Wineador Humidity Variances

[Verwilderd]

Hello

I was curious if anyone has ever come across this...

I recently bought a NewAir CC-300 wineador. It came with two drawers and 4 shelves.

I have freshly calibrated digital hygro's on all the shelves as well as in the drawers. As for humidity, I have 1 pound of heartfelt 65% loose beads (put in a shallow try on the bottom) as well as two of the largest tubes they sell full of beads (I've moved them around for testing)

Everything is seasoned, good to go, and has been sitting for a couple weeks like this...except for the third drawer (that's been in there for nearly a week). It's loaded and I've been using it.

The curious thing is that all the shelves show nearly exactly 65% humidity (this is where it should be based on the heartfelt beads). The drawers all show right around 70%. I recently added a drawer and took away two shelves, and yet still get the same readings. I've also mixed around the hygro's, hydrated the beads as well as aired them out, and moved the tubes around from drawers to shelves etc. It seems that no matter what I do, I keep the same readings. I've mixed and matched the heartfelt tubes as well as placement and don't notice a change.

I'm wondering if computer fans are the answer or if the hygro's are getting a false read because the drawers are loaded with sticks and surrounded by moist wood. I've included the tubes in the drawers and it made no difference. The drawers are all at the bottom of the wineador which makes it all the more odd since humidity rises.

Finally, when I smoke the sticks from various places in the wineador, they don't seem to smoke any different, which makes me wonder.

Lastly, I did get a xikar humifan and noticed no difference. I realize the humifan doesn't move much air but figured in a sealed environment, it would have some sort of impact.

I've also probably tried other things that I failed to mention. I do have two more of the humifans coming (got them cheap) but am wondering if it's a pointless investment.

So I guess my question is if this is normal, ok or if there's something else I may have missed.

Sorry for the length but wanted to be thorough. I'll conclude that if people think the third drawer will have an impact then I'll wait. I ask now because despite it being there for only a week, nothing changed when adding it.

Oh...and if this has been answered before, mods can delete. I tried searching but couldn't find.

 

[Boudie]

I think it's important to allow some vertical open space in the unit. They recommend keeping the back open but you may try keeping a space open on one side also. I think the fan is a good idea, maybe position them to move the air vertically. The drawers may be trapping humidity from your cigars or the extra wood in them is taking longer to stabilize.

 

[Verwilderd]

I think it's important to allow some vertical open space in the unit. They recommend keeping the back open but you may try keeping a space open on one side also. I think the fan is a good idea, maybe position them to move the air vertically. The drawers may be trapping humidity from your cigars or the extra wood in them is taking longer to stabilize.

Thank you. I'll try reorganizing everything. With the way the drawers are organized, there is a small space behind them where humidity can circulate, but not in the drawers themselves. They are packed fairly tightly.


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[THEMISCHMAN]

Shoeboxes and dish sponges, dude. Less worrying, more smoking.

 

[Mossome]

when I smoke the sticks from various places in the wineador, they don't seem to smoke any different

Then you don't seem to have a problem.

 

[Verwilderd]

Then you don't seem to have a problem.

That's what I figured. Maybe I'm just being overly paranoid about the hygro's?

Over the last couple days I've pulled from different drawers/boxes and they seem fine.

I'll not worry. Just wasn't sure if this was something I should keep an eye on or not.

Thanks all!


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[Verwilderd]

Shoeboxes and dish sponges, dude. Less worrying, more smoking.

Touché!

I'll shut up now. Haha


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[BigSkySmoke]

 

[JG358]

My theory is that the shelves get more air movement so they read a little lower while The drawers get less air movement so the hygrometers read higher. My top drawer and bottom drawer read the same while the meter in the middle of my Wineador(in front of the main fan) reads lower. If I unplug the unit, they'll all read the same as the meters in the drawers by morning.

 

[mpomario]

I installed cooler guys fans in mine to move air vertically because of the same issue. I have three drawers with one basically empty shelves above the top of the three. Another shelf with a tray of KL on it. A tray of KL at the bottom of the unit. There is a third shelf above the one with the KL on it that holds my boxes. The RH is pretty solid at 64, 66, 68, 68, 67,at 66 degrees, bottom to top, even with the fans pulling air from the across the top of the drawers and blow it up the back of the unit.
Having said all that, those numbers are fully acceptable to me. I have moved the drawers as they are filled, up and down in the levels and the numbers always return to the same order from bottom to top. I feel like the humidity just settles in the middle. I noticed the same thing when I had two drawers at the bottom and 5 or more shelves above them. I thought about removing the shelve from above the top drawer to see if it allows more RH out of the top drawer, but currently use it as on deck. Everything smokes great.
I don't think the fans have helped much other than if I turn them down for a couple days then turn them back up the RH equalizes from top to bottom for a day or two, then it goes right back to the way it was.
I know that's a lot of two cents. Hope it helps. The only problem I have with this is that sometimes the bottom drawer drops below 64%, which is too low to me.


