Homemade Towel Warmer

[Tman122]

Got around to taking a few photos. After I cleaned all the snow off of it.

[spiman]

I see that you prefer TP to FF

[Tatooed_Lady]

Cool beans, Tman.....how's it working for ya?

[Markus]

That is quite the design...it looks like it took some time to assemble.

"stupid question" what does tp and ff stand for?

[NJDave]

If it was FF, the towels would stay cozy and warm, it would not need heat genearated by the light bulbs, just like TP needs the heat generated from the motors, to stay ahead of the cold air rushing in. I love the design and the timer was a smart move. The thermometer was a nice touch too. How about  red heat bulbs, screwed into a fixture pointing up to the towel rack. Great Job! Dave.

[galen]

How hot does it get with both lights on?

[NJDave]

One bulb in a closed envirement like that can produce sufficient heat to keep the towels warm. Tman was not taking any chances, on getting anything less than warm towels, when he jumps out of the tub into the cold.

[jim97219]

Please tell us you've got those trouble lights on GFCI's.

[GoBlue]

Thanks for the idea.

[Tman122]

Absolutly GFCI protected. Any outlet outside in Duluth Minnesota has to be a GFCI outlet, specialy one by the hot tub. Fully sealed and insulated electrical box and wiring on the side. The connection between the bulb and the light body is rubber sealed. And the cord is double insulated 12-3, overkill.

I can get it to around 80-110 with both lights on and the temps outside are above say 20-30. I have reduced the bulbs to 75 watt as the 200 watt ones got a bit to hot (the thing was burning a bit of insulation) Below 0 it will only get to about 60-70 but it beats ice cold towels.

Took me a few hours on a saturday I had a bunch of tongue and groove ash left from my den and computer room. Just made big panels out of the 100 inch long pieces and cut them to the proper lenght after the boards were put together to the proper width. Then used left over cedar 2x2 deck spindles for the corners, hinge supports and a couple runners on the bottom. I'm going to get some better hinges and a digital thermometer I can mount on the outside and run a probe inside whenever I get around to it.

[Snowbird]

Good job Tman.  You are way ahead of me.  I would've used charcoal.

Years ago, when we lived in the sticks, we used to put a light bulb in our dog's house in the winter to keep him from freezing.  This worked fine except his sleep patterns got all nozzled up so he wore sun glasses to bed.


It was the 1st dog that showed us charcoal wouldn't work.
We remember him fondly every time we fire up the grill.

[drewstar]

That is quite the design...it looks like it took some time to assemble.

"stupid question" what does tp and ff stand for?

Markus


FF= Full Foam
TP-= Thermal Pane.

These are the 2 leading technolgies/mehtods in Hot tub insulation.

FF encases the entire structure complety in closed cell foam as insulation.

TP employs a dead air space around the tub. Heat generated by the pumps is reclaimed to heat the air, creating a theraml balance to prevent heat lose between the shell and outside.

They are  both are hotly debated.


Small nit: The towel warmer above is technically more a Full Foam application than TP.  The area to be insulated (the box) is heated and uses foam insulation to reduce heat lose.  A TP desing would have a box within a box. The air space would be heated, not insulated with foam.

[Chas]

Here in Paradise we tend to put the towells in the 'fridge for an hour before use...

[Tman122]

Shut up Chas!!

[Tatooed_Lady]

Here in Paradise we tend to put the towells in the 'fridge for an hour before use...

 

That's funny, since it seems so many on here consider "paradise" to be watching the snow gently falling while they're sitting, toasty warm in their tubs with loved ones.....but hey, whatever floats your boat!!