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Anybody using recent model compressor wineador successfully no issues?

Hmm... I often wondered why nobody was using a commercial display fridge to house cigars...

This is pretty close...

Thanks for sharing the build, looks awesome!
 
quote doesn't seem to be working for me at the moment.
 
Diapanos
 
You have to keep all of the cigars in boxes.
 
You also have to put several hygrometers in boxes in various locations in the wineador.
 
When you want to know how you are doing, open a box with a hygrometer in it and quickly note how it reads.
 
Make your adjustments from the readings of hygrometers in the boxes. That is the only way to know how your cigars are doing.
 
A hygrometer in the open air inside only tells you what is going on inside the wineador with the moving air.
 
A hygrometer inside a box tells you what is happening inside the boxes. The boxes prevent rapid fluctuation of RH and add stability the cigars and give you appropriate readings.
 
IMO, glreaned from other posters here at cigarpass, the only suitable way to use a compressor system is with the above procedure. Other than that, doesn't work well from what I can tell,
 
HTH
 
Ken
 
ETA compressor units will fluctuate a good bit on the readings inside the unit. what you are looking for is the stable reading inside the box. The box acts somewhat as a temp and humidity flywheel that stabilizes the conditions.
 
Everything I have in the compressor wineador is inside a box. The conditions fluctuate too much to do otherwise.
 
personal User said:
quote doesn't seem to be working for me at the moment.
 
Diapanos
 
You have to keep all of the cigars in boxes.
 
You also have to put several hygrometers in boxes in various locations in the wineador.
 
When you want to know how you are doing, open a box with a hygrometer in it and quickly note how it reads.
 
Make your adjustments from the readings of hygrometers in the boxes. That is the only way to know how your cigars are doing.
 
A hygrometer in the open air inside only tells you what is going on inside the wineador with the moving air.
 
A hygrometer inside a box tells you what is happening inside the boxes. The boxes prevent rapid fluctuation of RH and add stability the cigars and give you appropriate readings.
 
IMO, glreaned from other posters here at cigarpass, the only suitable way to use a compressor system is with the above procedure. Other than that, doesn't work well from what I can tell,
 
HTH
 
Ken
 
ETA compressor units will fluctuate a good bit on the readings inside the unit. what you are looking for is the stable reading inside the box. The box acts somewhat as a temp and humidity flywheel that stabilizes the conditions.
 
Everything I have in the compressor wineador is inside a box. The conditions fluctuate too much to do otherwise.
Click to expand...
 
personal User said:
quote doesn't seem to be working for me at the moment.
 
Diapanos
 
You have to keep all of the cigars in boxes.
 
You also have to put several hygrometers in boxes in various locations in the wineador.
 
When you want to know how you are doing, open a box with a hygrometer in it and quickly note how it reads.
 
Make your adjustments from the readings of hygrometers in the boxes. That is the only way to know how your cigars are doing.
 
A hygrometer in the open air inside only tells you what is going on inside the wineador with the moving air.
 
A hygrometer inside a box tells you what is happening inside the boxes. The boxes prevent rapid fluctuation of RH and add stability the cigars and give you appropriate readings.
 
IMO, glreaned from other posters here at cigarpass, the only suitable way to use a compressor system is with the above procedure. Other than that, doesn't work well from what I can tell,
 
HTH
 
Ken
 
ETA compressor units will fluctuate a good bit on the readings inside the unit. what you are looking for is the stable reading inside the box. The box acts somewhat as a temp and humidity flywheel that stabilizes the conditions.
 
Everything I have in the compressor wineador is inside a box. The conditions fluctuate too much to do otherwise.
Click to expand...
 
 
 
Thanks for the info!
 
I know this does not deal with compressor units but one thing worth noting about thermo units which I was not aware of until recently and don't see mentioned often enough, ambient temperatures play a large roll in controlling the temperatures inside of the wineadors. I've been having a huge issue with keeping the temp above 60 inside (room temperature got down to 60 at times, but still had temp issues even when room temp was 65+). I am not sure where the issue lies, if it's the internal thermostat on the wine fridge or what. I know I need to get an external temp controller but thermo electric wine fridges have an optimal ambient temperature range to operate properly. 
 
Have never seen any condensation inside the unit.
 
Have had no problems with condensation in the Edgestar in any way. I was running 65/65,  and some were smoking a little dryer than I liked so have gone to 66/67.
 
