Winedor Low Humidity Problem.

[Segars]

Good day BOTL. Seeking help, advice and guidance:

Problem:
My secondhand 3 years old thermoelectric wine chiller / wineador is about 2.71 cubic feet (13'' X 15'' X 24"). It is quite full with cigars. It has THREE Extra Large 65% Rh (BLUE Cap) Heartfelt Humidity Tube and ONE Pound 65% Rh Heartfelt Beads. Beads are a month old. Only distilled water used. Hole for water drainage at the back of the wineador is plugged but there are still some leaks (I think). I have three digital hygrometers (calibrated). BUT FOR THE LIFE OF ME, I still can't get the humidity up to 65%! It is at 50 - 55%.

Temporary Solution:
I have placed the dress box cigars and singles in several Tupperwares. Each with a hygrometer and two 69% 20g BOVEDA pack. I have the desired temperature and humidity this way.

Question:

How can I get the humidity to 65% and what am I doing wrong?
Please have a look at the pictures attached. White Hygrometers after calibration - minus 3 and 4° C. Black Hygrometer - accurate reading.

Have a great 2016. Launch the New Year with the best cigar.

Cheers

 

[Cigarth Vader]

Try more water on the beads. In Winter it's common for the humidity to drop inside the humidors. Also, check all your seals and make sure you don't have something blocking the seal or just a bad seal. Wouldn't hurt to throw a few 69% Boveda packs in there as well

 

[boltman]

Does your hygrometer read 75* ? As a general rule the higher the temp the more moisture the air can hold. As a result your RH will be lower. If it really is at 75* try lowering your temp to 62-65 degrees. That should go a long ways to raising your RH

 

[boltman]

23 degrees Celsius is just over 73 degrees Fahrenheit. I went through this during the summer. I removed all the beads, turned the temp down to the low 60's and let it stabilize for several hours. Then I added beads/kitty litter as needed. Ultimately it became necessary to add some fans to circulate air. Because without the fans the temp was 5 degrees different from top to bottom. And the RH varied with the temp.
That condensation you have going is no bueno.

 

[Segars]

Try more water on the beads. In Winter it's common for the humidity to drop inside the humidors. Also, check all your seals and make sure you don't have something blocking the seal or just a bad seal. Wouldn't hurt to throw a few 69% Boveda packs in there as well

More water done but same results. Will try to seal the water outlet inside the wineador. If that fails, then will try the BOVEDA pack option. Thanx Cigar Jedi.

 

[Segars]

Does your hygrometer read 75* ? As a general rule the higher the temp the more moisture the air can hold. As a result your RH will be lower. If it really is at 75* try lowering your temp to 62-65 degrees. That should go a long ways to raising your RH

That is the reading of the hygrometer inside the tupperware with TWO 20g BOVEDA packs. Minus 6° C after calibration; which means correct reading inside the tupperware. Tried lowering the temperature but same results. Thanx boltman.

 

[Segars]

23 degrees Celsius is just over 73 degrees Fahrenheit. I went through this during the summer. I removed all the beads, turned the temp down to the low 60's and let it stabilize for several hours. Then I added beads/kitty litter as needed. Ultimately it became necessary to add some fans to circulate air. Because without the fans the temp was 5 degrees different from top to bottom. And the RH varied with the temp.
That condensation you have going is no bueno.

Thanx. Will add the fan ASAP. Condensation inside the tupperware? Thanx boltman.

 

[jkittle99]

I was having problems keeping my wino RH up, very similar numbers to yours. so I turned it off. The temps raised, as did the RH (dramatically) within just a couple days. I don't really need the cooling, so this works for me... Seems contrary to the RH/temp relationship but it worked for me.

 

[boltman]

I was having problems keeping my wino RH up, very similar numbers to yours. so I turned it off. The temps raised, as did the RH (dramatically) within just a couple days. I don't really need the cooling, so this works for me... Seems contrary to the RH/temp relationship but it worked for me.

In the winter I keep mine off also. It stays in the mid 60's. In the summer I have to keep the cooling unit on or my temps will spike above 75. In the winter I rarely have to fiddle with my wineador. In the summer with the cooling unit on I have to keep my eye on it and adjust it as needed.

 

[knw247]

You might not like my recommendation but here goes.... Add two shot glasses of distilled water in the system. Is should take about two weeks to rise a few notches in RH.....
What do you think @sofc ???

I predict he ask how the cigars are smoking. Then tells you to not worry.

 

[Segars]

I was having problems keeping my wino RH up, very similar numbers to yours. so I turned it off. The temps raised, as did the RH (dramatically) within just a couple days. I don't really need the cooling, so this works for me... Seems contrary to the RH/temp relationship but it worked for me.

Will try this method but I doubt it will make any difference. @boltman I live in Malaysia, South East Asia. Two types of weather too hot and too wet! Humidity is always high. Thanx jkittle99 and boltman.

 

[boltman]

You have some challenging weather issues for sure. You will get it figured out in time

 

[sofc]

You might not like my recommendation but here goes.... Add two shot glasses of distilled water in the system. Is should take about two weeks to rise a few notches in RH.....
What do you think @sofc ???

