I was wondering when would one need to go with it? Is it the size of the humidor or the amount of sticks? I guess both go hand in hand, but I was curious.
thanks
thanks
When do you go with active humidification?
- Thread starter BORIStheBLADE
- Start date
Size of the humi more than number of sticks (though an almost empty large humi might be a different deal). Also depends on your ambiant environment. I have a 28 (or so, can never remember) bottle cooler that is chock full and I don't have any need whatsoever for active humdification. Same thing for my coolerdor (medium size, not huge, but holds a good dozen boxes or so). One bag of beads is all I need for the coolerdor.
Yup size and environmental conditions.
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
I have a cigar oasis XL+ in my 28 bottle wine cooler which is crazy full...I use it because I had 1.5 lbs of 65% beads and it just wouldn't get over 60%, even recharging the beads every week or so. My house stays around 78º and 45% RH normally in the summer, so with my cooler set to 68º (with a Ranco ETC) the wine cooler kicks on pretty frequently, which I guess sucks out humidity.
With the cigar oasis and beads, I hold 65% and 68º perfectly.
With the cigar oasis and beads, I hold 65% and 68º perfectly.
I have one pound of beads in my Vinotemp and it has held steady a 66% for three months.
I have 1 pound of beads in my antique ice chest humi, but it's supplemented by a Hydra. The Hydra is just there as a back up, once the humidity drops below 65%.
I just guess I'll have to go with the beads also. Sheep told me the XL alone wouldn't be enough and like most things he says, he was right. I have my XL set at 71rh and can't seem to keep it above 63-64rh. My house temp and rh are the same as Sheep's so there's another 34 bucks. :dunno:
I use active in my 120 qt coolers (CO & Hydra) mainly for the ease of use. I never had much luck with beads/KL alone but use them in my desktops with great results. I keep about a 1/2 lb in each cooler mainly to be seasoned for my desktop humidors.
I've modified the Set n Forget, CO & Hydra's to use Super Absobant Polymers instead of wicks and/or florist foam. This works well for me and I don't worry about over/under humidified cigars.
How big a space are you trying to humidify and how well does it seal, an XL should work well in any cooler or wine cooler. They seem to struggle in the larger made in China cabinet humidors. Beads/KL should help regulate humidity but imho it takes too many lbs to do more than a 50qt cooler alone.
I've modified the Set n Forget, CO & Hydra's to use Super Absobant Polymers instead of wicks and/or florist foam. This works well for me and I don't worry about over/under humidified cigars.
How big a space are you trying to humidify and how well does it seal, an XL should work well in any cooler or wine cooler. They seem to struggle in the larger made in China cabinet humidors. Beads/KL should help regulate humidity but imho it takes too many lbs to do more than a 50qt cooler alone.
I jump on the wagon and picked up a Vinotemp 28 bottle yesterday:clap::clap:
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
Well since we live in the same part of the country, and have the same wine cooler, and have the same household conditions and same outside weather, it makes sense that we'd have the same humidity problems.
It also goes to show that the answer to the original question really is "size and environmental conditions" like everyone has been saying.
:waving:
Condition wise all you guys are talking about is temp right? because outside humidity shouldn't matter since the wine coolers are sealed right?
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
Actually, the outside RH does seem to matter--possibly because my wine cooler isn't 100% sealed due to the drain hole? <shrug> I dunno.
The important thing, however, is the difference between the ambient temp of your room and the temp you set your cooler at. From what I've read, these wine coolers have a maximum cooling of 30º (which would require nearly non-stop operation.) When the unit runs, the RH drops as a bit of air gets sucked out the back...so the lower you set the temp, the more the unit runs, and the more the RH gets sucked out.
In general, I've found that:
High ambient temps and low RH = hard working cooler; oasis need freq filling
High ambient temps and high RH = hard working cooler, oasis need less filling
Moderate ambient temps and low RH = cooler barely runs; oasis need infrequent filling
Moderate ambient temps and high RH = cooler barely runs; oasis barely runs
Low ambient temps and low RH = cooler sits completely idle; oasis barely runs
Low ambient temps and high RH = cooler sits completely idle; oasis sits idle
So uh, yeah, it's kinda complex and yeah, for some reason the outside temp & RH do mater. <shrug> :razz:
The important thing, however, is the difference between the ambient temp of your room and the temp you set your cooler at. From what I've read, these wine coolers have a maximum cooling of 30º (which would require nearly non-stop operation.) When the unit runs, the RH drops as a bit of air gets sucked out the back...so the lower you set the temp, the more the unit runs, and the more the RH gets sucked out.
In general, I've found that:
High ambient temps and low RH = hard working cooler; oasis need freq filling
High ambient temps and high RH = hard working cooler, oasis need less filling
Moderate ambient temps and low RH = cooler barely runs; oasis need infrequent filling
Moderate ambient temps and high RH = cooler barely runs; oasis barely runs
Low ambient temps and low RH = cooler sits completely idle; oasis barely runs
Low ambient temps and high RH = cooler sits completely idle; oasis sits idle
So uh, yeah, it's kinda complex and yeah, for some reason the outside temp & RH do mater. <shrug> :razz:
In theory yes.. however in practice you're bound to open it from time to time and have it filled with boxes of cigars. So the cigars absorb humidity and there are major humidity swings every time you open the cooler so the outside humidity interacts with your ambient conditions and after your done and close the door the humidity needs replacement how much your ambient environment changes when you open the door depends on the conditions of your house.
A 20 - 30 degree temperature difference does make sense.... I thought these thermoelectric coolers weren't supposed to suck the moisture out?:crosseyed
O well... I might buy a cigar oasis and see how it goes.
The one thing I was wondering is that the fan in my Vinotemp is always running. Why would you guys want oust fans if the fan is on always anyways?
O well... I might buy a cigar oasis and see how it goes.
The one thing I was wondering is that the fan in my Vinotemp is always running. Why would you guys want oust fans if the fan is on always anyways?
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
Uhm...if the fan is running, doesn't that mean it's also cooling?
I don't know, I use an external temp controller (Ranco ETC) which completely switches off the entire Vinotemp unit on its own, as needed, so my fan never runs unless it is in cooling mode.
And btw, these thermoelectric coolers DO suck out humidity, just not at the extreme level like the compressor driven units do.
I don't know, I use an external temp controller (Ranco ETC) which completely switches off the entire Vinotemp unit on its own, as needed, so my fan never runs unless it is in cooling mode.
And btw, these thermoelectric coolers DO suck out humidity, just not at the extreme level like the compressor driven units do.
So seal up the drain hole.
I ran two wires through the drain hole of my vino and connected a PC fan to a DC converter wall plug which is plugged into a timer.
I then sealed up the drain hole with some electrical tape.
The fan runs once per hour. I have 2 lbs of beads and my Vino has been rock solid AT 67.5* and 65% RH sicne the day I fired it up.
I waited a week to let my cedar trays and shelves to acclimate and then moved all my sticks into it
Glorious.
I keep the beads in a nylon bag near the drain hole in case of condensation. They will suck it up. None so far and my house is at 74-5* 45% RH.
Trust me, seal up the drain hole and you will keep your RH much more stable.
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
You know, it's interesting you say that....
I acquired a regular "coolerdor" last week from someone who didn't need it anymore, and all it's got is 1lb of beads--and I'll be damned but that thing is ROCK SOLID at 65%, no fluctuations at all. I got to thinking last night that I should seal the hole in my Vinotemp.
I think I might do that this weekend. :glassesgr