Another Wineador Noob Thread

[Beacon22]

The start up of my Newair 281E wineador and what I experienced step by step went as follows over the course of 1 year:

1.) KL in a tray top and bottom.
2.) Kept on misting the KL over the course of 4-5 days while my drawers were installed but no sticks introduced.
3.) Once I reached the high end of the range that I wanted to be in (70) I let the wineador sit for a couple of days to stabilize. The RH crept up to about 72 in that "dormant period".
4.) I then added around 100+ sticks and the RH dropped to about 67-68. I think the more wood boxes and drawers you have in the wineador the less dramatic the swings in RH will be when opening the door, etc.
5.) The RH held to 67-68 for roughly four months without any interference from me.
6.) In the summer the RH cruised to around 74 on the top of the wineador and 78 on the bottom.
7.) I installed four 40mm PC fans, two on the bottom left rear facing up and two at the top right rear facing down controlled by a 24-hour timer so that the fans go on for 5 minutes every hour. I also installed a shield in front of the fans and also the main cooler fan so that the cigars do not get air blown directly on them. (a total of around $60 in material)

Since installing all of the fans I have gone through the end of summer, into the fall and into the winter without tweaking my RH. Everything has been very stable top and bottom.

 

[jonboy]

The start up of my Newair 281E wineador and what I experienced step by step went as follows over the course of 1 year:

1.) KL in a tray top and bottom.
2.) Kept on misting the KL over the course of 4-5 days while my drawers were installed but no sticks introduced.
3.) Once I reached the high end of the range that I wanted to be in (70) I let the wineador sit for a couple of days to stabilize. The RH crept up to about 72 in that "dormant period".
4.) I then added around 100+ sticks and the RH dropped to about 67-68. I think the more wood boxes and drawers you have in the wineador the less dramatic the swings in RH will be when opening the door, etc.
5.) The RH held to 67-68 for roughly four months without any interference from me.
6.) In the summer the RH cruised to around 74 on the top of the wineador and 78 on the bottom.
7.) I installed four 40mm PC fans, two on the bottom left rear facing up and two at the top right rear facing down controlled by a 24-hour timer so that the fans go on for 5 minutes every hour. I also installed a shield in front of the fans and also the main cooler fan so that the cigars do not get air blown directly on them. (a total of around $60 in material)

Since installing all of the fans I have gone through the end of summer, into the fall and into the winter without tweaking my RH. Everything has been very stable top and bottom.

Thanks for the input. Did you plug your drain hole? Any issues with condensation? Also, how did you fasten the fans to the unit?

 

[reidmorebooks]

I did not plug my drain and haven't had any issue with RH. I was having issues with condesation so I left it open and just emptied the little dish in the back every few days. Patience is the best thing but I know how hard it can be lol. It will be dialed in soon.

 

[reidmorebooks]

On a side note, I re-arranged my drawers so that one is directly in front of the fan at the back of the unit. This makes the air move around the drawer and move to the top and bottom of the unit to better circulate. Before I did this, I had larger humidity fluctuations between the top and bottom of the unit. Now it's much better. Hope this helps.

This interests me...I have the humidity fluctuation (~ 5%) from top to bottom, I attribute it to "settling", but once the fan kicks on it evens out. I'll have to try this...I wasn't sure it would be good to put a drawer so close in front of that fan.

 

[jonboy]

Sitting at 76% 24hrs after removing the DW and adding KL.

 

[dontWIZonme]

Thanks for these questions, man. I'm coming home to the same wineador next month and it seems like I might have a bit of work to do... Definitely keeping an eye on this thread.

 

[Lezanstar]

This interests me...I have the humidity fluctuation (~ 5%) from top to bottom, I attribute it to "settling", but once the fan kicks on it evens out. I'll have to try this...I wasn't sure it would be good to put a drawer so close in front of that fan.

If you look at the fan housing there is venting on the top and the bottom so putting the drawer in front of it did not restrict airflow. Also the guides that the shelves/drawers rest in do not allow them to slide all the way and touch the back of the unit. The drawer seems to act like a sort of baffle that directs the air flow up and down instead of straight out. Let me know how it turns out.

 

[StogieNinja]

How long and how often is your cooling unit running, and what's the ambient temp in the room? The higher the difference, the more drastic the rh swings will be while the unit runs.

