Vinotemp Runs Constantly

My Vinotemp runs all day because I live in Manhattan and I dont want a 400 dollar electric bill. My problem is this...

Since the cooler is always running it condenses humidity severly pissing me off with low rH numbers around 58%-60% instead of the desired 65%.

Is there any way to counteract the condensing properties of the coolerdor so that the temp remains low and humidity remains high? I have a few fans in the humi and 2lbs of 65% beads plus a Cigar Oasis... Nothing seems to keep the humidity up.

[kydsid]

Is the drain plugged? If it isn't that is your first and greatest problem, IMO.

Take a look at what I did to my Edgestar you may have to rig something comparable.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19819

The drain is plugged but I have some fan wires running through the drain so its not 100% air tight... Water does leak through the drain but a lot of it is collected by beads that I placed right at the drainage point.

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by Golfman

The drain is plugged but I have some fan wires running through the drain so its not 100% air tight... Water does leak through the drain but a lot of it is collected by beads that I placed right at the drainage point.

So first thing is to plug that drain completely. I would get some Electricians putty to seal the drain. It never dries but provides a water tight seal.

Then you can see what McGyver methods you need to employ.

i'll give that a shot... I have always felt that its best to tackle the problem from the start and in this case the thermoelectric cooling unit in the Vino is condensing the humidity into water droplets which is why the humidity is so low. Is there no direct way to counteract the process of dehumidification by the cooling plate?

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by Golfman

Is there no direct way to counteract the process of dehumidification by the cooling plate?

Nope. I'm sure Shilala can put more info into that answer for me.

But if you don't have a closed system you can't really know how much it is effecting your rH and how much is escaping.

[aich75013]

Originally Posted by kydsid

So first thing is to plug that drain completely. I would get some Electricians putty to seal the drain.

That's what I am using thanks to a suggestion for Shilala. Cost less that $3.
Seems to be fairly stable. Only had the setup for about 2 weeks, though.
My room temp is 74 F. I can't cool it anymore as my wife and daughter complain as it is that it is too cold in the house. Outside temp is about 98-100 F.

[kydsid]

Easy way to tell is if you have a flat thin bottom, about 2-4". That is where the compressor tank would be if you have one.

1) You have a low end product from some Chinese sweat shop. Based solely on periodic, competitive bids, Vinotemp will change providers routinely. (and we all know the level of quality control China enforces.) Any number of "brand names" are produced by the same manufacturers of small appliances and modified dorm refrigerators.

2) Thermoelectric cooling is based on TD (temperature differential) and, therefore, by definition will function differently depending upon the environment in which it's placed). As temperatures - and the humidity levels RELATIVE to that temperature vary, so will the interior conditions.

Cheap equipment, combined with inappropriate "technolgy" = crap shoot. The nature of mechanical systems and Mother Nature are such that there are no exact answers to performance issues, absent extensive analysis in a controlled environment, combined with extensive knowledge of the Laws of Physics. Obvioulsy such isn't feasible / practical for most people.

3) Whenever "warm meets cool" there will be condensation. More than likely, the enclosure is not airtight, thus the excess rH is being manifested by excess condensation.

4) Thermoelectric is totally inappropriate "technology" for cigar storage. Neither temperature, nor rH can be accurately controlled other than bychance.

Even and active, compressor-driven, Vinotemp (or whatever marketing label any other importer may apply) "humidor" remains an under-engineered, questionably effective, dorm refrigerator.

5) Any "off the shelf", inexpensive hygrometer will require re-calibration on a regular (2 - 3 weeks) in order to maintain any semblance of accuracy. The only means by which to accurately monitor RELATIVE humidity is with a quality sling psychrometer.

6) I have a small collection of stogies .... passively stored in a nice box with a sponge @ ~ 72 degrees (household temp). Even if I forget to wet the reservoir for a week or 2, the cigars have always come back and I've not seen a single beetles in the past 10 years.

Apologies for any typos .... Long ashes to everyone!

Marcus

[tuxpuff]

I have mine in a room that stays in the low 80'sF and it does a good job of holding humidity. I have found that I need to keep the boxes away from the back of the unit. When they were jammed up against the back I would get condensation.

So as an update, I re-arranged my humi after plugging the drain air and water tight with caulk. I placed all my cigar trays on the bottom and I put a cigar oasis in one of them. It is interesting because the tray right above the cigar oasis reads 55%rH but the cigar oasis itself is reading around 66%rH. How is that possible? In less than a centimeter rH is different by 10%?

The top shelves, where i have some boxes resting, are holding constant at around 63%rH which is perfect for me. The temp has been very stable ranging from 64 degrees when the AC is on and I am home to 72 degrees when the AC is off and I am not home. I have two pounds of beads on the bottom of the humi with a small fan up against the wall to get some circulation going.

I feel like i am inches away from a care free humidor but I just cant quite get the trays to 65%rH... I am not quite sure how to fix that aspect.

[shilala]

Originally Posted by Golfman

I feel like i am inches away from a care free humidor but I just cant quite get the trays to 65%rH... I am not quite sure how to fix that aspect.

Patience.

One other thing I saw, you has beads laying in the puddle soaking up water. That's the absolute worst thing you could possibly do.
It's a mold problem, and it is a great destabilizer of humidity.
If you have puddling, use a computer fan, point it at the puddle area, and let it evaporate the water and return it to the air.
The cigars, wood, and beads will readsorb that water, and you'll have a nice thing going.

Originally Posted by shilala

Patience.

One other thing I saw, you has beads laying in the puddle soaking up water. That's the absolute worst thing you could possibly do.
It's a mold problem, and it is a great destabilizer of humidity.
If you have puddling, use a computer fan, point it at the puddle area, and let it evaporate the water and return it to the air.
The cigars, wood, and beads will readsorb that water, and you'll have a nice thing going.

I thought the beads would absorb the water and disperse it that way? I actually havent checked the bottom of my humi since sealing the drain so I dont know if water is pooling down there or not but I would assume so. When I get home today I'll take a look and see what the deal is and turn the fan around if there is pooling.

[captain53]

One problem from my experience is that Cigar Oasis, they are not dependable and because they actively spray mist (be it very very light and thin it is still mist) the hygro does not read from anywhere but the immediate area. I have an Edgestar 28 (I agree with MarcusWheat, they are all low bid chinese built) and the temp holds a steady 65-67 but I have been working on the humidity. I think I am close now but have gone up 1/2 pound at a time on beads from 1.5 pounds to now using 2.5 pounds. I live in a moderate humidity climate. I am using Scott's beads, I really like his containment system on them. Following his instructions I have raised them to maintaining 68% so as not to get too low with the swings that are a part of wine cooler humis and 2 Oust fans also but not sure how much good they do with such limited volume. When I open the door it shoots up to 70-71% but simmers back down in only a few minutes. I am using It is a hit and miss process to find what works in your situation, one problem I have never had is high humidity levels.

Just be patient with it and keep experimenting. Also most people seem to load the bottom of the cooler with beads. Water sinks in air so doing this does not make a lot of fundamental weather sense. I have moved 1/2 pound bead bags around and found best results with one at each level top to bottom. Trial and Error.