I want a wine humidor

jsnake

So who can give me the lowdown? I did a search and all I found was old threads. Basically what are the must haves and must avoids? How do I properly set one up? What are the best brands and models currently? I found an insurance recovery business with a few wine coolers for around $100. Any good links you can recommend? Where can I order custom shelves? Thanks.

Lee.mcglynn

I use boxes and not shelves...no matter thermo electric or compressor there will always be a humidity drop! So I don't feel safe having just the sticks in it. But I run beads at the bottom and bovedas all around. The beads will soak up the extra water caused by the cooling element. Also you should run fans! Another thing is I'd buy new...you can get a warranty. These things can be finicky and well at least you can always return it

ejgorman

I was considering this at one point as well. If you're inclined you could make these yourself, but I did find this page with cedar shelves and drawers for certain wine fridge and cooler models.

http://wineadors.com/index.html

jsnake

The insurance recovery place is new. It is lost and damaged freight. They sell anything and everything and we buy stuff all the time. Got a $1200 leather sofa for $400 because it had a small dime size hole in the back you can't see. $600 studio speakers for $125. These wine coolers look good and I will check function before I buy. I just want something nice looking that functions properly. Plus they have a variety and always get new things in.

blurr

You definitely want a wine fridge, if you keep a good sized stock for friends and yourself for smoking and aging especially. Some background. I was amazed when I went to my first cooler, how flawlessly it kept humidity with minimal maintenance every few weeks. The wine fridge is even better. After a year using it, I put water cups in to recharge pearls once every other week. I bought a compressor unit but disabled the compressor, so plugging in only the lights can be activated. Its a 40 bottle, cost about 200. I hard wired in fans wired into a digital timer, wired my fans into an old cell phone charger, and plugged that into the timer. The timer goes in your standard 120 outlet, and turns the fans on at your desired times. I chose 2 minutes every three hours. This depends a lot on how much air flow your DC fans are creating but its just BS no science as long as humidity is even top to bottom. Best 200 I spent, best cave for my prized smokes. Do it! Some pics...if they work.

blurr

And if you notice, that Tyvek bag came from an idea from Dustin (catfish). That thing is amazing, I put 2 pounds of litter pearls in, and my humidity doesn't change more than 1 percent on the rh reading. Get them and try them. Learn padawans.

catfishbluezz

Bought mine from costco...lifetime replacement ordered it online to make sure I got thermo. I use the tyvek bag. Dumped a few pounds of kl in it. To say rh is solid as a rock is an understatement. Absorbs all excess moisture, keeps it at 65 all day very day. I've never once touched it for almost a year since I did that. Glad it works for you as well blurr

jsnake

what is a tyvek bag and where do I get one?

Bob_Luken

jsnake:

what is a tyvek bag and where do I get one?

Priority Mail Tyvek Envelope
You can get them at your local post office. The material is breathable and allows for use with beads or kitty litter.

catfishbluezz

jsnake:

what is a tyvek bag and where do I get one?

right next to those free flat rate boxes bro

ehehat

What's the story with the bag? Put kl in and seal? Leave open? What about them works so well?

FireRob

ehehat:

What's the story with the bag? Put kl in and seal? Leave open? What about them works so well?

I don’t use it in my humi, but I’d guess it don’t matter if you seal it closed or not. I don’t know a thing about using KL so not sure if you have to add distilled water or what not in which case you need to be able to access the KL inside the bag. I can say this, the Tyvek like the stuff wrapped on your house (ok maybe not yours specifically) under the brick veneer or siding is designed to allow moisture/water vapor to pass through it but not liquids.

Bob_Luken

FireRob:

ehehat:

What's the story with the bag? Put kl in and seal? Leave open? What about them works so well?

I don’t use it in my humi, but I’d guess it don’t matter if you seal it closed or not. I don’t know a thing about using KL so not sure if you have to add distilled water or what not in which case you need to be able to access the KL inside the bag. I can say this, the Tyvek like the stuff wrapped on your house (ok maybe not yours specifically) under the brick veneer or siding is designed to allow moisture/water vapor to pass through it but not liquids.

I haven't used the TYVEK bags yet with my Kitty Litter (KL), but from what I've heard it's great at keeping the fine silica dust particles contained. And you don't have to worry about spills if you keep your KL in a bowl.

soutso

I live in Australia and this past summer gave me a lot of grief with regard to heat. I bought a wine fridge (compressor type) and simply placed my Daniel Marshall humidor inside it! I set it at 17 degrees celsius (62.5 degrees fahrenheit)  My cigar collection within two weeks visibly improved. Nice oily wrappers, firm (not dry) cigars. Beautiful.

I keep a hygrometer on one of the shelves and the reading is consistently 80. (I use a Caliber IV and I've tested the accuracy with the boveda test kit - all good)

I have placed about two pounds of kitty litter (100% silica - it says odour control on the packet but it is not scented, is this ok?) The KT is equally divided in 4 small plastic containers and distributed evenly around the fridge.

Does this sound right? How soon should I expect the humidity to drop? If it gets to 65-70 can I safely place cigar boxes inside and take out the humidor?

Any advice will be much appreciated.

Bob_Luken

soutso:

I live in Australia and this past summer gave me a lot of grief with regard to heat. I bought a wine fridge (compressor type) and simply placed my Daniel Marshall humidor inside it! I set it at 17 degrees celsius (62.5 degrees fahrenheit)  My cigar collection within two weeks visibly improved. Nice oily wrappers, firm (not dry) cigars. Beautiful.

