We’re looking to buy a small heater for our enclosure that we’re putting on the tower. The enclosure will have our CMM and fiber converter so we want to make sure no water is getting in there and potentially freezing (We’re in Michigan so it can get pretty cold here and then you add in the wind).
Basically is anyone else doing this and what are you setting the thermostat to in the enclosure?
We’re thinking around 40°-50°, just enough to keep from freezing but not to let condensation form.
If its a small enclosure you might just try some electrical plumbing tape and line the insides with it. you know the kind that heats up for pipes under homes etc…
I personally would recommend a cabinet heater made by Hoffman.
They are a small, compact heater and range in size from 100-800watts.
The 100watt model is the DAH1001A (110VAC), is very nice. Has a built-in thermostat. (available at most electrial distributors)
If you haven’t purchased the enclosure yet, I would recommend a fiberglass unit (first choice), or a metal cabinet with insulation (second choice).
Putting a heater in a metal cabinet that has no insulation would make the heater work extra hard, as the metal would dissipate the heat extra fast.
Mike
I’m assuming the box already has power to, so why not just install a 40W bulb inside and leave it on all the time during the winter. Nice part about it is if you need to do any work at night…well…you’ve got light in the box 
If the 40W bulb doesn’t produce enough heat, just install a 60 or 100W bulb.
:lol: That sounds way to easy
Jerry has the right idea, you don’t need much inside at all, the lightbulb is nice, but if the bulb goes, you’ll not know until you open the cabinet next!
Inside the cabinet, CMM, Media Converter, Radio IDU, UPS- WITH thermal monitor, and your heater.
Set up your SNMP to receive thermal allerts from the UPS, and away you go!
We run in Canada with this setup nicely, heaters are set to about 20 degrees celcius year round (70ish F), we have vents and fans that run year round as well though, to prevent moisture buildup. the thermostat doesn’t have to be set high though, the gear throws off almost enough heat on it’s own to keeps things well above freezing, even when the temp. dips below -30.
For sure having a heater with a thermal monitor would be the best and most relieble. The Bulb is just so cheap and easy it’s hard to pass up
What about a little ceramic heater in there, something small and simple, like the lightbulb idea?
Ya theres probably losts of ways to do it. Just depends on the level of stability you want, and the amount of cash your willing to dish out per enclosure.
Personally, I’ve had more problems with heat then with cold. I’ve had several routers lock up because they got to hot. Never had one lock up or die because they got to cold.
VERY valid point on the too much heat, which is why our cabinets have the exhaust fans/filters. You may want to look into a higher priced enclosure that has a heater, and fans built in, less hassel in the end knowing you have a secure, regulated environment for your gear.
We spend in excess of $2200 per enclosure, but we could put in on a street corner and not worry about break-ins, thermal “events”, or moisture buildup. Once we install, the most maintenence we go through is swapping out a patch cable, or replacing a fuse on the power.