converting a wine cooler?

[sptcigars]

what's the deal with those wine cooladors. I have read several different places where members talk about turning those microwave sized wine coolers into humidors. Has anyone done this? Does it work?

I am having a hell of a time getting my humidor and my cooler to stay at a humidity lower than 72. I had them in the basement where it was cool but the humidity was high. I brought them upstairs where I thought the humidity would be lower and since winter is coming, cooler.

I am having no luck. I bought two puck100's that are supposed to control humidty at 65% and they havent. I took them out, dried them out with the hair dryer and replaced them. Still 72%. So I went out and bought silica crystal cat litter that someone told me would help absorb the moisture. Now, it's only been a couple of days so I know I'm not being patient enough, but I've had it. I want a controlled level and I dont have the dollars for those expensive cabinet aristocrats,( though I would love to have one.)

Has anyone converted these wine coolers and do they control temp and humidity or just temp?

[Colt45]

There are a number of threads on the topic - give the search a try. I'm sure members

who have them will chime in as well.

One other thing is to make sure your hygrometer(s) are properly calibrated.

[wp2]

In addition to my Mini (which is full) I have a wine coolerdor.

Cat litter in cut off stockings tied at the ends. When it gets too low I either mist them with distilled water or place a small container of water in the cooler until the humidity comes back up (65%).

No problems, but it is full too. I'm thinking of converting my son's small fridge now that he graduated from college.

[Claudius]

» what's the deal with those wine cooladors. I have read several different

» places where members talk about turning those microwave sized wine coolers

» into humidors. Has anyone done this? Does it work?

» I am having a hell of a time getting my humidor and my cooler to stay at a

» humidity lower than 72. I had them in the basement where it was cool but

» the humidity was high. I brought them upstairs where I thought the

» humidity would be lower and since winter is coming, cooler.

»

» I am having no luck. I bought two puck100's that are supposed to control

» humidty at 65% and they havent. I took them out, dried them out with the

» hair dryer and replaced them. Still 72%. So I went out and bought silica

» crystal cat litter that someone told me would help absorb the moisture.

» Now, it's only been a couple of days so I know I'm not being patient

» enough, but I've had it. I want a controlled level and I dont have the

» dollars for those expensive cabinet aristocrats,( though I would love to

» have one.)

»

» Has anyone converted these wine coolers and do they control temp and

» humidity or just temp?

Sounds like your hygrometer is broken if it is always on 72% no matter what you do. That being said, even if you have an Aristocrat, if the humidity is too high, there is nothing in the cabinet that can lower it. The humidity in an Aristocrat can only be increased.

There are 3 ways to lower the humidity that I can think of off the top of my head:

- in a small cabinet, use 65% beads

- in a room, use a dehumidifier

- in a room, use A/C or if that is not enough, A/C set to DRY mode

[El Presidente]

Agree to check your hygrometer. It is often the bane of Cigar lovers and the last thing that they check.

I am not sure if I am reading you right thet you are using 2 Pucks in your wine cooler. If so then that is not going to be enough as they are competeing with a chiller unit. You are going to need a stockingfull of beads to even it out.

[KB24]

» Agree to check your hygrometer. It is often the bane of Cigar lovers and

» the last thing that they check.

»

» I am not sure if I am reading you right thet you are using 2 Pucks in your

» wine cooler. If so then that is not going to be enough as they are

» competeing with a chiller unit. You are going to need a stockingfull of

» beads to even it out.

The chilling unit was the problem in my cooler. Everytime the temp got high I would turn on the cooler and it would lower both the temp and the humidity. It was very difficult to manage and eventually caused a mold outbreak. $3K for a lifetime of perfect temp/rH-----worth every dime in my opinion.

-Patrick

[sptcigars]

» »

thanks gents. by calibration you mean the salt test? my digital does change but not so much. Its usually reading b/w 72-74. as far as getting a wine cooler, wont the low temp keep the humidity from coming up. I mean if you have a cooling unit that can be controlled to lets say 68, won't that keep the enclosed area on the drier side? Sort of like a refrigerator? That's at least my hope with choosing to buy one.

[Colt45]

» by calibration you mean the salt test?

Exactly. I test mine at least twice a year, but try to with the changes in seasons. They tend to change readings

with the changes in seasonal weather. I do find it a bit odd that you are having trouble with a cooler, especially

in a basement - unless your basement is very damp.

My cooler and tupperware are my most consistent and easy to maintain humidors.

[sptcigars]

They tend to change readings

» with the changes in seasonal weather. I do find it a bit odd that you are

» having trouble with a cooler, especially

» in a basement - unless your basement is very damp.

» My cooler and tupperware are my most consistent and easy to maintain

» humidors.