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[Bondo 440]

There's a slight RH varinance in different "zones" of my wineador as well. I share some of @mpomario 's comments.
Coincidently, the middle of the wineador is the "sweet spot" as well.

 

[redneck_toy]

My theory is that the shelves get more air movement so they read a little lower while The drawers get less air movement so the hygrometers read higher. My top drawer and bottom drawer read the same while the meter in the middle of my Wineador(in front of the main fan) reads lower. If I unplug the unit, they'll all read the same as the meters in the drawers by morning.

Bingo

 

[nc_6789]

@sofc is usually our go to guy for this kinda stuff!

 

[Verwilderd]

Yeah, everything seems to smoke fine whether I'm pulling from a shelf that shows 65 or a drawer that shows 70/71. The higher numbers of the drawer somewhat concern me but seeing as it all seems to smoke fine, I'm not overly worried. I have a small xikar humifan in one of the drawers and it doesn't seem to be making a difference. I have two more coming (like not having to mess with wires nor having fans running of timers that usually keep them on for 15 min). I suspect the drawer is trapping some of the humid air but it's not impacting the smokes.

The thing I find odd is that no matter how I move the humidity around, it doesn't change things. The drawers sit right above a tray of heartfelt and if I add the large heartfelt tubes in the drawers, they all still will read 70(or 71), 70 (or 71), 70(or 71). The two shelves with boxes will all show between 64-66.

It's odd. I think I'll try the xikar fans since they're already of the way. If they suck, I'll return and just go the fan route. Just have to fit them somewhere. Didn't think this thing would be already filled almost immediately (I think I might have a problem...)


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[VeLoRoK]

I think one thing that you might want to bear in mind is that you can't change these humidity issues overnight. Just see what happens. Don't overdo any potential "solutions"especially if everything is going fine anyway.

 

[mpomario]

Yea, I have moved my media to all different locations and the bottom always is about 4% lower than the middle with the top being about 2% lower, which is strange since you would think the top would be the highest. Again, mostly a non-issue with me, just tinkering. I need to recheck that my plug hole hasn't come uncovered tomorrow and that it isn't leaking from there.

Bingo

RH would still stay higher in the middle when I had mostly shelves in there. Although, it was reading higher at the shelve above the top of the drawers as it was arranged then.

 

[Verwilderd]

I think one thing that you might want to bear in mind is that you can't change these humidity issues overnight. Just see what happens. Don't overdo any potential "solutions"especially if everything is going fine anyway.

When I've moved stuff around I would usually leave it that way for a couple days to at least see if I noticed any kind of change (for example, 70 drops to 69). If I noticed something I'd leave it longer. I've even added boveda 69% bags throughout and noticed no change to the numbers. Moved my hygro's around to check that they are good and they always go to the same numbers. I've done just about everything I can save for adding fans. It seems there's something weird about the drawers and circulation.


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[Verwilderd]

Do people all plug the drain holes? I actually didn't do anything with mine. So if there's a whole, it's open. Perhaps that could help?


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[Merovius]

The curious thing is that all the shelves show nearly exactly 65% humidity (this is where it should be based on the heartfelt beads). The drawers all show right around 70%.

Not a big deal for your exposed singles to receive slightly higher rh imo. Throw a couple 65 bovedas in there if humidity is getting trapped.

 

[mpomario]

Not a big deal for your exposed singles to receive slightly higher rh imo. Throw a couple 65 bovedas in there if humidity is getting trapped.

I experimented with throwing 2 60g 69% bovedas in the lower RH drawer at bottom and it still didn't change the RH.

When I've moved stuff around I would usually leave it that way for a couple days to at least see if I noticed any kind of change (for example, 70 drops to 69). If I noticed something I'd leave it longer. I've even added boveda 69% bags throughout and noticed no change to the numbers. Moved my hygro's around to check that they are good and they always go to the same numbers. I've done just about everything I can save for adding fans. It seems there's something weird about the drawers and circulation.

I normally leave everything after a change for at least a couple of days too.


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