Pics of your Humidor/Cooler/Walk In etc
- Thread starter caudio51
- Start date
My Avanti is up and running now. I had to make modifications to compensate for the cooler temps the unit wants to run. First thing had to figure how to run all the wires into it, so I opted to buy a 2" hole shooter and drilled thru just the metal and some of the foam. Then used a drill bit to router a hole big enough to push the wire plug thru the unit. This was the hard part figuring how to cut it and next how to plug it, making it air/humid tight.
Did three main things to the unit:
1. Went to a woodshop and custom cut spanish cedar shelves. Made two pieces of wood per shelf, leaving a 1/2 gap between them for airflow. Front and back also have about 1/2 inch for airflow. Have enough for three complete shelves and spare wood to line the bottom. The wire racks are rounded to hold bottles just had to go and the cedar smells nice.
2. On the top shelf in the rear, I cut a 3" hole and mounted a 32cfm cpu fan to stir the air. Used a 12' appliance cord, spliced it to the fan and ran the plug thru the hole in the back. This fan has its own power source. It plugs into a digital timer device that turns on and off 7 times a day 7 days a week. I just let it run 3-4 minutes every 3-4 hours. This will keep humidity and temps more consistant, especially during spring and fall months when temps are close to the controller temp setting.
3. Added a Brewers Edge II controller (controls both cold and heat). Mounted to the side of the unit with metal screws. Ran the thermometer around side, into the hole at rear bottom, and mounted on top shelf behind the cpu fan so not to lose storage space. Also comes with basically a heating pad and cord. This I simple placed the pad in the bottom of the unit loose and just ran the plug out the hole in the back. The controller will only do cold or heat at one time. So I tie wrapped the heat pad wires and tucked behind unit for wintertime use. The cooler plugs into the controller. I just tell the controller to turn on at 69 and off 4 degrees cooler. Because I mounted the thermometer in rear close to where the cool air comes in, the unit seems to turn on and off little more frequent than I like. This does keep the bottom & middle shelf temps pegged between 65-66 and top shelf between 65-67. So mounting thermometer there may be just my luck. The unit stays closer to ideal temps this way.
Next was clean up time. I used tie wraps to clean up the wires in the back of unit. I also had a 2" rubber gasket mounted to the hole to protect the wires going thru the back. I bought a can of expanding foam to fill the foam that was cut out. I cut from a very thick black plastic bag slightly larger than the inside and outside holes (matched unit inside and outside color almost exactly). I used overfill foam before was totally dry as my adhesive. Once all dried, I cut down a little over the overfill with razor blade to neaten up even more.
All in all, I now have a custom cigar storage device that should hold about 25 boxes of cigars, is cold and heat temperature controlled for around $450 bucks. Thank you all for your input and advise. I am one happy cigar storage machine owner. Next is how long will it take to fill and buy another one? I need help in posting pics. I took some with digital camera, but last time was too many pixels and pic were 3x screen size.
Did three main things to the unit:
1. Went to a woodshop and custom cut spanish cedar shelves. Made two pieces of wood per shelf, leaving a 1/2 gap between them for airflow. Front and back also have about 1/2 inch for airflow. Have enough for three complete shelves and spare wood to line the bottom. The wire racks are rounded to hold bottles just had to go and the cedar smells nice.
2. On the top shelf in the rear, I cut a 3" hole and mounted a 32cfm cpu fan to stir the air. Used a 12' appliance cord, spliced it to the fan and ran the plug thru the hole in the back. This fan has its own power source. It plugs into a digital timer device that turns on and off 7 times a day 7 days a week. I just let it run 3-4 minutes every 3-4 hours. This will keep humidity and temps more consistant, especially during spring and fall months when temps are close to the controller temp setting.
3. Added a Brewers Edge II controller (controls both cold and heat). Mounted to the side of the unit with metal screws. Ran the thermometer around side, into the hole at rear bottom, and mounted on top shelf behind the cpu fan so not to lose storage space. Also comes with basically a heating pad and cord. This I simple placed the pad in the bottom of the unit loose and just ran the plug out the hole in the back. The controller will only do cold or heat at one time. So I tie wrapped the heat pad wires and tucked behind unit for wintertime use. The cooler plugs into the controller. I just tell the controller to turn on at 69 and off 4 degrees cooler. Because I mounted the thermometer in rear close to where the cool air comes in, the unit seems to turn on and off little more frequent than I like. This does keep the bottom & middle shelf temps pegged between 65-66 and top shelf between 65-67. So mounting thermometer there may be just my luck. The unit stays closer to ideal temps this way.
Next was clean up time. I used tie wraps to clean up the wires in the back of unit. I also had a 2" rubber gasket mounted to the hole to protect the wires going thru the back. I bought a can of expanding foam to fill the foam that was cut out. I cut from a very thick black plastic bag slightly larger than the inside and outside holes (matched unit inside and outside color almost exactly). I used overfill foam before was totally dry as my adhesive. Once all dried, I cut down a little over the overfill with razor blade to neaten up even more.
All in all, I now have a custom cigar storage device that should hold about 25 boxes of cigars, is cold and heat temperature controlled for around $450 bucks. Thank you all for your input and advise. I am one happy cigar storage machine owner. Next is how long will it take to fill and buy another one? I need help in posting pics. I took some with digital camera, but last time was too many pixels and pic were 3x screen size.
Well here is a few pictures of my first coolidor, it all started with a Coleman X-treme 100qt cooler.
Then some 1/8" spanish cedar, a couple of rubbermaid wire shelves cut to size and of course two Oust fans.
Add a few boxes that I already had...this image was taken before crossbow sent me his selection, it helped out big time in keeping the RH steady at 63% with a temp of 66deg.
I have added a few more boxes now and have room for plenty more...I still hope to find something to bring back from our trip to the Dominican Republic in April.
Oh I guess I have one more thing to do with this coolidor, cut the handle off on the bottom and install four rubber 1/2" feet to the bottom of it, should make it a bit more stable.
eyetek
Then some 1/8" spanish cedar, a couple of rubbermaid wire shelves cut to size and of course two Oust fans.
Add a few boxes that I already had...this image was taken before crossbow sent me his selection, it helped out big time in keeping the RH steady at 63% with a temp of 66deg.
I have added a few more boxes now and have room for plenty more...I still hope to find something to bring back from our trip to the Dominican Republic in April.
Oh I guess I have one more thing to do with this coolidor, cut the handle off on the bottom and install four rubber 1/2" feet to the bottom of it, should make it a bit more stable.
eyetek
That 100qt. cooler will last you a long time. Nice pics, I never did post nor figure out how to do so. Maybe one day.
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
Is that a plate full of water?
Yes it is a plate of water when I was preparing and seasoning. Those are mostly empty boxes as well, forgot where I found them, none had sticks in them. That hydro reads light by 4%, so was really 63% at the time of photo.
first off i know my wireing job sucks, but thats the way i like it. i'm proud of my humidor and collection of habanos, here are some pics, enjoy...
accumonitor 10-20 display....perfect!
top half almost full...
accumonitor water cannister/fan.
bottom half, lots of space left.. other can/fan,,other fan on sidewall bottom left.
thanx again to ronC and matt for all the accumonitor help.
accumonitor 10-20 display....perfect!
top half almost full...
accumonitor water cannister/fan.
bottom half, lots of space left.. other can/fan,,other fan on sidewall bottom left.
thanx again to ronC and matt for all the accumonitor help.
Electric Sheep
Dsicle - BoM Dec 06
Damn that's nice...and DAMNS you gotsa lotsa Habanos!
AZsteelman
April 2006 BoM
damn dude, we'll be right over!