Wineadoor - Suggested Humidification Method

[FH Finster]

The Newair CC300 is arriving tomorrow. Very excited.

Now we're talking about a lot of space and a lot of wood. What are ya'll suggestions on placement (top bottom) spacing of drawers/shelves and use of beads versus something like a cigar oasis. Also, thoughts on placement of hygrometer(s).

Your infinite wisdom is appreciated.

Product Dimensions: L: 20.88" x W: 18.13" x H: 29.25"

 

[dharbolt]

Looks awesome. got no advice though lol.

 

[Jesse]

First off congrats.

Next is what's the temps like in your house? Do you have central air, does it get hot inside?

I ask because my house get hot in the summers and with the wineador running all day it's hard to keep the rh up. For my wineador I've included the Oasis system along with the ETC (electrical temperature controller) unit to keep things stable.
The Oasis system does very well inside by it's self but I also have boveda packs to help keep it stable. The ETC unit keeps temps stable without the wineador staying on all day, once it reaches the desired temp it turns the wineador off.
I also bought Zederkoff hygrometers off of ebay for about $15 +/- each and have one in every drawer. Might be a bit much but I wanted to make sure the temps and rh were stable, took me a long time to get it where it's at now. Hope that helps a little and I didn't confuse you more. lol

 

[JuzCallMeDee]

http://www.botl.org/threads/my-newair-280-wineador.75060/
http://www.botl.org/threads/stin187s-smart-wineador-build.77766/

 

[Jesse]

Even better!

 

[GreekElite]

congrats! i love my wineador, filled up very quickly haha

i use kitty litter in mine, a rectangle chinese food container on the bottom (on tops of a laptop fan), and a small mesh bag on top shelf. since you have more shelves, do it on the bottom and the maybe middle shelf. since mine is mostly drawers, i put a hygro on bottom, 3rd, and top (basically every other). i had the shelf 2nd slot down but the light on the top of the unit rubs the top shelf, so the 3rd hygro just balances on the top shelf.. probably overkill, 2 should be plenty in my 18 bottle

 

[FH Finster]

congrats! i love my wineador, filled up very quickly haha

i use kitty litter in mine, a rectangle chinese food container on the bottom (on tops of a laptop fan), and a small mesh bag on top shelf. since you have more shelves, do it on the bottom and the maybe middle shelf. since mine is mostly drawers, i put a hygro on bottom, 3rd, and top (basically every other). i had the shelf 2nd slot down but the light on the top of the unit rubs the top shelf, so the 3rd hygro just balances on the top shelf.. probably overkill, 2 should be plenty in my 18 bottle

Pics or it didn't happen

 

[FH Finster]

First off congrats.

Next is what's the temps like in your house? Do you have central air, does it get hot inside?

I ask because my house get hot in the summers and with the wineador running all day it's hard to keep the rh up. For my wineador I've included the Oasis system along with the ETC (electrical temperature controller) unit to keep things stable.
The Oasis system does very well inside by it's self but I also have boveda packs to help keep it stable. The ETC unit keeps temps stable without the wineador staying on all day, once it reaches the desired temp it turns the wineador off.
I also bought Zederkoff hygrometers off of ebay for about $15 +/- each and have one in every drawer. Might be a bit much but I wanted to make sure the temps and rh were stable, took me a long time to get it where it's at now. Hope that helps a little and I didn't confuse you more. lol

What exactly is an ETC? Doesn't the wineador have a cooling device? My house would never get to a temp that would require heat in the wineador.

Appreciate your input.

 

[Senor Perfecto]

Looks like your unit is based off the Newair 280? Which is what I have.

I use a bit of the kitty litter in 2-3 small boxes here & there (funny @GreekElite mentions rectangular Chinese food containers -- got one in the bottom of my Newair filled with KL and now I feel less ghetto!), PLUS several Bovedas -- b9oth the large and small sizes. Large on shelves, small in drawers next to cigars.

A word of advice: it can take TIME (weeks/months) for your wineador to equalize its temp/humidity with the sticks you put into it. Don't panic if it swings wildly for a while while you figure out how to stabilize it. As long as you keep between 60-75% humidity (ideal would be low 60s) and 60-75 degrees (ideally 70), your sticks are fine.

I think the ETC units and the Oasis active humidifiers are overkill on a wineador. Unless you tend to leave your wineador alone for weeks at a time, AND it's always plugged in, AND it reverts to 55 degrees when there's a power outage, in which case an ETC can really save the day.

 

[Jesse]

It controls the temperature to what you want without running the wineador all day. Set the unit to 67 degress or whatever temp you like and it turns on the wineador till it reaches that temperature, once at the temp it turns off the wineador. The cooling system can drop the rh if its on all day, that's what my problem was. Does that make sense?

 

[FH Finster]

Looks like your unit is based off the Newair 280? Which is what I have.

I use a bit of the kitty litter in 2-3 small boxes here & there (funny @GreekElite mentions rectangular Chinese food containers -- got one in the bottom of my Newair filled with KL and now I feel less ghetto!), PLUS several Bovedas -- b9oth the large and small sizes. Large on shelves, small in drawers next to cigars.

A word of advice: it can take TIME (weeks/months) for your wineador to equalize its temp/humidity with the sticks you put into it. Don't panic if it swings wildly for a while while you figure out how to stabilize it. As long as you keep between 60-75% humidity (ideal would be low 60s) and 60-75 degrees (ideally 70), your sticks are fine.

I think the ETC units and the Oasis active humidifiers are overkill on a wineador. Unless you tend to leave your wineador alone for weeks at a time, AND it's always plugged in, AND it reverts to 55 degrees when there's a power outage, in which case an ETC can really save the day.

Got it. Excellent.

