Well, gee thanks for all the inputs, concern, and suggestions. But really guys, even if the used refer still had a compressor I wouldn't be plugging it in to refrigerate my flammables, nor will I rewire it to plug it in to get the convenience of the lights. I am slightly aware of the electrical sparks made by the cheap unsealed door switch that controls the lights.
Regarding the fumes. I am aware of the problems with concentrated fumes and probably would not stick my head deep into the container and take a deep breath. Quite the contrary, I typically take a breath before opening a container of a volatile substance and slowly exhale for a while. I have better than average lung capacity.
Now as regards the vandals... not my problem, if they want to stick their heads in and take a deep breath, I don't care. I'm not going to suffer the inconvenience of a lock to protect a vandal's lungs.
OK, just kidding about the vandals breathing the fumes. Vandals are always possible but I have lots of things more valuable to take than a gal of premix or even the old frige itself. I have a half mile of highway frontage and have had two thinks stolen in 7 years, both of which were up near the highway sitting out in sight of passers by. My house is over a quarter mile off the highway.
I have the ability to wire any number of things to the alarm system in a series chain like cheap Christmas tree lights. If any of them are "disturbed" the alarm goes off. I only know that it is an item in the series chain, not which item. Since I only use that for certain selected items in one general location I don't need to know which item. I could include the storage locker in that loop and it would set off the alarm if opened without disarming (at least) that zone.
Thanks for the references to the codes. I typically surpass most building/electrical/plumbing codes and always try to at least meet them.
I do have the occasional nit to pick with codes and folks enforcing them without understanding the intent of the authors. Regarding the code in the case of the flammable storage locker made of plywood. What kind of plywood is it that is referred to anyway?
Please name a kind of plywood that is "of a type that will not break down or delaminate under fire conditions" as I don't have any experience with plywood that won't break down or delaminate in a fire. I did buy several 5 gal pails of "water glass" AKA sodium silicate to coat OSB and other materials potentially subject to welding sparks.
If I build a flammable storage cabinet, flammable will refer to the contents, not the enclosure. I would prefer to build it out of steel and site it so it could let the contents entirely burn without a danger of the fire spreading. This only requires a very small berm around it to contain spills from fire ruptured containers. If the berm is relatively porous (sand inside a single course of cinder blocks with weep holes) water will run out, over time, but short duration events like burning liquids, especially more viscous ones will most likely burn up before leaking through in quantity.
Old chest type freezers and upright freezers and refrigerators seem to be a cheap, simple, and satisfactory way to recycle something destined for the landfill as well as provide really good flammable material storage. (Of course, not plugged in and running nor used to simultaneously store electrically fired blasting caps and running Whilmhurst or Van de Graff electrostatic generators.
It is VERY IMPORTANT that if you use any refrigerator that has a door latch and or can't be easily opened from the inside that it is thoroughly "CHILD PROOFED." You just never know. A kid can get inside a refer in a heartbeat and succumb to asphyxiation before they are found. It doesn't have to be your kid or grandkid, any kid is the wrong kid to let into the enclosure. For uprights, just about any added latch located high up or on top of the door will prevent kids from getting inside, especially if there isn't a convenient step stool substitute nearby.
As to the build up of concentrated vapors inside the refer... If it is sited outside and you don't stick your head in and intentionally inhale them, I think it is a no harm no foul situation. I guess I could sit down at a graphics application and author some warning labels to post on the refer but that is a different thread.
Pat
Pat
