Fridge-a-dor

[Guest josho2001]

»

» Hey Mel39,

»

» I could be wrong, but I think your best bet is a Thermoelectric Cooling

» Wine Cooler. The compressor type create the condensation you speak of. I

» think the bulk of your problem is because you dont have a thermoelectric

» wine fridge.

right you are, thermoelectric fridges actually have built in fans in the back that help to circulate the air too so you don't have to rig up one of those oust-fan thingys to circulate the air for you and keep the humidity even.

I plan on investing in one of those this upcoming summer. The climate extremes in the North East make it necessary in the summer. Last august when my AC went out one day I got a reading of 86 in my humidor, I nearly pooed myself!

I'm going to do an instructional when I set mine up because I have some plans to line the inside with spanish cedar and to frost the glass door. I may not be able to afford an aristocrat, but I can at least have one really classy wine fridge!

[Mel39]

Hi CH, your input is appreciated.

I do actually have three TE coolers and yes, they are good at keeping RH when packed and with addition of a couple of cedar shelves if necessary.

I went for the wine cooler after one of my TE coolers packed up. I contacted the manufacturers and was told that they were not meant to run continually.

I then asked if it would be better to turn them off every night and again was told that that wouldn't work either for continually switching them on and off would be bad for the TE device. They are meant to be for occasional use running off a car cigar lighter:-)

Mine were run on a 12 volt supply and the transformers were very noisy. I have run out of space in my small kitchen and had to put the coolers in my bedroom.

I would love to know from any scientific bods on the board, just why the RH drops so rapidly once the cooler kicks in. I even have the cooler thermo set to "warm", which should be around 18'C or 65'F.

The glass door has a rubber seal and there is no leak as the RH stays at 65% but only when the temp is 80'F. I have 2 Digital hygros and they both agree readings. I have tried soaking the beads and adding extra containers filled with beads and/or distilled water.

I have added a timer that turns the cooler on for an hour a day, to try and keep the temp lower. All to no avail.

So I am resigned to living with 80/65 with an eye out for beetles, which involves checking boxes and playing tetris every now and again.

[KB24]

The issue I had with my coolidor is that it became so packed and the rH and temp fluctuated so much I had a mold outbreak. Be careful and make sure you have proper air circulation. Check the boxes often and I would say rotate them also.

-Patrick

[Guest josho2001]

» I would love to know from any scientific bods on the board, just why the

» RH drops so rapidly once the cooler kicks in. I even have the cooler

» thermo set to "warm", which should be around 18'C or 65'F.

» The glass door has a rubber seal and there is no leak as the RH stays at

» 65% but only when the temp is 80'F. I have 2 Digital hygros and they both

» agree readings. I have tried soaking the beads and adding extra containers

» filled with beads and/or distilled water.

» I have added a timer that turns the cooler on for an hour a day, to try

» and keep the temp lower. All to no avail.

» So I am resigned to living with 80/65 with an eye out for beetles, which

» involves checking boxes and playing tetris every now and again.

Okay, I know absolutely nothing scientific, but I do know that some wine fridges have a drip tray at the bottom, and there is a whole that needs to be blocked in order to keep in all your humidity. It's worth at least checking out.

[Mark Twain]

It's best to keep more beads than normal in a winefridge to help deal with RH swings. If this still doesn't help, invest in a hydra. It's like a cigar oasis, but with more functions. You can buy extra fans for it for $12. I got one. [link]http://www.cigarpass.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=41380[/link]

[Professor Twain]

I made a previous post about this with results from tests I had run-- search for Haier (the brand of my fridge) and you will find it... in brief, the humidity variability looks as if it is very large if you put hygrometers OUTSIDE of boxes in your fridge, but tests that I did by putting hygrometers with remote wireless sensors INSIDE of boxes and cabinets shows that the humidity stays pretty constand inside of the boxes even when the fridge comes on and lowers the overall temperature.

There is also the issue that humidity is MUCH HIGHER in the lower levels of the fridge than in the top.