You've got a lot of humidity sources in there. Is it tough to keep the humidity even throughout and as a result, multiple sources in various spots?

I figured it might take some time to season that bad boy. I was thinking a week sealed w a big bowl of Distilled water with the unit off.

 

[Jesse]

Looks like your unit is based off the Newair 280? Which is what I have.

I use a bit of the kitty litter in 2-3 small boxes here & there (funny @GreekElite mentions rectangular Chinese food containers -- got one in the bottom of my Newair filled with KL and now I feel less ghetto!), PLUS several Bovedas -- b9oth the large and small sizes. Large on shelves, small in drawers next to cigars.

A word of advice: it can take TIME (weeks/months) for your wineador to equalize its temp/humidity with the sticks you put into it. Don't panic if it swings wildly for a while while you figure out how to stabilize it. As long as you keep between 60-75% humidity (ideal would be low 60s) and 60-75 degrees (ideally 70), your sticks are fine.

I think the ETC units and the Oasis active humidifiers are overkill on a wineador. Unless you tend to leave your wineador alone for weeks at a time, AND it's always plugged in, AND it reverts to 55 degrees when there's a power outage, in which case an ETC can really save the day.

I'm going to send you my wineador so you can tell me what I'm doing wrong, haha I have to have both just to keep things stable.

 

[Senor Perfecto]

You've got a lot of humidity sources in there. Is it tough to keep the humidity even throughout and as a result, multiple sources in various spots?

I figured it might take some time to season that bad boy. I was thinking a week sealed w a big bowl of Distilled water with the unit off.

It's going to depend on your environment. I live in LA and it gets hot during the summer so I run the cooler. In the winter I turn it off. This changes the RH so I adjust for a week or so after turning it on/off. Plus it's of course naturally dry here most of the year.

I find Bovedas (which can be easily recharged, so they're not disposable) to be the most hassle-free. I think the KL helps to regulate the consistency of the RH, but I have never once added water to it.

As to seasoning, mostly a wineador needs the drawers seasoned of course -- the unit itself doesn't need anything, since metal and plastic are nonabsorbent. But you've got your shelves and drawers and those will need some time to absorb moisture probably. Then when you put your sticks and boxes in there, there will be another adjustment period.

I have a round LCD hygro on the top shelf and one 2/3 of the way down. They tend to be a degree or two different, but that's fine with me.

 

[Lomey]

I have 2 of them, a 28 count that I purchased for my cigars and a 12 count I inherited from my wife when I bought her a 36 count for her wine (don't think I don't have my eye on this one someday ). I use kitty litter in both of them. In both of them I have a 4x4 Tupperware container full at the bottom. The larger one I have two aqua bags filled on the middle and the top shelf in the back behind the shelves. In the smaller one I have a small 2 inch round Tupperware filled on the top shelf.

I have a finished sub basement where the temp stays between 62 and 68 degrees year round depending on the outside temp so I don't have them plugged in. From about Nov-Feb I spray the KL with distilled water once a month. The other months I don't have to touch it. I do open the door for a couple of seconds everyday just to circulate the air.

Good luck, they fill up fast!

 

[SensorO]

I have this unit.
The shelves & drawers need seasoning. If you have an active humidifier, then no worries. I do as well, its running right now.
The drawers only fit in a few of the lower slots because of the fan in the back. If your so inclined to knock a ring out the shelf to adjust it , they will all fit anywhere. The shelves will fit anywhere.
SO for humidification: right now I am running a cigar oasis ultra 2.0, thats what i had, its running at a fairly repeated clip and the Rh is still climbing. I have a few boveda 69 packs in there as well. The shelves are gonna suck the humidity until they are seasoned, so if you have active humidification, set it on 70 and let it roll for a couple weeks. You can through sticks in, I did, they seem fine,, added more today.
The Hygrometer that comes with it is junk, you can't calibrate it. I have a caliber iv round that I am going to attempt to widen the hole and place in the spot. Thus far the cedar just splits and tears,, my bad,, probably some new shelving pieces in my future. SO you'll need a couple hygrometers top middle and bottom just while its getting all evened out. Thus far mine is pretty solid throughout, no fluctuation top to bottom, consistent. A couple reason for that, if the unit is plugged in the fan in it runs,, its a real mellow push of air though, that and the oasis and air is moving around nicely.
I have no doubt in a few weeks, once the shelves have seasoned up good, I can pull the oasis and just use the HCM beads I have. At least, thats the hope. Good call on purchasing the unit,, i have really liked it thus far and am so glad i bought it,, so much storage already beginning to fill, no worry about leakage or MDF boxes etc.

If you wanted you pull all the shelves place them in a as small a tupperdor as possible with the boveda 84 packs and let them season for a few weeks while your stogies sit in boxes and such in your new cigar coolidor. Gratzi

 

[FH Finster]

Just came today. Holy crackers this thing is huge.

 

[Lomey]

Just came today. Holy crackers this thing is huge.

Haha! You say that now! You'll be looking for more space in no time .

 

[Senor Perfecto]

^EXACTLY, Lomey.

Give it 3 months

 

[JuzCallMeDee]

got one in sept now im looking for a second one just for boxes....this site is the devil.

 

[jsnake]

I am running a Cigar Oasis in my coolidor and I have to say I love it. Since it has a built in fan I plan on using it when I get my Winador. I am just really impressed with how it works and ease of use. I may splurge for the larger unit depending on the size I end up with. It keeps my coolidor perfect. I have seen guys use kitty liter or beads and install those computer fans to move the air. You can buy them ready to plug in in case you aren't into wiring and all that. The options are really endless and may just be a matter of what works in your climate or personal preference. I do recommend the Cigar Oasis since my experience has been great and trouble free.