Heating a defibrillator box

[flakey]

Bit of a different question from normal: does anyone here have experience with defibrillator boxes, like the ones which the British Heart Foundation offer for installation on public buildings? Looking at getting one, but they vaguely say that the host building might need to pay for electricity to heat the box so it maintains a minimum temperature.

I’m wondering if anyone knows what that temperature is, how well the box is insulated, and basically roughly what those costs might be for a relatively exposed building in the Dales? Or where I could find more information. So far the BHF pages on it have not been super relevant.

 

[mrodoc]

Interesting seeing as how they are installed in old telephone boxes such as the one on Priddy Green. Haven't noticed any added insulation or heating for it and Priddy is the highest village in Somerset (getting near 300m asl). I suspected the issue is related to battery life.

 

[ChrisB]

https://www.heartsafe.org.uk/maintenance/ suggests a few pounds a year for electricity.

https://www.safelincs.co.uk/defibrillator-cabinets/? shows various cabinets with different amounts of insulation, temperature seems to be just greater than 5ºC and heaters are 50W to 150W - so won't be on most of the year and won't use a lot when they are.

 

[wellyjen]

If you were having a heart attack, you wouldn't want cold defib electrodes on your skin.

 

[Pitlamp]

If you're near Clapham at some stage come and have a look at the recently installed defibrillator at the NPC (Green Close). If it's on a weekend you will probably catch the inmates, who can no doubt relate the club's experience of installing it. (The box does require an electricity supply.)

The CRO also has one in Clapham; you could swing by the depot and talk to folk in there. (They often gather on a Wednesday evening.)

 

[flakey]

Thanks everyone

 

[Steve Clark]

We have a heated box mounted externally at our hut in Little Langdale. The hut is currently showing as using 11W when unoccupied (the router, smoke alarms & em light trickle charge) so I presume the heater must only kick in at a lower temp to protect the defib battery.

For perspective, last week a single outside booking group used £37 in electric for heating and showers in just 24hrs.

Proportionally, the defib is a tiny cost for us and gives peace of mind. It’s a valuable resource for the locals too.

 

[nickwilliams]

The heat is there to prevent condensation forming inside the cabinet. Panel heaters are widely available from the likes of RS or Farnell. The actual temperature is not very important - it's the humidity you need to worry about.

Panel heaters are widely available from the likes of RS or Farnell. It's just as suitably rated metal-clad wire-wound resistor bolted to a metal chassis so it's not difficult to make one, but it's operating at mains voltage so if you don't recognise phrases such as 'creepage and clearance' and 'basic plus reinforced insulation' then best to buy it as an off-the -shelf component.

I can't remember what the power rating of the heater in our village defibrillator box is but 10W seems to ring a bell. If you need to know an accurate number then drop me and and I will find out for you.

When the Parish Council bought the telephone box off BT (for a pound IIRC) the contract committed BT to continue to supply the box with electricity for a light (power not to exceed 8W) in perpetuity. Like most street furniture, the box is on an unmetered supply but no body has ever come to check the installation.