I predict he ask how the cigars are smoking. Then tells you to not worry.

Shut up and yes, your prediction is correct.

 

[rraming]

I would loose the lids on the plastic, I don't like environments in environments, more medium is easier to stabilize. Wet your beads, I actually dunk mine in water, I don't do the spritz method. I don't care if they Crack or break as they are contained in units. Just dunk two, not all of them and the others can grab extra moisture, if needed.

 

[BradMc]

Yes I spent the money for a winedor , it runs great , My Humidity was doing the same thing, (some times as low as 45%) All summer long , I live in SC so the Temps and RH are always High....My house is always at 74 with the AC running....
So at the end of the summer, after tying Beads, Kitty Litter, Boveda pack, a small fan inside running, beside what the thermoelectric unit running , I unplug it, opened the door for a few hour, replace the 2 kitty litter bags with new stuff, replaced the Kitty litter in the open Cigar box on the bottom of the unit, moved all the selves around to make sure air was flowing from top to bottom.
Each shelves with the boxes has 2 or 3 Boveda pack 69%, the 2 Drawers for singles have 2 Boveda pack 69%, I have only sprayed the KL once in 2 month , before unplugging it was spaying every two weeks. Now all is good, Temp 68-70 and Humidity at 69%......

Having said that, the main thing I did noticed when I had the unit plugged in, with the KL and the thermoelectric unit running ALL the time, the Boveda pack would dry rock hard in about month and half, (something was sucking the moisture right out of them) ..... Now All is running good, Not sure what I will do this summer, when the temp r 95 and the RH is 75 % and higher ......

 

[stin187]

When I ran wineadors this was the design I settled on that worked best for me. The system would be recharged once every month or so by a spray bottle. Towards the end they were both packed to the gills. Hopefully this helps and best of luck!

 

[Jesse]

I made the switch over to a mini fridge, it has a better seal around the door and is insulated. I can put it in my garage when the temps are up to 95* and have no problems. I hooked up a temperature control system like stin has listed in his build thread so that it never gets too cold and will only turn on when it needs to cool. I have a ton of kl inside and put a bag over the drain plug so that it covers the hole and when it does get moisture inside it will drip down on the kl and not puddle inside.

 

[Segars]

I would loose the lids on the plastic, I don't like environments in environments, more medium is easier to stabilize. Wet your beads, I actually dunk mine in water, I don't do the spritz method. I don't care if they Crack or break as they are contained in units. Just dunk two, not all of them and the others can grab extra moisture, if needed.

@rraming Thank You for the feedback. I have tried without the tupperware for a week. When I could not get the ideal 65% RH that is when I got the tupperware and added BOVEDA packs and hygrometers and placed them inside for the temperature. The way I look at it - tupperware gives me the right RH. Wineador gives me the right temperature. Without the tupperware/BOVEDA, I can't get the ideal RH. That is my whole predicament here.

I am going to soak the beads like you have suggested in a while and see how that goes.

Cheers

 

[Segars]

Yes I spent the money for a winedor , it runs great , My Humidity was doing the same thing, (some times as low as 45%) All summer long , I live in SC so the Temps and RH are always High....My house is always at 74 with the AC running....
So at the end of the summer, after tying Beads, Kitty Litter, Boveda pack, a small fan inside running, beside what the thermoelectric unit running , I unplug it, opened the door for a few hour, replace the 2 kitty litter bags with new stuff, replaced the Kitty litter in the open Cigar box on the bottom of the unit, moved all the selves around to make sure air was flowing from top to bottom.
Each shelves with the boxes has 2 or 3 Boveda pack 69%, the 2 Drawers for singles have 2 Boveda pack 69%, I have only sprayed the KL once in 2 month , before unplugging it was spaying every two weeks. Now all is good, Temp 68-70 and Humidity at 69%......

Having said that, the main thing I did noticed when I had the unit plugged in, with the KL and the thermoelectric unit running ALL the time, the Boveda pack would dry rock hard in about month and half, (something was sucking the moisture right out of them) ..... Now All is running good, Not sure what I will do this summer, when the temp r 95 and the RH is 75 % and higher ......

@BradMc Thank You for the feedback. I have to deal with summer like conditions here the whole year. Once I leave the wineador open, RH shoots up to > 72% and temperature to 23 - 25 C (73.4 - 77 F). Using BOVEDA packs throughout the wineador will prove costly. Currently, my thought process is inclined to seal my cigars in tupperware (just like my singles and dress box cigars) with a 2 x 20g BOVEDA packs and throw in a hygrometer and let it be....

Cheers

 

[Segars]

When I ran wineadors this was the design I settled on that worked best for me. The system would be recharged once every month or so by a spray bottle. Towards the end they were both packed to the gills. Hopefully this helps and best of luck!

@stin187 I am speechless after seeing your wineador! Amazing. Will continue to read your write-up. When you say recharge by a spray bottle - does that mean spray the inside with just distilled water?

8 hours later; I sprayed water in the wineador and the RH spiked up to 70% and now back to the normal 50+%.