Is a thermoelectric cooler really important?

[kzx87]

Here's my problem... I've called every shady appliance shop in brooklyn trying to locate an Avanti EWC28 so I could drive there and pick it up, but every place I call doesn't have it in stock. That means I have to buy it through a shady internet dealer and possibly be in for a rollercoaster of trouble (ie. not in stock when purchased, takes 2 weeks to ship, shipping is speedy 8 week shipping direct from china, etc).

or...

I could drive 20 minutes to bestbuy and purchase a 35-bottle danby wine cooler for $169 (and I can stop at Wendy's too!). Only problem is it has a compressor... I have 1.5 lbs of beads and a A419 temp controller already in the mail, so what should I do? Is the Avanti model really worth the trouble?



Reference-Danby 35 Bottle.
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage....=1118839811167

[RGD]

Important - hmmmm. Well let's start by saying that a thermoelectric fridge would be preferred over typical compressor fridge. To me the most important part is the "frost free" area. The typical fridge is going to have an auto frost free which basically is sucking out the moisture. And of course sucking out the moisture is the problem. Thermoelectric's just don't produce the same amount of condensation that a compressor driven unit would.
Now for your case - using the temp controller - it's only going to allow the fridge to run long enough to keep the temps say around 65/70 degrees - depending on how often you open the door - it may work just fine. Also - I am a big fan of the beads - but they may not be fast enough to replace the lost moisture from a fridge that is sucking it out.
Wish I could give a more precise answer to you -
If you could find a manual defrost model - then you would be much better off.

Ron

[whiteboard]

The wine cooler I am prepping has a compressor and only drops 5 points in humidity when the compressor cycles over a few minutes and recovers several minutes later. And this is COMPLETELY empty -- no boxes at all. Once filled with boxes, I doubt the humidity will fluctuate at all as far as the environment inside the cigar box goes.

Lots of folks successfully run wine coolers that are not thermoelectric for cigar storage. Of course, your mileage may vary according to the unit.

[edit] BTW, I have the Danby 35, too. Don't have it cigar ready yet. You should know that it will take some time to get the new fridge smell out before you can stock it with cigars.

[opus]

I highly reccomend a thermal electric cooler or two depending on the size of the humidor. Little if any drop in humidity and low energy usage, no moving parts, no refridgerant to leak, etc. etc. Having said that, many have successfully used wine coolers with compressors, it's just older technology.

[justinphilly]

i dont have a thermoelectric, and mine is fine!

[RGD]

Originally Posted by whiteboard

The wine cooler I am prepping has a compressor and only drops 5 points in humidity when the compressor cycles over a few minutes and recovers several minutes later.

Well there ya go kzx87 - works for him - should work for you also.

Good luck with it all -

Ron

[LasciviousXXX]

A few of the FOG's use the Pelter Thermo-Electric coolers to regulate the temp in their larger cabinets..... and my opinion is, if it works for the FOG's, then it works for me


XXX

[kzx87]

Well, I have a big walkin closet in my bedroom and I have plans for a corner in there.

I went to every home depot/lowes/best buy within 3 towns of me and they all had minimal selection and absolutely nothing over 4 bottles in thermoelectric. Anyway, I picked up a Haier 20 bottle unit because I just don't trust any online retailers to deliver me an Avanti EWC28 before 2008. I know you can't fit like 50 boxes in there, but I'm a pretty casual smoker and its more like collecting baseball cards than anything. Besides, my S.O. might kill me if I came home with a massive unit or had a cigar collection that rivaled her shoe collection.

My ultimate goal was to get something that I could store like 75-100 singles and say 10 boxes. I've got 1.5lbs of beads, a seasoning and calibration packs (not sure if I need to season a wine cooler, but for $4 i'd rather have it than not), and a A419 temp controller due here on wednesday. I cleaned out the wine cooler per the instruction manual (/winks @ the ladies) with some water and a tbsp of baking soda. Right now I've got a remote thermohygrometer from Radio shack, 2 oust fans (oil removed of course!) and a box of baking soda sitting in my Haier.

