Input on humidifier for walk-in humidor

[abomb60]

Wondering if anyone has any insight to share. I have a small room that was built for wine storage that is about 170ft3 and i'm planning on lining it with spanish cedar and putting shelves in so it can serve as a walk-in humidor. Tonight I wanted to check and see how well it holds humidity so I put in a room humidifier that I had and the hygrometer I put in there is reading a steady 60 percent (house is around 28 percent). What would you recommend to get at least another 5% humidity in there? The Vicks humidifier in there maxes out at 55% and I saw some humidity controllers online but I would think that i'd have to disable the humidity sensor in the humidifier somehow so it doesn't turn itself off. I know the suggested solution would be a cigar specific humidifier but if I can get away with what I have now it will save me quite a bit of $$ that can be put towards filling the new walk-in humidor

Thanks!

- Adam

 

[Jfire]

CPU fans over homemade oasis boxes!?!? Take some plastic square containers fill with the cheap wafer style "wick" material for humidifiers found online or in local hardware stores. Run power to the CPU fans and mount them over the cut out openings in the boxes over the wicking material. Don't know how many you would need but Avallo website may have a answer for required units needed. I would guess 5 or 6. I know CPU fans are really cheap and any liquid tight plastic box cloud be used for the base. I would also keep the humidifier you have in there to keep the main part of humidity going for good.
FYI Avallo can make you a unit around 300 for this size using a humidifier like you already have. Other members have it (FunkeJJ)

 

[StocktonJohn]

I've got a room humidifier I bought at Target that would work well. I think it was about fifty bucks and it has electronic controls that let you set how high you want it to go. I don't believe it tops out that low and it has plenty of output. If say check out Target and Walmart and see what you can find. Maybe add a few pounds of beads as well, and a fan on a timer to move the air around.

 

[Jfire]

Jon I'm not doubting you but wouldn't most manufactures restrict humidity levels to lower then 65 knowing that mold in the home is one of the biggest problems with home air quality? We have a brand new kenmore unit at work, it's digital and only goes to 55 for that reason.

 

[StocktonJohn]

Jon I'm not doubting you but wouldn't most manufactures restrict humidity levels to lower then 65 knowing that mold in the home is one of the biggest problems with home air quality? We have a brand new kenmore unit at work, it's digital and only goes to 55 for that reason.

That makes sense. Mine is a Bionaire and it has no stated max setting, but I've never actually seen how high it will go given how dry it is around here... We just turn it on and It just keeps running.

I've seen portable units being used in shops with walk in humidors, but those may be specialty units.

 

[Jfire]

I looked up the operating instructions for your brand. 35-65 percent. Not to bad if he runs it on high all the time! He would just have to keep it full.

 

[arlinliss]

A Controller with a relay can work.

The 'store bought' humidifier is turned on/off by the Electronic Controller. About $200

 

[abomb60]

Some good ideas thanks!

 

[abomb60]

I checked the manual for the humidifier and apparently the default on power-up is to go to constant on mode. So I ordered a humidifier controller off Amazon that will stop/start the plugged in humidifier automatically.