Wine cooler humidity issues

quantim0 · 06-13-2010, 07:50 AM

I got a wine cooler to expand my collection into about a month ago. I got 3 lbs of 65% Heartfelt beads. I put 2.5 lbs in the cooler in 5, 1/2 lb bags. One is kept dry at the bottom to collect any condensation from the fan since I plugged the drain. I misted them with distilled water so about 60-70% are clear, and I have had nothing but problems.

The cooler will hold fine a 65% for a few days, then rocket up overnight to 75%. This happened last night. I noticed the humidity had dropped to 60%, so I misted the beads around 6 and it returned to 65% until I went to sleep at 11ish. Woke up this morning at 8 and saw the humidity was at 75%. The only solution I had at that point was to throw in my last 1/2 lb of beads that were dry. So the humidity has dropped to 72% in the last 2 hours. But I don't know how long it will take the dry beads to lower the humidity.

I'm already having issues with wrappers cracking, luckily only on box of ITC 10th Annys and not on my good stuff yet, but if these 10% swings keep continuing, I feel it's only a matter of time until all the other sticks become affected.

Is this a situation where I will have to keep a large amount of dry beads in the cooler to keep the swings to a minimum? I live in Fl and it's pretty humid down here, depending on how much my A/C is running, my house fluctuates from 65%-75% humidity, which is exactly what the cooler fluctuates. I have a feeling that's the source of my problem.

Thanks for your thoughts.

captain53 · 06-13-2010, 07:53 AM

It takes a month or more for the humidity to settle in a new set-up. Do you have plenty of cedar in there, if not that will help. With a cooler you will always get some spikes due to the fan/cooler running. There is a post on here from a year or so back posted by ChasDen with a study he did on this very topic.

quantim0 · 06-13-2010, 08:18 AM

I have plenty of cedar, about 10 boxes and 2 cedar shelves. My fan runs 24/7 since the house isn't cooled below 75, or at least I haven't noticed it not running. The issues only started becoming a major issue about a 2 weeks ago. The more cigars I put in, the more things seem to swing. Before I started adding more cigars, my swings would be 5% here or there, not 10% every day.

captain53 · 06-13-2010, 08:34 AM

dyieldin · 06-13-2010, 09:51 AM

Wow, the fan should only run about 5 minutes every 1/2 hour or so. When the cooler is running you will see RH flux. Are the seals in good shape? Sounds to me like a leak of good size.

quantim0 · 06-13-2010, 10:33 AM

i'll keep a closer eye on the fan. It just seemed like evry time I opened it, the fan was running. It could be that since the unit is so quiet I may not be noticing it.

I just threw some extra beads I had in_ another lb that was dry, and the hunidity dropped to 65%. So i'll have to see what happens from here. I guess it's possible I over-saturated mybeads and there weren't enough dry ones to take care of the swing.

I'm smoking a Fonseca habano right now and it's smoking great. It was in one of my trays which would have been most subject to the swings. So at this point I am a little more confused, but a little less worried. The 2 habanos I've had before were terrible, plugged or no draw. So I switched from 70% to 65% and things seem to be smoking better.

longknocker · 06-13-2010, 12:52 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by quantim0

i'll keep a closer eye on the fan. It just seemed like evry time I opened it, the fan was running. It could be that since the unit is so quiet I may not be noticing it.

I just threw some extra beads I had in_ another lb that was dry, and the hunidity dropped to 65%. So i'll have to see what happens from here. I guess it's possible I over-saturated mybeads and there weren't enough dry ones to take care of the swing.

I'm smoking a Fonseca habano right now and it's smoking great. It was in one of my trays which would have been most subject to the swings. So at this point I am a little more confused, but a little less worried. The 2 habanos I've had before were terrible, plugged or no draw. So I switched from 70% to 65% and things seem to be smoking better.

Keep It Between 55-65 & You'll Be Fine!

bobarian · 06-13-2010, 12:58 PM

The fan will run constantly but the peltier coolers only cycle once or twice an hour. I assume you have the temp set at its highest, 66. Fluctuations are normal, put a hygrometer in a box if you want to know the true Rh. The Rh of the air is irrelevant, its where your cigars are that's important.

Blindjimme · 06-13-2010, 01:06 PM

+1 Bob is wise.

Wharf Rat · 06-13-2010, 02:15 PM

Personally, I think the mods should develop a filter that looks for humidity questions and inserts, "Don't be so anal about a little moisture."

quantim0 · 06-13-2010, 02:38 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Wharf Rat

Personally, I think the mods should develop a filter that looks for humidity questions and inserts, "Don't be so anal about a little moisture."

Until you have cracks in wrappers that didn't have cracks when you got them.