So, if you install fans to circulate the air, and rotate your cigars once a month or so (giving the cigar boxes at the top and bottom of the fridge a turn at the opposite end) then you should be fine.

Oh, and I also think that it is advisable to use plenty of beads, and to have a fair share of beads at each level of the fridge, to try to stabilize your humidity variability from top to bottom.

Good luck with this.

[Mel39]

Cheers Pat,

yep becoming an expert at Tetris.

Did a turnaround this evening and all seems well.

[Mel39]

Thanks Josh.

There is a drip tray but too tired now to seek out holes but will certainly check it out in the morning.

Sounds a possibility

[Mel39]

» It's best to keep more beads than normal in a winefridge to help deal with

» RH swings. If this still doesn't help, invest in a hydra. It's like a

» cigar oasis, but with more functions. You can buy extra fans for it for

» $12. I got one.

» [link]http://www.cigarpass.com/forums/index.php?showtopic=41380[/link]

I've been looking at those and they look interesting. In fact I did enquire once but they didn't have the extra fans available. I'm a bit concerned about the power leads but apparently they are thin and shouldn't leave too much of a gap. Plus we run on 230/240 here whereas I thought I saw they run at 110. But will certainly check it out again.

Cheers,

mel39

[Mel39]

... in

» brief, the humidity variability looks as if it is very large if you put

» hygrometers OUTSIDE of boxes in your fridge, but tests that I did by

» putting hygrometers with remote wireless sensors INSIDE of boxes and

» cabinets shows that the humidity stays pretty constand inside of the boxes

» even when the fridge comes on and lowers the overall temperature.

»

Yep I remember Prof and thanks again. I really hate returning to this but was interested in the OP's fridge and would it work.

» There is also the issue that humidity is MUCH HIGHER in the lower levels

» of the fridge than in the top.

»

» So, if you install fans to circulate the air, and rotate your cigars once

» a month or so (giving the cigar boxes at the top and bottom of the fridge

» a turn at the opposite end) then you should be fine.

»

I do rotate regularly but can't find those Oust fans. The ones here are plug-ins. I did buy a battery fan but the batteries died in 24 hours, so was working out quite expensive. I also tried a PC fan but that was creating too much heat from the metal chassis.

» Oh, and I also think that it is advisable to use plenty of beads, and to

» have a fair share of beads at each level of the fridge, to try to

» stabilize your humidity variability from top to bottom.

»

Done that Prof. Have the bag hanging and containers with extra beads on two other levels. Plus I have a digi hygro at top and bottom and there is only a small variance.

Had the thing on for a couple of hours this evening (forgot it was on) and have just checked. Top is showing 75' and 51%RH while bottom is 72' and 57RH. By the morning, I just know it will be 80' and 65% as it always is as long as the door isn't opened.

» Good luck with this.

Thanks Prof, I'm sure I will be back.

[Fuzz]

About time you stored your stash in proper conditions! Does this mean the wife will let you buy some more now that you're no longer hiding everything in the cupboard?

And what about all your wine?!

[jay8354]

Update for Mel

I had to change the temp the first night since I had the fridge on High instead of middle. So the Fridge was going the whole time. When I did a check on it, the RH was abt 31 and it is a cool 41F.

Quickly changed the Temp, got the beads wet again and left overnight.

This morning it was 60F and 51RH. So reset the Temp and re-spray the beads.

Tonight, after a minor adjustment, the temp is holding steady around 65-66F, Humididty is a little low though 60RH.

I made some more adjustments, set a second Hydrometer and will see what the results are in the morning.

Overall, the Thermoelectric is working out stable so far (only checking outside of the boxes, not the inside yet).

Will probably have to recheck settings of the hydro and rotate the stock as I go to confirm if everything is holding steady of 65F 65RH

[Mel39]

» Update for Mel

»

» I had to change the temp the first night since I had the fridge on High

» instead of middle. So the Fridge was going the whole time. When I did a

» check on it, the RH was abt 31 and it is a cool 41F.

»

» Quickly changed the Temp, got the beads wet again and left overnight.

