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[pbibby]

So it had been about 4 months since I had recalibrated my hygrometers. So last week I got a boveda calibration kit (also one more new hygrometer) and got to it. After everything was good to go, I put them back in the Vinotemp 34 Bottle Compressor Wine Cooler that I use for my humi (I don't need temperature control). Long story short, I go down today (hygrometers have been in there for a week now) and they all are reading 55%! So full on freak out mode sets in. I check the door for alignment. Good to go. Basically another long story short, I peak back at what I think is the drain hole (which I covered with duct tape originally) had lost the duct tape. Also, there is one more piece of wiring that runs into the cooler as well that I covered and it had lost its coverage too. Basically I caulked all of that with rubber window caulking today. I'm worried about the fact that maybe I have had a humi sitting at 55% for 4 months. (I haven't smoked since November). Someone please reassure me that my smokes will be okay and that I've solved the problem with my humi!

Sorry for the long convoluted post, but needless to say, I have someone serious capital in that humi including some smokes that in my mind are priceless. Tell me they will be OK.......

-Paul

 

[MoJo]

Your smokes will be fine, I've heard of people keeping CCs at 55-60rh for long term aging so a few months at 55 shouldn't hurt them. Sounds like you solved your humidor problem as well, but you'll just have to monitor it to see. Might take a little bit for your smokes to acclimate to the new rh, but no need to worry IMO.

EDIT: fwiw, I would also be careful not to spike the RH real high and over saturate your humidor to try to compensate for the lower rh, let it gradually come back to the rh you want, over saturation could increase the risk of mold developing I think (I don't really have any actual cigar knowledge, so take everything i say with a grain of salt)

 

[Hoshneer]

Calm down you'll be okay brother. I have been as low as 55% through the winter before. I normally stay at 63%

 

[Lezanstar]

Breathe. Everything will be fine. I would make sure that the caulk you use is 100% odor free. If it's not I would remove it and replace with aquarium silicone. Give the wineador a week to come back to your desired RH and smoke a stick or two.
By having your humidity that low, you may have actually saved yourself from a catastrophe. You stated that you do not have the wineador plugged in and you didn't open it for a few months. If you have no source of circulation and it was at 70% RH for months, you could have come back to a moldy mess.
I would suggest checking on your wineador more often! You say there are priceless sticks in there. Show them a little love, brother! If nothing else just open the door once a week to circulate some air and make sure everything is ok.

 

[Ducttapegonewild]

My question would be is if the wineador is not plugged in, why not get a coolerdore?

 

[sofc]

My question would be is if the wineador is not plugged in, why not get a coolerdore?

You are not allowed to ask humidification questions!!!

 

[Ducttapegonewild]

You are not allowed to ask humidification questions!!!

Please note, I started with "My question would be..." which isn't asking a question per se, it is stating that if I was to ask a humidity question, that is what it would be...

 

[sofc]

Please note, I started with "My question would be..." which isn't asking a question per se, it is stating that if I was to ask a humidity question, that is what it would be...

Please note. No one likes you.


I only say that because technically you are correct.

 

[pbibby]

My question would be is if the wineador is not plugged in, why not get a coolerdore?

Well because this was a gift. I never would have gotten the compressor model. And I figured if I have it why change right? Ha.

Thanks guys. And for the record, I definitely check it once a week easily, but I guess the hygrometers were not right..... Anyways, the caulk I used did not seem to have a strong odor. I had it all over my fingers and it was fine.