I DID NOT KNOW THAT! I will have to test it out. On the cooler issue, it does better but still pushing 72. I thought my basement might be damp so I brought it upstairs. I do not have a dehumidifier so I had to do something. Thing is I got the puck for 65% and it hasn't done it yet. Maybe I need more than one in that thing.

[ccsmoker]

I have a 28 bottle wine cooler and it holds temp & humidity very well.

It is a thermo electric unit,and I use 1 1/2 pounds of beads(65%)

with a cigar oasis xl plus.There is a drip groove on the inside of the unit under the cooling fan.You can use a peice of soft plastic(note book devider) and redirect the water drippings in to the beads.

I have been doing it this way for a few weeks.It has been steady

at 63-65% and 68 deg. with out any pooling water in the beads.

[Colt45]

» I DID NOT KNOW THAT! I will have to test it out.

As an aside, it has been suggested by Maximus that even digital hygrometers have a finite life span,

in that they use horse hair which wears out with time.

I don't know if they still use hair in modern hygrometers or not. Perhaps he's reminiscing about

the olden days, when the abacus was all the rage in calculating mathematical equations......

[Claudius]

If you only have one Puck, the little black plastic thing with a few beads in for the whole cooler, then that's wayyy to little beads. You need a pound or 2 and put them in a pantyhose like Rob said.

To see how damp your basement is, why dont you just leave the hydgro in there for 5 mins and get a reading.

[Mel39]

» As an aside, it has been suggested by Maximus that even digital

» hygrometers have a finite life span,

» in that they use horse hair which wears out with time.

» I don't know if they still use hair in modern hygrometers or not. Perhaps

» he's reminiscing about

» the olden days, when the abacus was all the rage in calculating

» mathematical equations......

Yep, got a couple of cheapos recently and yes they still use horse hair.

Just ordered a digital thermometer/hygrometer and will see how it compares.

Nobody told me how intriguing, interesting, exciting and damned expensive this cigar smoking hobby/pastime/addiction, could become.:-D

Mel39

[smokum]

The cooler the air gets...the more moisture it can hold.... thermoelectric cooler fins are not cold enough to remove a lot of moisture from the box like a normal refrigerator does.

[Mel39]

» The cooler the air gets...the more moisture it can hold.... thermoelectric

» cooler fins are not cold enough to remove a lot of moisture from the box

» like a normal refrigerator does.

Plus of course there is condensation from the fins. I am going right off the Peltier system. My new wine cooler uses a condenser. I'll see how that works. The money I've wasted so far would have been better used saving for an Aristocrat.

Perhaps our Prez could start selling 'em and then as they'd cost more than $US150, we could get them shipped free to the UK.

Just added some beads to my cigar order with this in mind:-D

Mel39

[Claudius]

» The cooler the air gets...the more moisture it can hold....

No, it's the other way around.

[smokum]

ahhhh...dew points and all that other crap..I figured maybe someone with some engineering knowledge would help out !!

[sptcigars]

» If you only have one Puck, the little black plastic thing with a few beads

» in for the whole cooler, then that's wayyy to little beads. You need a

» pound or 2 and put them in a pantyhose like Rob said.

»

» To see how damp your basement is, why dont you just leave the hydgro in

» there for 5 mins and get a reading.

I figured. dammit, well that can be fixed. Listen, I did the hygro left out in the basement. I'ts like 75 humidity. Pertaining to my cooler, I put a bowl full of cat litter silica crystals in there with my puck 100. Yes, its the small disk thing but what I wanted to tell everyone is that I got a box of cigars yesterday( joya nic's) and when I opened the cooler it was reading 70% and 67 temp. This is upstairs now, in a shoe closet against an outside wall. It pretty cool and I'm hoping the extra crystals will bring it down. I wonder if I should take my other puck, combine them in a sock like suggested and have that amount of puck beads and the silica crystals in the cooler. Maybe I should wait first and see what happens before I do anything. What I was also thinking was to put just the silica crystals in my humidor that holds about 100 sticks. What would I do for moisture?? small bowl of water?? You guys are really helping, keep the ideas coming.

and dont get me confused with that cooler air / more-less moisture. I'm having enough trouble;-)

thanks guys

[Mel39]

(Has anyone converted these wine coolers and do they control temp and humidity or just temp?)

This is one of mine, I have two. I use two 100/65 pucks in each.

As you can see, I have outgrown this and have a larger wine cooler on order. No real need for conversion as you can see, I just have one shelf of Spanish Cedar. The cigars in their boxes look after themselves.

Sorry picture not all that but I rushed it off just now.

Readings if you can't see clearly are temp at around 66'F and humidity is spot on at 65.

This is the one I now have on order.

It holds 40 bottles of wine, I don't know how that converts to cigar boxes yet:-)

I'll let you know when it's up and running.

So yes, the answer to your question is that they can do the job but be advised and get the biggest you can afford. Good luck,

Mel39