Branch NJ. He had this huge Alaskan malamute dog. He told me during the winter he would just leave this animal in his van overnight to keep the paint and caulk from freezing.

JonM · 11-04-2007, 09:29 AM

I use a plastic locker you can buy at the local box store...I have a small oil filled heater (18" x 12 x 2") I place inside plugged into a temperature controlled outlet...you can find them at smarthome here online...I can't post a link yet or I would...so you cam PM me for a link if you wish....or just go to smarthome dot com and type in temperature outlet...

neolitic · 11-04-2007, 09:56 AM

Don't regularly have a van full of paint, but for a couple of years I used a little catalytic heater, first white gas, then propane. Both held overnight.
Then I just gave up and I keep caulk and glue in a 5 gal bucket in the front seat.
Bringing it in isn't the problem for me, but I have to leave it by the door with my sweat shirt on top so I don't forget it in the morning!

I do think I have a neat trick for the job site though.
I made a little box size of a 6 pack cooler out of ¾ ply, painted black. Front is a sloped piece of scrap lexan (plexiglass). top is hinged, with a handle and hasp.
Face it south, and if there is any sun at all it keeps toasty down to the 20's.
Below that I don't care

Helps with battery packs too.