PS - worst case scenario is that this Haier unit doesn't work and forms a rain cloud of condensation. In that case I would take my chances getting an Avanti ewc28 delivered.

Unfortunately I would be forced to use my Haier for bottles of wine.

[BP22]

Originally Posted by kzx87

Well, I have a big walkin closet in my bedroom and I have plans for a corner in there.

I went to every home depot/lowes/best buy within 3 towns of me and they all had minimal selection and absolutely nothing over 4 bottles in thermoelectric. Anyway, I picked up a Haier 20 bottle unit because I just don't trust any online retailers to deliver me an Avanti EWC28 before 2008. I know you can't fit like 50 boxes in there, but I'm a pretty casual smoker and its more like collecting baseball cards than anything. Besides, my S.O. might kill me if I came home with a massive unit or had a cigar collection that rivaled her shoe collection.

My ultimate goal was to get something that I could store like 75-100 singles and say 10 boxes. I've got 1.5lbs of beads, a seasoning and calibration packs (not sure if I need to season a wine cooler, but for $4 i'd rather have it than not), and a A419 temp controller due here on wednesday. I cleaned out the wine cooler per the instruction manual (/winks @ the ladies) with some water and a tbsp of baking soda. Right now I've got a remote thermohygrometer from Radio shack, 2 oust fans (oil removed of course!) and a box of baking soda sitting in my Haier.

PS - worst case scenario is that this Haier unit doesn't work and forms a rain cloud of condensation. In that case I would take my chances getting an Avanti ewc28 delivered.

Unfortunately I would be forced to use my Haier for bottles of wine.

Sounds like you got everything in order. I'm running a Vinotemp, top half for wine, bottom half for cigars. It's working great even with condensor. With the cigars in boxes, they see no fluctuation in the RH and I'm only getting a 1% drop when the condensor runs. The Johsnon controller was a big plus for this.

I have been using this setup for almost a month now and it is working great. The only changes I have made is I am now using two pounds of the 65% Heartfelt Beads and some blocks of wet oasis foam.

Good luck!

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by kzx87

... I cleaned out the wine cooler per the instruction manual (/winks @ the ladies) with some water and a tbsp of baking soda. Right now I've got a remote thermohygrometer from Radio shack, 2 oust fans (oil removed of course!) and a box of baking soda sitting in my Haier.

PS - worst case scenario is that this Haier unit doesn't work and forms a rain cloud of condensation. In that case I would take my chances getting an Avanti ewc28 delivered.

Plug the drainhole, run a fan and only measure the rh inside a cigar box. I get plenty of rh rise/fall in my cooler but the rh inside the boxes barely moves off my target. I'm super pleased with the Haier but agree with OpusXOX that, one day, a Peltier would have to be an all-around better performer.

[kzx87]

you mean plug the drain hole that has the red "attention" sticker that says "do not plug and make sure its kept clear"??

[Mister Moo]

Originally Posted by kzx87

you mean plug the drain hole that has the red "attention" sticker that says "do not plug and make sure its kept clear"??

I'd never advise you do the opposite of a red sticker. Your unit may be totally different from mine. However, in my situation, after I peeled the red sticker off the 49-bottle Haier:

the drainhole was a perfect no-drill entry point for the Temp-controller sensor and wire located on the back wall of the cooler on the back of a water drip catchment directly under the cooling plate. I covered the hole with a cotton-terri bar towel and affixed woven polyester cloth to the cooling place (w/ Velcro). Whatever water condenses on the cooling plate is pretty much wicked on to the poly canvas. Condensate on the polyester or towel evaporates quickly between cooling cycles. I run a small AC fan inside the cooler during non-winter months. Rh swings in the cooler during cycles, but rh and temp inside boxes is very steady.

[onlyonerm]

Just an option.

http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll...tem=7624759634

[kzx87]

compactappliances.com has gotten pretty bad reviews.