Reducing the Efficiency of the Wine Cooler Humidor- A Good Thing

[CarpeDNA]

Yesterday I exchanged my old temperature controller for a new digital one (Johnson A419). In any case it occurred to me that really the problem with the compressor/expansion type of system is that it works too well.

Problem 1: The compressor stays on too long when cooling.

Consequence: Moisture precipitates on the plate at the back reducing relative humidity in the box for a period of time.

Fix 1: I taped the temperature sensor for the controller on the plate where the cooling initiates and is maximal. For my Haier wine cooler that is the upper right of the plate just above the small horizontal bars "crimping" the expansion line.

What Fix 1 Does: Since the sensor is now at the coolest part of the box then it should react quickly to the change in temperature and shut off the compressor quickly (~23 seconds). Previously, I empirically determined that ~20s is all the cooler needs for a cooling cycle. During this cycling time the cooler only dropped about 3% in humidity and rapidly came back up in the presence of humidification beads (Viper @ Heartfelt Industries).

Problem 2: The sensor still is not sensitive enough to the temperature change upon initiation of cooling and is still staying on too long.

Fix 2: I taped some ~3/8" foam on top of the sensor to insulate it from the constantly circulating air in the box.

At this point the compressor stays on for ~23 seconds- target in sight!

Problem 3: The humidity is still dropping too much because of condensation on the cooling plate.

Fix 3: I taped some more of that thin foam packing on the front of the cooling plate and shoved some down the back of the plate.

What Fix 3 Does: Fix 3 essentially makes the cooling system less efficient and widens the temperature fluctuation curve inside the box. In essence the box doesn't cool down as fast- which in this case is a good thing.

Thermoelectric comparison: It is not that the thermoelectric units are "better" per se but that they don't cool down as fast as an expansion type system. That is why they don't condense. All I did was just reduce the efficiency of the cooling system in the back of the Haier system to minimize rapid fluctuations in temperature (which affects RH in the box).

Current Operation:

+/- 2% RH and +/- 1F Temperature

Johnson Control Setting: 70F with a -1F setting, 5 minute delay
70% humidity beads- Viper Rocks!
65% setting on Cigar Oasis XL- Justin Philly Rocks!

I hope that this will help us to maintain our cherished cigars in a much more steady environment!

[CarpeDNA]

I was just wondering if anyone needed any pictures to go with the descriptions of what I wrote down. Initially I didn't include pictures so I wouldn't burden the CS server with them.

If you would like some pictures just let me know and I will add a reply with some pictures I have not yet taken.

-CarpeDNA

[SDmate]

I vote for pictures.....

[johninct]

OK, my problem is that in the summer the RH gets too high. I'm thinking a Haier 102 bottle unit in the basement. Plan is for the cooling to keep the RH down and using beads or maybe a cigar oasis II to get it up to 65. In the winter, I'll just keep the cigars in there with the power off.

Any thoughts on this plan?