Vinotemp questions...

[flamchop]

Ever since I got it, I've kept it set at about 65 degrees and the RH inside (using 3 multiple-times calibrated digi hygros) has been holding at 65% with NO beads... is this strange?

So I got a couple cedar trays, filled them up with about 100 singles, I only have one box full of cigars otherwise, but have plenty of empty cedar boxes to fill the space if need be. I threw in 1 lb. of 65% beads (1/2 lb. in each cedar tray), about half dry. Now I'm getting readings of about 68% ish on the top tray, and the bottom tray in the middle of the fridge is giving me a reading of about 70-72%. I have a third hygro at the very bottom of the fridge where the boxes are, and that reads steady 65%.

Am I better off using no beads at all in there if the RH was reading about 65% anyway without them? Or is it better for me to go ahead and get MORE beads seeing as how most people have found they need almost 2 lbs. for their fridges, leaving most of them dry, and putting them in a dish at the bottom rather than pouches right in the cedar trays? Those with 2 lbs. in their fridge, how much of them are wet?

Sorry if these are very noobish questions but I'm just trying to get a hold of the RH. The last couple smokes have smoked a bit wet for my taste.

 

[Turk10mm]

You shouldn't have a humidity that high indoors, more than likely. I know in Houston my humidity inside runs about 40% even though its 80% outside.

I'd recheck your hygros. I guess its possible if you don't run A/C. I'd let the beads sit for a few days and see what happens. I usually get 68 in the bottom and 62 at the top in mine.

 

[flamchop]

I only get those RH's in the fridge itself. Outside of the fridge it's much lower. It seems to be better when the A/C in the room is running but that isn't all day/all night. Hygros are good, all three have been calibrated with boveda packs multiple times. And when I rotate them, they all read the same in the corresponding spots of the fridge.

Seems odd to me.

EDIT: Am I correct in thinking though that if the RH is naturally high in that thing, if I put in 65% beads and left most of them dry, it could help to keep it down and regulated?

 

[AKmik]

I have had my converted Vinotemp running for just over a year now and have done some refining of my set up along the way. For me living in hot sticky Florida, the cooler works great. I have 1 1/2 lbs of beads with the condensation from the cooler routed straight into the dish full of 1lb of beads in the bottom of the cooler, two 1/4lb tubes of beads in the top of the cooler and two fans on a timer which cycle on for 30 mins every 90 mins. My Rh is very stable, but it does settle, the top hygrometer will drop by about 2% over that 90mins and then it is restored to 65% once the fans kick on. I would say about 25% of my beads are always wet, and I have added water to the set up two or three times in the year it has been running, usually in the winter when the RH finally drops.

I would put about 1 1/2lbs of beads in there, 1lb in the bottom and the rest higher up, then fill up all the empty space with boxes. Fans are the ticket for keeping everything stable, but the 2 or 3% variation from top to bottom won't hurt anything.

If it is stable at 65% without beads, adding them will only act to regulate the RH if there is a fluctuation, it surely won't hurt anything.

see ya

Mike