Cooling walk-in humidor

[abomb60]

So my walk-in likes to sit around 74 degrees now which I don't like. I picked up a small portable AC unit from Home Depot to cool it down but obviously this causes some issues with humidity. If I set the temp and let it run it sucks all the humidity out of the room which is bad. Running on a timer is a little bit better and gives the humidifier enough time in between to bring the humidity back up but this is running based on time and not temperature which also isn't ideal. I've tried not using the hose and letting it vent back in to the walk in hoping that would keep the humidity up but it doesn't (drops slower) and the room stays warm.

Anyone have any thoughts on keeping a walk-in cool with a portable AC? I'm thinking the solution might be a standalone temperature controller?

 

[jdwaynes1980]

Sounds to me like you just need one of those portable AC units that has the thermostat with it.

Or try this..

[video=youtube;2e4WS5kX3FM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e4WS5kX3FM[/video]

 

[abomb60]

Sounds to me like you just need one of those portable AC units that has the thermostat with it.

Or try this..

[video=youtube;2e4WS5kX3FM]http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=2e4WS5kX3FM[/video]

It does have a digital thermostat on it but it never turns off the fans and I think the AC is still venting the humidor air out the tube even when the fans are running. I think i'm going to purchase a temperature controller that will take a 110 outlet and see if that helps out.

 

[rev.b]

Ac's run on the principle of pulling humidity from the air to actually make it cooler so unless its an ac for walkins where the humidity is returned I dunno how an ac will work without pulling humidity down.

 

[smokemifugotem]

Have you looked into thermoelectric pads and maybe a fan or two?

 

[abomb60]

Have you looked into thermoelectric pads and maybe a fan or two?

Hmm no I didn't know that they made large thermoelectric cooling units. I'll have to google around and see what i can find. That just might be my solution.

 

[jdwaynes1980]

That's strange that it doesn't turn the fans off when the desired temperature is met.

Can you not run a vent so that your portable AC unit sucks air from outside of the walk-in, so not to remove any of your humidity?

 

[abomb60]

That's strange that it doesn't turn the fans off when the desired temperature is met.

Can you not run a vent so that your portable AC unit sucks air from outside of the walk-in, so not to remove any of your humidity?

No the portable sucks air in the side and exhausts out a tube. I could probably rig up some sort of contraption though to make that happen.

 

[jdwaynes1980]

Like rev.b said, I think that would be the only way to avoid sucking up your humidity

 

[abomb60]

Like rev.b said, I think that would be the only way to avoid sucking up your humidity

I think i'll rig something up so it pulls air from the outside. That ought to keep me busy for a little while

 

[James]

Maybe something like this would help? Not sure if it would solve the prob or not but the condensate is evaporated back into the room...

http://www.homedepot.com/p/t/202051352?langId=-1&storeId=10051&catalogId=10053&N=5yc1vZ1xgfZba5m&R=202051352#product_description

 

[rev.b]

Wouldn't that possibly bring in unwanted elements? Pollen, insects, smells...etc. even a good HEPA filter can't catch all of it. My 2¢ I'm learning all this for future endeavors

 

[James]

Does your home have central air?

 

[James]

The reason I ask is in the future when I get to build a walk-in, my plan is to bring a line from my central air into the walk-in with no return air. May end up cooler than wanted at times but will not pull humidity out. With a louver it will be closed in the winter to avoid heat.

 

[pmd]

It's on the spendy side but how about this?

http://www.americool.com/ff141207.pdf

 

[abomb60]

Wouldn't that possibly bring in unwanted elements? Pollen, insects, smells...etc. even a good HEPA filter can't catch all of it. My 2¢ I'm learning all this for future endeavors

I meant outside the room not outside world

 

[AlohaStyle]

What's your room outside the walk in like? Can you set up a portable AC unit outside the humidor and point it towards it?

 

[abomb60]

What's your room outside the walk in like? Can you set up a portable AC unit outside the humidor and point it towards it?

Yeah I could do that. The room outside is the rest of the finished basement I would just have to install some ducting for the AC exhaust.

 

[Agentskull]

Rip the door off a thermoelectric wine cooler and put it on a timer? Depending on the size of the room.

 

[rev.b]

Just use a dryer vent tube from house ac vent to walk-in for a redneck quick fix