New wine cooler!

[apaniagua]

Finally after sooo many years wanting one, I've got it! There were different options in my local market but this one is one of the few with local warranty and a local repair shop that can cover the warranty. It has a compressor...a tradeoff I know, but w/e.

The next few days I'll be cleaning it to remove the plastic smell. I'm buying a few boveda packs, and 3A molecular sieves (most KL in my area are scented). In the meanwhile, I'll put the cigars on top of some Tupperware containers until I can make cedar trays or something. Not sure what you guys recommend.

 

[Boudie]

Best advice is to get it as stable as possible before putting in your cigars. If it is a compressor type unit you may have trouble keeping humidity stable. If you can't get it dialed in you can still use the unit but should probably keep your smokes in weather sealed tupperware with Bovedas. Mentioning this because if you do decide to use the tupperware you'll not need cedar cigar shelves.

If it does dial in after a week or so and remains stable then you can add your smokes. If your smokes are at the same humidity as the humidor you can pretty much do a full load, if there is a difference be patient and add to the humidor slowly.

It's common to read members getting in a hurry and ending up with huge swings in both temp and humidity. They spend a lot of time, and worry trying to correct large problems instead of small ones.

Good luck! Pretty unit

 

[Alwayslit]

Sage advice from Boudie, don't rush and make sure it's stable. Keep a close eye on the humidity since it's a compressor unit and not thermoelectric.

 

[apaniagua]

Thank you guys. I am buying the beads and Boveda with some cedar shelves and will have it running for a week or 2 to see if humidity stabilizes. I want to shoot for 65-67% RH.

 

[Rupe]

Thank you guys. I am buying the beads and Boveda with some cedar shelves and will have it running for a week or 2 to see if humidity stabilizes. I want to shoot for 65-67% RH.

Why not go the Kitty litter route?

Here is a link to my "how to" (1) Kitty Litter - Experience so far | Page 3 | BOTL Brothers of the Leaf® Cigar Forums

 

[apaniagua]

Why not go the Kitty litter route?

Here is a link to my "how to" (1) Kitty Litter - Experience so far | Page 3 | BOTL Brothers of the Leaf® Cigar Forums

Love that detailed post. I want to go the KL route but most KL in my area are scented, and buying online isn't worth it since they sell it in big bags and courier will kill me with those fees. I am going to a pet store tomorrow and confirm if they have some crystal unscented KL.

 

[Rupe]

I bought this at Walmart a couple of months ago. If I recall it was around $5

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[apaniagua]

I bought this at Walmart a couple of months ago. If I recall it was around $5

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Yeah, we don't have a walmart on the island haha. Wish we did! I'll go out today and look for it.

 

[apaniagua]

I bought this at Walmart a couple of months ago. If I recall it was around $5

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Found this one. Gonna keep looking.

In the meanwhile, cleaned cooler with water and soap, then vinegar, then water and soap again. Filled it with newspaper, a Tupperware with coffee and another one with baking soda. Doesn't smell much like plastic anymore lol

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[apaniagua]

I found these 3 locally. Going to see the bags physically

 

[Rupe]

View attachment 192009View attachment 192010View attachment 192011
I found these 3 locally. Going to see the bags physically

These look like the correct type for sure (that other one looked more like the clay type).

As long as they are the silica crystal type and unscented, they will work well.

 

[apaniagua]

This one worked. Crystals with few blue and white crystals/stones. Unscented. I am now testing its base RH% in a Tupperware. Found out my hygrometer is 7 points off, so 65% Bovedas mark 58%

 

[Texican]

Back when I kept my tupperdors in a compressor wine fridge, I'd use large dessicant packs to quell the occasional RH spike. Sometimes it would go north of 80% because the temperature would, despite being set at 67 degrees, plunge into the low 50s.

 

[apaniagua]

Currently testing the kitty litter. The RH% is rock steady at 75%. I thought KL had lower RH%. Not sure how to decrease its RH.

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[Texican]

Can also use a small dish of dry white rice, apparently. I tried it once with some success before getting the dessicant packs.

 

[Rupe]

Currently testing the kitty litter. The RH% is rock steady at 75%. I thought KL had lower RH%. Not sure how to decrease its RH.

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I keep forgetting that kitty litter will have higher RH right out of the bag in areas like the gulf coast or Dominican Republic that have generally higher ambient RH than somewhere dryer like Minnesota.

Try putting it into your refrigerator for a few days. That should decrease some of the stored humidity.

 

[apaniagua]

I keep forgetting that kitty litter will have higher RH right out of the bag in areas like the gulf coast or Dominican Republic that have generally higher ambient RH than somewhere dryer like Minnesota.

Try putting it into your refrigerator for a few days. That should decrease some of the stored humidity.

Figured as much. I've been measuring the RH% in the wine cooler and the lower part is around 50%, the top is 20-30%. Temperature is rock solid 66F everywhere, but not the RH. The weird thing is that this cooler has 2 fans (top and bottom) but still has such a wide range of humidity.

I'm planning on putting my heartfelt beads and bóveda packs on top, and KL on the bottom.

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[Boudie]

May need a computer fan to circulate vertically

 

[StogieNinja]

My dude. Congrats!

My two cents: if you're going to run it for temp control, get tupperdores for inside, separating the temp control from the humidity. It doesn't look as cool, but in terms of functionality, it's so much better.

For my two main 28-bottle-sized Vinotemp conversions, I never got any kind of good stability when the units were running. I eventually just unplugged them. Humidity falls. In the wineadors I don't run temp control in, I rotate my bovedas, taking from the bottom and putting on the top.

 

[apaniagua]

My dude. Congrats!

my two cents: if you're going to run it, get tupperdores and separate the temp control from the humidity. It doesn't look as cool, but in terms of functionality, it's amazing.

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Dude! So awesome to see you here. Thanks for the recommendation. I'll consider doing that for sure. What's the humidity inside the Tupperwares?

Right now I'm trying to stabilize the humidity and then move the cigars in. Humidity drops a bit whenever the compressor kicks in, and I'm trying to get it to 65-66% normally.

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