Light bulb in gun safe ?

[mag_01]

:coffee: Hi Gentlemen --- Have installed a gun safe in cellar --- dirt floor with stone walls--- have also installed a light bulb to take moisture out --- anyone have any experience with what wattage should be used --- have oiled guns inside and out ---- Had a 60 watt and then put in a 25 watt --- also would a higher wattage bulb be needed in the summer months as opposed to the winter months. Will be putting a second safe down there in a different location. Mag_01

[NVcurmudgeon]

Here's a non-professional opinion. I would increase wattage until the safe feels pleasantly warm. Then put a shotglass of water inside and see if it evaporates. I would worry about the dirt floor more. Do you have duckboards, pallets, or something to keep the bottom of the safe out of the dirt?

[Lloyd Smale]

they sell little bar heaters that are for a safe that are cheap and probably more effiecent then a light bulb.

[BCB]

I have one of those heating units that can be purchased just for a gun safe. It indicates that it is 7 watts and is just warm to the touch. My safe is in a basement that has cement floors and cement block walls. The basement temperature ranges from 55 in the winter to around 72 in the summer. I do run dehumidifiers in the summer months.

I have one of those weather units that have a remote sending unit outside of my house. It sends the temp and humidity to a small screen at my desk. SO, I just purchased another sending unit and placed it inside of the safe. It can still send a signal to the screen. This morning the temperature in the safe is 56 degrees and the humidity is 44%. I don’t think the humidity gets about 50% in the summer.

With dirt floors, you may have more of a problem. Some type of humidity recording unit might be a good guide for in your safe—just to check. Good-luck…BCB

[Wayne Smith]

With dirt floors consider a piece of plastic under the safe as a vapor shield.

[floodgate]

I think those little bar heaters are sold under the "Goldenrod" name, and are recommended for many safes in humid areas or places with wide swings in temperatureand/or humidity. I seem to recallssing them in variaous sporting goods catalogs; or just Goggle "Goldenrod".

Fg

[Nueces]

I've used silica gel dessicant packs for nearly 30 years in my safes, with outstanding results.

http://www.midwayusa.com/eproductpage.exe/showproduct?saleitemid=322511&t=11082005

Seal the door with adhesive weather stripping and close any other holes in the safe. The seal need not be perfect, but limiting air exchange with the outside improves performance and increases pack life between recharges. The pack has color coded dots that indicate remaining life and the pack can be recharged indefinitely by baking in the oven for 3 hours. I keep a fresh pack in an ammo can and swap when I notice it's needed. Then recharge the used one at your convenience and put it in the ammo can. These actually remove the airborne moisture rather than raise the temperature of the air to reduce relative humidity.

They may be used with the heaters in really nasty environments. One advantage of the light bulb over the GoldenRod is the ease with which you can tell it's working. That's why I use a bulb to anti-ice my well head.

Seconds to the suggestions to get your safe off the dirt

Mark

[beemer]

My house is block on a concrete slab. In the summer it is so humid that water will condense on the floor.I had some problems with rust but mildew was the worst. After installing a Golden Rod in my safe I haven't had any problems.

That reminds me of a beagle that my Uncle had, the dog was a field trial champion. He made so much money selling the dog's services that I bet you can guess what he called him.

beemer

[floodgate]

Uh, "SNOOPY"???

Fg

[JeffinNZ]

It would be like my fridge. I can't be sure the light actually goes out when I close the door. In your case, does it stay on!!!??? [smilie=1:

[Jon K]

mag01,

Goldenrod Dehumidifiers on sale this month @Midway. Safer and last longer than a lightbulb. Check size & price @
http://www.midwayusa.com/epromolisting.exe/showpage?promotionid=209140&eblastid=12120082&custnum=100753132&utm_source=goldenroddehumidifier_img&utm_medium=eblast12120082


Jon

[mag_01]

:coffee: --- Thanks for the quick replies ---- The safe is mounted to 2 solid cement blocks approximately 7 in square ---securely fastened with masonry anchors --- with A shingle between cement and safe bottom ---- stone side down tar side up. safe is also anchored to the stone wall. so far I see no rust or moisture -- But its only been a week or two. ----- Mag_01

[beagle]

For what it's worth. Had a "hot box" in VN. Big packing crate with my uniforms in it and a 25W bulb to keep things dry. Had two quarts of Jim Beam so I stashed them in there. Next morning, I smelled JB and checked my stash. Holes had cracked in both bottles.

Based on that experiment, I don't know how scopes would react but I sure found out that internal storage is better than a hot box for JB./beagle

[DLCTEX]

A 7 watt bulb in an airtight container will be plenty, any more is too much! I used a dead refrigerator for welding rod storage when I was teaching welding at a boy's home in the Houston area. To keep the rods dry, I installed a 75 watt bulb and left for the weekend. On Monday I grabbed a handfull of rods and burned the heck out of my hand. 7 watts kept them warm. If the bulb burns out, the protection is lost, so the Golden Rod is a better solution IMHO. Dale

[mtgrs737]

I am in the Gun safe business and have sold hundreds of Goldenrods, I highly recomend them for any safe or enclosed space. Install the largest Rod that you can fit in the bottom of the safe, and pull the shelves forward so that there is 1/2" of space between the shelf and the back safe wall for circulation. I also recomend a vapor barrier under the safe. If your safe door is adjustable for tightness when closed then you should adjust it so that there is no movement with locked, as this will help keep the transfer of air to a minimum. :castmine:

[kodiak1]

mtgrs737 Where is there a website on these?
Thanks Ken.