06-13-2010, 07:50 AM	#1
quantim0 Feeling at Home Join Date: Jan 2010 First Name: Andrew Location: Palm Bay, Fl Posts: 528 Trading: (20)	Wine cooler humidity issues I got a wine cooler to expand my collection into about a month ago. I got 3 lbs of 65% Heartfelt beads. I put 2.5 lbs in the cooler in 5, 1/2 lb bags. One is kept dry at the bottom to collect any condensation from the fan since I plugged the drain. I misted them with distilled water so about 60-70% are clear, and I have had nothing but problems. The cooler will hold fine a 65% for a few days, then rocket up overnight to 75%. This happened last night. I noticed the humidity had dropped to 60%, so I misted the beads around 6 and it returned to 65% until I went to sleep at 11ish. Woke up this morning at 8 and saw the humidity was at 75%. The only solution I had at that point was to throw in my last 1/2 lb of beads that were dry. So the humidity has dropped to 72% in the last 2 hours. But I don't know how long it will take the dry beads to lower the humidity. I'm already having issues with wrappers cracking, luckily only on box of ITC 10th Annys and not on my good stuff yet, but if these 10% swings keep continuing, I feel it's only a matter of time until all the other sticks become affected. Is this a situation where I will have to keep a large amount of dry beads in the cooler to keep the swings to a minimum? I live in Fl and it's pretty humid down here, depending on how much my A/C is running, my house fluctuates from 65%-75% humidity, which is exactly what the cooler fluctuates. I have a feeling that's the source of my problem. Thanks for your thoughts. __________________ All animals are equal, but some are more equal then others. -George Orwell

06-13-2010, 07:53 AM	#2
captain53 Have My Own Room Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: Dave Location: Lake of the Ozarks & Austin, TX Posts: 1,333 Trading: (3)	Re: Wine cooler humidity issues It takes a month or more for the humidity to settle in a new set-up. Do you have plenty of cedar in there, if not that will help. With a cooler you will always get some spikes due to the fan/cooler running. There is a post on here from a year or so back posted by ChasDen with a study he did on this very topic.

06-13-2010, 08:18 AM	#3
quantim0 Feeling at Home Join Date: Jan 2010 First Name: Andrew Location: Palm Bay, Fl Posts: 528 Trading: (20)	Re: Wine cooler humidity issues I have plenty of cedar, about 10 boxes and 2 cedar shelves. My fan runs 24/7 since the house isn't cooled below 75, or at least I haven't noticed it not running. The issues only started becoming a major issue about a 2 weeks ago. The more cigars I put in, the more things seem to swing. Before I started adding more cigars, my swings would be 5% here or there, not 10% every day. __________________ All animals are equal, but some are more equal then others. -George Orwell

06-13-2010, 08:34 AM	#4
captain53 Have My Own Room Join Date: Jul 2009 First Name: Dave Location: Lake of the Ozarks & Austin, TX Posts: 1,333 Trading: (3)	Re: Wine cooler humidity issues

06-13-2010, 09:51 AM	#5
dyieldin Still Watching My Back Join Date: Sep 2009 First Name: Dave Location: S. Phoenix AZ Posts: 235 Trading: (0)	Re: Wine cooler humidity issues Wow, the fan should only run about 5 minutes every 1/2 hour or so. When the cooler is running you will see RH flux. Are the seals in good shape? Sounds to me like a leak of good size.

06-13-2010, 10:33 AM	#6
quantim0 Feeling at Home Join Date: Jan 2010 First Name: Andrew Location: Palm Bay, Fl Posts: 528 Trading: (20)	Re: Wine cooler humidity issues i'll keep a closer eye on the fan. It just seemed like evry time I opened it, the fan was running. It could be that since the unit is so quiet I may not be noticing it. I just threw some extra beads I had in_ another lb that was dry, and the hunidity dropped to 65%. So i'll have to see what happens from here. I guess it's possible I over-saturated mybeads and there weren't enough dry ones to take care of the swing. I'm smoking a Fonseca habano right now and it's smoking great. It was in one of my trays which would have been most subject to the swings. So at this point I am a little more confused, but a little less worried. The 2 habanos I've had before were terrible, plugged or no draw. So I switched from 70% to 65% and things seem to be smoking better. __________________ All animals are equal, but some are more equal then others. -George Orwell

06-13-2010, 12:58 PM	#8
bobarian Cranky Habanophile Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wine Country Posts: 8,869 Trading: (51)	Re: Wine cooler humidity issues The fan will run constantly but the peltier coolers only cycle once or twice an hour. I assume you have the temp set at its highest, 66. Fluctuations are normal, put a hygrometer in a box if you want to know the true Rh. The Rh of the air is irrelevant, its where your cigars are that's important.

06-13-2010, 01:06 PM	#9
Blindjimme Judgement Impaired Join Date: Apr 2009 First Name: JB Location: North OC, CA Posts: 790 Trading: (14)	Re: Wine cooler humidity issues +1 Bob is wise.

06-13-2010, 02:15 PM	#10
Wharf Rat I'll get up and fly away Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Bob Location: Florence, SC Posts: 780 Trading: (7)	Re: Wine cooler humidity issues Personally, I think the mods should develop a filter that looks for humidity questions and inserts, "Don't be so anal about a little moisture."