There is a condensation drain, that drains into a small external pan only accessible from the back. The drain has a small coil (which I believe to be a capillary tube) which when the unit is running is hot. The coil causes any condensation that gets into the pan to dry out. I have seen signs of some condensation reaching the pan but have not seen it damp. Nor have I had any funky smell in the small walk-in closet, which happened several times when I needed to clean out the drip catch pan on the 32 bottle Whynter wineador.
 
After ownng close to a year now, I was thinking just the other day how happy I have been with the Edgestar/Avallo/Johnson combo and that it has worked out really well so far.
 
With the avallo humidification unit and Johnson T-stat, the internal readings inside the boxes have been quite stable both for temp and RH.
 
I did have to learn to trust the Avallo setting as being where the RH inside the boxes would stabilize.  Originally, I fiddled with the settings too much until I realized that the cigars had to stabilize within the boxes and that takes a good while longer than I had been thinking. And they stabilize at different rates. Also had to realize the one internal hygrometer I leave out that I can see through the door fluctuates so much on RH, it really is more of a double check on temperature and the only readings that matter are from the hygrometers inside the boxes.
 
If anybody decides to actually purchase one of these, I could probably find the pics I took as I went along, and post them to a cloud or similar. I would be glad to get on the phone and give greater detail on routing lines, etc. I have never felt like writing up the verbage to explain what was transpiring in each pic, which is the reason I haven't posted the series.
 
personal User said:
Have never seen any condensation inside the unit.
 
Have had no problems with condensation in the Edgestar in any way. I was running 65/65,  and some were smoking a little dryer than I liked so have gone to 66/67.
 
There is a condensation drain, that drains into a small external pan only accessible from the back. The drain has a small coil (which I believe to be a capillary tube) which when the unit is running is hot. The coil causes any condensation that gets into the pan to dry out. I have seen signs of some condensation reaching the pan but have not seen it damp. Nor have I had any funky smell in the small walk-in closet, which happened several times when I needed to clean out the drip catch pan on the 32 bottle Whynter wineador.
 
After ownng close to a year now, I was thinking just the other day how happy I have been with the Edgestar/Avallo/Johnson combo and that it has worked out really well so far.
 
With the avallo humidification unit and Johnson T-stat, the internal readings inside the boxes have been quite stable both for temp and RH.
 
I did have to learn to trust the Avallo setting as being where the RH inside the boxes would stabilize.  Originally, I fiddled with the settings too much until I realized that the cigars had to stabilize within the boxes and that takes a good while longer than I had been thinking. And they stabilize at different rates. Also had to realize the one internal hygrometer I leave out that I can see through the door fluctuates so much on RH, it really is more of a double check on temperature and the only readings that matter are from the hygrometers inside the boxes.
 
If anybody decides to actually purchase one of these, I could probably find the pics I took as I went along, and post them to a cloud or similar. I would be glad to get on the phone and give greater detail on routing lines, etc. I have never felt like writing up the verbage to explain what was transpiring in each pic, which is the reason I haven't posted the series.
Click to expand...
Ken, thanks for the detailed response! I have outgrown my humidor, coolidor, and wineador as everyone warned me about and it's time to expand. I'm still on the fence trying to decide which way to go, either the Aristocrat M Plus or a large cooler similar to what you have, and I have a evaluated a variety of pros and cons relative to my situation. My humidors right now are between 75-80 degrees and it's not even summer yet. I finally got my wineador's humidity to stabilize after adding a Cigar Oasis, because it was all over the place last summer with only beads (which was previously discussed here, but I missed that memo). After spending an inordinate amount of time with trial and error, in addition to all of the great advice I have received here, coupled with the various treads on the forum, I'm starting to see a glimmer of light at the end of the tunnel. You don't know what you don't know rings so true.

I forgot to add a buddy of mine believes he could build a humidor cabinet, which I inquired about in the other thread.
 
hey folks
 
I have been stalking (lol) this thread some time now. I was hoping to get some advice from the OP.  Btw, how is your wineador holding up these days?
 