If you unplug the unit and let it sit, I guarantee you see a 3-4% spike in rH, minimum. Something about having the cooling unit running causes the rH to measure lower. I haven't yet done a long-term experiment to determine whether it's something about the air circulation causing the hygros to measure different, or if it's the actual rH that's dipping, but in the summer, my wineador, which sits rock steady at 62% (right where I want it) will drop unto the high 50s while the cooling unit runs.

 

[jonboy]

Update: measuring 72% this morning. If it sits here or drops a point or two by this evening, I'll probably add my sticks today or tomorrow.

How long and how often is your cooling unit running, and what's the ambient temp in the room? The higher the difference, the more drastic the rh swings will be while the unit runs.

If you unplug the unit and let it sit, I guarantee you see a 3-4% spike in rH, minimum. Something about having the cooling unit running causes the rH to measure lower. I haven't yet done a long-term experiment to determine whether it's something about the air circulation causing the hygros to measure different, or if it's the actual rH that's dipping, but in the summer, my wineador, which sits rock steady at 62% (right where I want it) will drop unto the high 50s while the cooling unit runs.

Well, right now, only occasionally. I have the ETC set at 69* and the central heat is set to 68*. At any given time, in theory, there should only be a couple points difference between the temp inside the wineador and the abient temp in the room.
I read a comment from a veteran on one of the many wineador threads here about the rh dip when the unit is running. He said that just because the rh in the air was showing a drop when the unit ran, and then a rise when it stopped, didn't mean the cigars were experiencing the same rise and fall to the same degree.
I was thinking sometime in the future, probably summer, I could remove a stick from the wineador when the rh is reading low, throw it in a small Tupperware container with a hygrometer, and see what it reads.

 

[Beacon22]

Thanks for the input. Did you plug your drain hole? Any issues with condensation? Also, how did you fasten the fans to the unit?

Yes I did plug the drain hole and no I have not had any issues with condensation but I think that is because the temperature in my house always stays constant at around 70.

I bought my PC fans from coolerguys.com
They had a mounting kit that they sell which looks like an angle with holes drilled into it. I mounted the vertical leg of the angle to the side wall of the cooler and the horizontal leg is what the fan is mounted to. Very simple yet effective and sturdy.
http://www.coolerguys.com/840556097624.html

I had enough room behind my drawers for the fans. So the fans are located in between the back end of my drawers and the back wall of the wine cooler.

 

[dozer]

I have the same unit. I pulled the drawers, wiped down the inside, wiped all cedar with distilled water. Through in 65 percent beads on the bottom and a couple 65 Boveda packs on each shelve....after 2 days the RH was staying at 65 on the dot, so I slowly started to fill it up. That was 3 weeks ago now...its been 65-66 the entire time.

In my opinion, we over think this process quite often...

 

[Jfire]

I have the same unit. I pulled the drawers, wiped down the inside, wiped all cedar with distilled water. Through in 65 percent beads on the bottom and a couple 65 Boveda packs on each shelve....after 2 days the RH was staying at 65 on the dot, so I slowly started to fill it up. That was 3 weeks ago now...its been 65-66 the entire time.

In my opinion, we over think this process quite often...

Aaaaaaaamen!
Spray the drawers down. Wipe em with a soft terry cloth.
Fill with plenty of sprayed RH beads.
Place cigars in draws and move on!
Ive owned three winodors since 08.

 

[jonboy]

Yesterday evening the rh was at 70%. Filled it up with all my sticks last night before bed and it's sitting at 65% top and 64% bottom this morning. Nothing but KL on the very bottom in a pudgy monters box.

 

[sanity]

I have the exact same unit and I too was a bit impatient but it worked out in the end. I used a spray bottle with DW and lightly misted the bottom of the drawers once a day while having my beads in the top and bottom. It took a few days but has now been at 69% for three weeks solid. On a side note, I re-arranged my drawers so that one is directly in front of the fan at the back of the unit. This makes the air move around the drawer and move to the top and bottom of the unit to better circulate. Before I did this, I had larger humidity fluctuations between the top and bottom of the unit. Now it's much better. Hope this helps.

Been having the Whynter 251 for a couple of months and did not like the humidity fluctuations between top and bottom. RH was consistent but had a couple of shelves in front of the fan higher than I wanted. Moved drawer as you described and problem is solved.

Thanks,