Temp Control add on unit

[Coop D]

I was looking at the Aristocrat humidors and noticed some have the Temperature control units available.

What exactly is the Temp control unit??? Is it like a mini AC unit for the inside of the humidor, or is it just a read out of what the temperature is?

Thanks for the information!!!

Scott

[Bob Staebell]

Scott,
The Aristocrat with the THC designation are both temperature & humidity controlled. We use a small solid state peltier unit designed specifically for cigar storage. The systems can cool on average up to 20 degrees below ambient.

The other Aristocrats are humidity controlled only, however the temperature is displayed as well.

cheers,
Bob Staebell

[docruger]

well from what i read it seems to be on the same basis as a wine Cabinet with a mini refrigeration unit

[Coop D]

Originally Posted by Bob Staebell

Scott,
The Aristocrat with the THC designation are both temperature & humidity controlled. We use a small solid state peltier unit designed specifically for cigar storage. The systems can cool on average up to 20 degrees below ambient.

The other Aristocrats are humidity controlled only, however the temperature is displayed as well.

cheers,
Bob Staebell

I love this forum for the fact that the man over at Aristocrat answers my question!!!

Can you add the temperature control unit to any of the humidors? I am guessing it is a stand alone unit????

Thanks for the reponse Bob!!!

[Coop D]

Originally Posted by docruger

well from what i read it seems to be on the same basis as a wine Cabinet with a mini refrigeration unit

so is it like a normal AC unit that would have a condesation factor, or drain???

[Bob Staebell]

Scott,
The solid state peltier units are different than a traditional compressor found in most standard refrigerators & many wine coolers. They are essentially a simple heat pump vs a compressor that cools via an evaporative effect. The latter is why fridges that use a compressor have a significant humidity drop as they operate & quite a lot of condensate.

The peltiers I use are different from most commercial peltiers in the market. These are designed with a cold side fin assembly that is twice the mass typically found & has a higher output fan. The larger mass disperses the cooling enegy & keeps the fin temperature below the dew point line in all but the most extreme settings so condensate is minimal or infrequent.

The cold side fin in most small wine coolers that have a peltier is typically fairly small compared to the cooling energy, so condensate may be a bit of an issue as the assembly gets quite a few degrees colder. However the condensate is significantly less than compressor units & much more manageable when it occurs.

No rocket science. Just a bit a physics.

cheers,
Bob Staebell

[Coop D]

Can I add one to my humidor easily?

[Bob Staebell]

Scott,
The technique to install a cooling unit is not all that difficult. You just have to be willing to cut a 5x8 hole in the back of a perfectly good humidor.

It has been my experience however that many humidors don't adapt well to a retrofit for temperature control. They do not have room for the requisite rigid foam that must be used for insulation on all surfaces in order for the peltier cooling units to work properly. There also has to be room in the humidor to accomodate the cold side portion of the cooler.

The critical elements in determining whether a humidor is a good candidate for temperature control are:

Overall dimensions: L x W x H--surface area determines size of cooling units required
Type of doors--wood vs glass
interior arrangement--shelving, drawers, etc
ability/design to accomodate a minimum of 1" rigid insulation to all exterior walls, doors & surfaces.** the interior shelves/drawers will get in the way. One has to figure out how to work around them.
amount of temperature drop desired--

** glass doors will work, but additional insulation & cooling capacity must be added to maintain the same temperature drop.

My observation is it is often more cost effective & functional to sell the existing humidor & build one from scratch that is designed from the ground up to be temp controlled.

It's not that it can't be done, it's just often more work for a modest result.

cheers,
Bob Staebell

[Coop D]

I was hoping it would be a little easier then that!!! I really only wanted to get the temp down a couple degrees when it gets really warm over the summer. any other suggestions??? I was thinking a Vino Temp, but am not sold on it

I wish I had an Aristocrat, but I need to save for one for a while. I currently have a Tampa humidor Trivoli Cabinet to give you a size reference.

[Bob Staebell]

I don't have a lot of personal experience with the wine coolers. From what I have read, the ones that use a thermoelectric peltier for cooling have been easier to regulate than those with a compressor. Many people have had good success with beads for RH regulation.

It helps also to stock it full, which is a good reason to go on a buying spree....lol.

cheers,
Bob Staebell