 

[pbibby]

So we're at 37 hours since I sealed everything (at least I think, maybe someone else with this model can chime in). And we're still sitting at 56%

 

[Madcox]

Hey Paul fwiw I have a Vinotemp SC130 compressor model that I disconnected the compressor on and have the fan inside running. I had to take the back plate off on the inside of mine (cuz it wouldn't hold humidity). And mine had a copper tube running from the compressor to the back plate inside and apparently the tube used to have a rubber seal that was gone on mine and there was a huge hole that I had to seal. You can't see the hole without taking the back plate off on the inside (not sure if this is how yours is). But once I sealed the hole it started holding humidity. I also had to seal the drain hole as well. I hope this helps brother not sure if your vino is like mine

 

[pbibby]

Hey Paul fwiw I have a Vinotemp SC130 compressor model that I disconnected the compressor on and have the fan inside running. I had to take the back plate off on the inside of mine (cuz it wouldn't hold humidity). And mine had a copper tube running from the compressor to the back plate inside and apparently the tube used to have a rubber seal that was gone on mine and there was a huge hole that I had to seal. You can't see the hole without taking the back plate off on the inside (not sure if this is how yours is). But once I sealed the hole it started holding humidity. I also had to seal the drain hole as well. I hope this helps brother not sure if your vino is like mine

The drain hole is what is going into the pan in the back, right? Also, I think I may just have to do this then. This will be my project this week. I'll have to tupperware the sticks and figure it out. I did see a bunch of copper tubing heading from the compressor to what looks to be in the cooler. I will need to check this out. Thanks man! But what is weird about the whole thing is that this held (or seemed to) humidity for over a year and a half. But maybe I ran the beads dry (I can't tell because I use HCM).

 

[Zigarro]

Having had to return a wine cooler, I learned to not do any permanent mods, ie; the drain hole. Someone on these threads had the excellent plugging idea which I use; plug it with one of those memory foam earplugs. Got a box of em @ WalMart for less'n $2.00. Works perfectly and does no damage.

 

[pbibby]

At this point I probably couldn't return it anyways. The thing is older now.

So I did plug the drain hole and I plugged the place where the wiring comes into the cooler. I've never had a problem with leaking until now, but there's a chance that my beads overworked in order to compensate for the leaking. It's been 24 hours since I sealed everything up. The rh is up to about 55. I'm wondering if the beads (HCM, so no recharging) are just out of juice at this point and that it's time to re-up. I had them for a couple years anyways. Anyone have thoughts?

 

[sofc]

Had mine for much longer and they've been fine. Haven't heard of them being used up in that sorry a time.
In one humi, i supplement with kl.

 

[pbibby]

Had mine for much longer and they've been fine. Haven't heard of them being used up in that sorry a time.
In one humi, i supplement with kl.

I meant they may have been used up because of the leaking. Like they were working overtime for that entire time and just now have lost some of the potency. Not a bead issue, but a humi issue. But I don't know.......

 

[sofc]

I meant they may have been used up because of the leaking. Like they were working overtime for that entire time and just now have lost some of the potency. Not a bead issue, but a humi issue. But I don't know.......

take them out for a day and see what happens. Always an option to take ambient cooler humidity without beads/hcm/etc and go from there.

 

[pbibby]

The ambient is 50 almost to the T.

 

[MoJo]

Just a couple thoughts, HCM beads also adjust their rh level, so if they were in a lower rh environment for awhile I think they might have dropped their rh (like how you put them in the fridge for a little bit if you want to lower the rh they are set at). So you might have to check their rh level and raise it back up if needed. Also, if you have a lot of cigars, cigar boxes, or spanish cedar in your wineador I would think that they also have to adjust to the new rh and could be absorbing some of the humidity while you are trying to raise the rh, like what happens when you season your humidor.

 

[Zigarro]

At this point I probably couldn't return it anyways. The thing is older now.

So I did plug the drain hole and I plugged the place where the wiring comes into the cooler. I've never had a problem with leaking until now, but there's a chance that my beads overworked in order to compensate for the leaking. It's been 24 hours since I sealed everything up. The rh is up to about 55. I'm wondering if the beads (HCM, so no recharging) are just out of juice at this point and that it's time to re-up. I had them for a couple years anyways. Anyone have thoughts?

Is the cooler plugged into power? Try unplugging it for 8hrs and see if your humidity goes up. I'd be interested to know...