I recently accquired a fridge modified for cigar storage purposes.
-full Interior cedar walls / cedar trays and all
-compressor unit (LCD controllable: temps from 15c - 25c)
-active humidification unit that came with the cabinet (system controlled for RH range from 55% to 75%, via LCD touchscreen)
-dimensions: about 6feet height and 2 feet wide, double glazed glass door
 
I have currently set the temp to about 21c (70F I think), and RH to 70%. That being said, it IS currently empty but I'm trying to log the performance. I'm using a data logger, lascar EL2 USB (logged about 5 days, 1 min intervals)
 
temperature: is fine, hovers around the 19-20c range (I live in a temperate climate, where the ambient is 28-29c indoors with humidity around 80%RH)
dew point is around: 11-12c
 
humdity: now this is the annoying part, its exactly stable but range-bound. the RH fluctuates from 55% to 65% and it does so accurately in this manner. It drops when the compressor kicks, understandably I suppose. It bounces back up quick to 63-64% RH within minutes.
 
I need some advice if anyone or OP can help..
 
1) how can I flatten out this RH issue to say around 65% +/- ? Will HF beads help? How much would I do?
2) a 10% range bound in RH, I might be stating the obvious, but is this a problem?  
3) Given the environment, would it be okay to keep some sticks in the open? ie cedar trays instead of boxes?
 
Any advice would be greatly appreciated... Thank you!
 
(don't know how to attach PDF files here to show my data!)
 
The 173 bottle Edgestar is doing well two and a half years on. Still using the Johnson control for temp. The Avallo humidification has been pleasant and consistent. I do keep everything in boxes. So far am quite happy with the setup.

Only minor issue I have had has been every year or so the drain needs to have a wire run up into it to unclog a small bit of particulate. This has happened with both of the Wineadors I have had. I now put several wood strips on the bottom of the wineador so if the drain gets stopped up no cigar boxes will contact the water.

FWIW, the Whynter I had died after five years. I hope this one lasts longer.

Edited to add: Just saw the post above this one. My opinion for smooth operation of a compressor model wineador is that you need to keep the cigars in boxes, put several hygrometers in boxes and read the humidity in the boxes when they have stabilized and make adjustments from there. Could be various types of beads or active humidification. Note: there will be condensation on the coil which will pull humidity out the more that the unit runs
 
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I cant find the pictures , Im sure its pretty awesome.
Pretty easy to blow the budget on custom jobs
 
bill.u said:
I cant find the pictures , Im sure its pretty awesome.
Pretty easy to blow the budget on custom jobs
Click to expand...
I don't know what happened to the pics, they are not showing up for me either.

Link still works to the unit, although unit is discontinued.
https://www.compactappliance.com/edgestar-173-bottle-glass-door-wine-cabinet/CWF1700SZ.html

Everything still working great. Avallo humidification fine, temp control excellent, cooling in summer. I leave the house at 68 in winter, and 74 in summer. Leave the Johnson temp control at 68.
 
Probably didn't import to this site when we changed over. Lots of pics had that happen.
 
Wow looks great very big.
I just purchased another thermoelectric wine cooler myself waiting on custom draws.
So your happy with the acumonitor?
 
bill.u said:
Wow looks great very big.
I just purchased another thermoelectric wine cooler myself waiting on custom draws.
So your happy with the acumonitor?
Click to expand...
Very happy with the accumonitor.

It is well done, and there was quick response to the minor questions that I had.

I have had no problems at all and it seems to be quite consistent.

Note: during the summer months when the cooling unit runs more the perceived humidity inside the wineador fluctuates due to condensation build up on the cooling coil. To be clear, the hygrometers inside the boxes remain rock solid on numbers.

If someone has not read the entire thread, be sure to understand that with refrigeration based units wineadors only work well with the cigars in boxes to stabilize humidity.
 
I too have been using a compressor unit for about a year now.

I agree with everything above. No loose sticks (unless they are in a plastic bag with a boveda). Once I got my temperature controller working well (aka not turning on more than once every 4-5 hours) it severely lowered the amount of time my Hydra and my Cigar Oasis units run. I also have about 2lb's of beads on the floor of the unit where open water has collected once (I put all my bottom boxes on those little stilts that you use under tables/chairs just in case). The end result is a consistent 65 degrees and humidity that fluctuates between 62%-68% outside the boxes and about %64-%66 inside the boxes which I find to be perfectly acceptable. My non-compressor unit has little to no issue with fluctuating humidity, but I still have more space in the condenser unit and honestly I prefer it.
 
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