Warming your meat/beer refrigerator in the cold of winter....... UPDATE 12/29

There has been some discussion on curing temps especially when your refer is in a NON heated area...... My refer is just that.... I noticed the refer temp was 27 deg F... BIG problem when curing meats etc...... Then I noticed the freezer was 27 deg F.... BIG problem.....Freezers aren't freezers at 27 degrees...

I had turned off the water to the ice maker a few months ago.... turned off the trip lever.... never realizing the freezer won't get cold unless the compressor was running.... The compressor won't run until the refer calls for cold.... Sooooooo, time to TRICK the refer.......

I have a 44 watt bird bath heater I bought several years ago thinking the birds would like a warm bath..... STUPID.... the birds that like to bathe leave during the winter......
Into the refer goes the bird bath heater......

The refer is hanging around 32-33 degrees where I keep it for storing apples, cheese etc.....


It will probably add about $1.50 a month to the electric..... maybe more.... When I need to cure meats in the refer I will up the temp so it runs about 38 degrees for stuff to cure properly...

After all, properly cured meat is what it is all about....

Hope this helps someone solve a COLD refer problem.....

Have a great NEW YEAR....

Dave