Solar Dehydrator AND Seed Starting Experiment

Has anyone experimented with using a solar dehydrator similar to Wheaton Lab's model to germinate seeds in the cold spring months?

I'm wondering what you could do to prevent so much dehydration when wanting to start seeds? Perhaps it's reducing air flow and ensuring adequate humidity.

I imagine a set up like the dehydrator would allow for warm enough temps and sunlight (maybe needs glass walls instead of wood) or to be on wheels for sun tracking. However that's more management.

I'm not 100% sure, but that sounds like it could work, at least for seeds that want light to grow. Come to think of it, the ones that need darkness to germinate would probably only need something to block the light from part of it. So, theoretically, you might be able to use it for both types of seeds, simply blocking the light from a section, and leaving the rest unblocked, providing warmth, for all of it. I'm all about multipurpose things, too. I'd think that cutting the airflow enough to trap more of the warmth, but not so much as to encourage mold growth would likely be the balance to find. I hope you'll try it, and let us know how it goes!

I like multi-purpose uses for things but I'm a little doubtful about this one. The goals of a dehydrator are so counter to the goals of a seed starting setup that I think you'd find it frustrating trying to fine tune a dehydrator for this, especially since there would be constant changes in sunlight, clouds, and ambient temperature to contend with.
But hey, maybe you could automate it with one of those greenhouse vent hydraulics that open when the fluid inside reaches a certain temperature. Still wouldn't heat at night though. Not sure if the seeds that need higher germination temps need that temp to be constant or not.  

Characteristics you are looking for in a seed-starting cabinet are high humidity, temperature regulation, especially at night, and enough space for your amount of trays.

A wooden box will need something to help with insulation and warping bc the high humidity is going to want to warp plywood and if it gets below optimum temps (even below freezing) where you are, the box needs to hold temps "in range."

An old refrigerator or upright freezer works fairly well for seed starting, you can put a crock pot at the bottom plugged into a temperature regulating switch outside of the (unplugged) refrigerator to keep the temps and humidity at your desired range.

The cabinet need not allow light in, necessarily; once seedlings emerge, pull them out for sun during the day, and protect from severe temperatures at night somehow but without coddling them. A sand table with electric coil under a row cover, inside a greenhouse, may be warm enough to leave the seedlings there at night in some areas but definitely it will be specific to your weather.