»

» This morning it was 60F and 51RH. So reset the Temp and re-spray the

» beads.

»

» Tonight, after a minor adjustment, the temp is holding steady around

» 65-66F, Humididty is a little low though 60RH.

»

» I made some more adjustments, set a second Hydrometer and will see what

» the results are in the morning.

»

» Overall, the Thermoelectric is working out stable so far (only checking

» outside of the boxes, not the inside yet).

»

» Will probably have to recheck settings of the hydro and rotate the stock

» as I go to confirm if everything is holding steady of 65F 65RH

Thanks for the update Jay.

Your fridge looks so like mine but there is one big difference.

Mine runs on a compressor!

Looks like you will get yours sorted and good luck while I struggle on with mine.

Thanks again anyhow.

Mel39

[Mel39]

» About time you stored your stash in proper conditions! Does this mean the

» wife will let you buy some more now that you're no longer hiding

» everything in the cupboard?

»

» And what about all your wine?!

Don't know if this was for Jay or me.

As far as I'm concerned, no wife. Just two ex's.

I'm not worried about my wine. I don't drink that much and what there is, is probably ruined anyway as it's been living in 80'F for ages and that includes some champers.

I know, I'm a phillistine but learning more about my cigars every day. They take preference over everything with no-one to nag me about my new found passion.

I will live with 80/65 until I can find the ideal solution.

Cheers,

mel39

[jay8354]

Got a Wine Fridge during the festive season last year.

Well, I finally got my act together and got some beads to convert it into a fridge-a-dor.

Below are the results:

Without anything:

After putting everything, plus some 3d tetris:

Still have some room, though it is a tight squeeze.

RF is not stable as yet, just wanted to see if everything will fit.

And as usual I need a bigger Fridge already. :-D

[Mel39]

Hi Jay,

I also bought a very similar wine "fridge"

The big problem I have is that my apartment is very small and gets very warm with an ambient temp of around 80F. It is a home for old folk and I can't set the heating to be any cooler.

Now for some reason that I cannot understand, whenever I set the wine cabinet to run cool, the RH drops immediately and rapidly to well below ideal conditions. You cane see here 37' 64%. One of my digital hygrometers actually drops to ---%, that is off the scale!

When the cooler is turned off and of course the temp rises to around 80' then the RH is very steady at 65% with the use of beads. So that is how it is left.

It is said that beetle eggs are now killed off by the cigars undergoing a period of freezing before marketing so I am living with the 80' and 65% for storage.

I cannot understand the drop in RH when the cabinet is cooled because there is so much moisture within, what with the beads being soaked and condensation running down the back panel.

I would be most interested in the results you get after a period of time.

PS. I think for both of us a walk-in humi is next:-D

[CIGARHead]

» Hi Jay,

» I also bought a very similar wine "fridge"

» The big problem I have is that my apartment is very small and gets very

» warm with an ambient temp of around 80F. It is a home for old folk and I

» can't set the heating to be any cooler.

» Now for some reason that I cannot understand, whenever I set the wine

» cabinet to run cool, the RH drops immediately and rapidly to well below

» ideal conditions. You cane see here 37' 64%. One of my digital hygrometers

» actually drops to ---%, that is off the scale!

» When the cooler is turned off and of course the temp rises to around 80'

» then the RH is very steady at 65% with the use of beads. So that is how it

» is left.

» It is said that beetle eggs are now killed off by the cigars undergoing a

» period of freezing before marketing so I am living with the 80' and 65%

» for storage.

» I cannot understand the drop in RH when the cabinet is cooled because

» there is so much moisture within, what with the beads being soaked and

» condensation running down the back panel.

»

» I would be most interested in the results you get after a period of

» time.

»

» PS. I think for both of us a walk-in humi is next:-D

Hey Mel39,

I could be wrong, but I think your best bet is a Thermoelectric Cooling Wine Cooler. The compressor type create the condensation you speak of. I think the bulk of your problem is because you dont have a thermoelectric wine fridge.