I keep a hygrometer on one of the shelves and the reading is consistently 80. (I use a Caliber IV and I've tested the accuracy with the boveda test kit - all good)

I have placed about two pounds of kitty litter (100% silica - it says odour control on the packet but it is not scented, is this ok?) The KT is equally divided in 4 small plastic containers and distributed evenly around the fridge.

Does this sound right? How soon should I expect the humidity to drop? If it gets to 65-70 can I safely place cigar boxes inside and take out the humidor?

Any advice will be much appreciated.

I don't have any wine fridge experience, but I'm going to try to address one of your Kitty Litter questons. Even though the KL you have may not appear to be scented. Because you say it says "odour control" on the packaging makes me suspicious. The real test is to wet some of that brand and see if any scent might be activated by moisture. It may not be a big problem so far (with your current set up), if you have never spritzed or otherwise added distilled water onto your KL, but I would get rid of it if the stuff gives off a scent when wet because it will be absorbing moisture at some point and would taint your cigars. If you do have to replace it hopefully here are brands available down under that would be 100% odor free.
Good kitty litter vs bad kitty litter

soutso

Hi Bob,
I have sprayed some of the KL with distilled water and it went from clear to an icey white colour. The RH is bang on 69 and hasn't changed for several days. I took the container out and smelt it and I cannot detect any odour or smell at all.

I take it that your concern the term "odour control" meant that a fragrance is released when the KL is moistened to disguise the smell of cat urine?

I think in this case it must mean that the absorbsion of the liquid must also absorb any odour the liquid may contain.

perkinke

I've been looking at getting one too, the question I have is how much noise to they make? I only have two places I can put one: bedroom or living room.

ehehat

perkinke:

I've been looking at getting one too, the question I have is how much noise to they make? I only have two places I can put one: bedroom or living room.

I think it depends on what kind you get. Thermoelectric will be much more quiet than a compressor unit, and you really don't want compressor anyway- much more difficult to maintain rh, but even the te units will make some noise. I have mine in the living room and even after 6 months I can still hear it if I try but most times it's tuned out and I don't notice it. I have fans wired to an old dial timer and I hear the timer clicking off more than anything else.

perkinke

Okay, thanks. I have a pretty small house so it would either be right next to the couch or no more than 4 feet away. I've been going back and forth between an end table humidor I like for about twice the price or a wineador. I have a cooler but digging to the bottom when I want something down there has become annoying.

ehehat

perkinke:

Okay, thanks. I have a pretty small house so it would either be right next to the couch or no more than 4 feet away. I've been going back and forth between an end table humidor I like for about twice the price or a wineador. I have a cooler but digging to the bottom when I want something down there has become annoying.

mine is about 5 feet from where I'm sitting and, again, if I try I can hear a slight hum but it's definitely not as loud as a ceiling fan. If temp is ever an issue ( like it is for me in summer) it's absolutely worth it.

Chemnitz

jsnake:

So who can give me the lowdown? I did a search and all I found was old threads. Basically what are the must haves and must avoids? How do I properly set one up? What are the best brands and models currently? I found an insurance recovery business with a few wine coolers for around $100. Any good links you can recommend? Where can I order custom shelves? Thanks.

Hey Jake, did you end up getting a wine humidor set up? What brand/model did you get? Or are you still looking? I'm look'n too. If anyone else has recommendations or even links to specific brands/models, I'd appreciate it.

jsnake

Still looking. Found a few but they were not right for my needs. We have an insurance recovery business near by that usually has the large units new in the box for $75 to $100 but I have been looking on Craigslist. Might just go to the insurance place.

Chemnitz

I bought one yesterday from Costco, as it was the last one and they seemed to sell fast after I noticed them a few weeks ago. But researching this model online this morning I found that many said it was very unreliable. Vinotemp. So I think I am going to return it (I never opened the box). But with the Texas heat setting in I need to do something quickly. That insurance place sounds like the ticket. You could buy 3 or 4 of them for the same price as a new one. As long as one of them works you're set.

matkn293

I am looking at a winedor as well. Currently looking to buy a used Edge Star TWR282S. The temp rating on the website says mid 60's. Question is, on the winedors, what temp is good to keep storage of your sticks?

jsnake

When i set mine up I am going for somewhere between 65 and 68 degrees. In my opinion that is ideal but the guys who have one already set up may have a different opinion.

kingjk729

I keep mine at 66 ...... The thing that most people need to understand about wine fridges is that there's two types. Thermoelectric and compressor with thermoelectric being whats more preferred for the fact that they don't generate humidity. Also thermoelectric are only capable of being 15-20 degrees cooler than the ambient air temp, meaning if your units in the basement and it's 60 degrees there the unit will over around 60 degrees. This is just my two cents.

jsnake

What happens if your power goes out for an extended period. Regular fridges get really hot and stagnant.

matkn293

jsnake:

What happens if your power goes out for an extended period. Regular fridges get really hot and stagnant.

Dedicated generator just for the supply of cigars. Lol! No actually that will happen.

matkn293

Got the wine cooler last night. Going to Measure it up drawers and shelving I found that I guy makes online then order this weekend. Will take about 4 weeks to get. In the meantime going to plug in to make sure temp works properly and get some CL going in there. I ordered more than my humi can handle so I have to put the new boxes somewhere. Then will have to season properly when the drawers get in. Hopefully I can stay away from buying stuff until then.

ehehat

matkn293:

Got the wine cooler last night. Going to Measure it up drawers and shelving I found that I guy makes online then order this weekend. Will take about 4 weeks to get. In the meantime going to plug in to make sure temp works properly and get some CL going in there. I ordered more than my humi can handle so I have to put the new boxes somewhere. Then will have to season properly when the drawers get in. Hopefully I can stay away from buying stuff until then.

How does it smell? There are threads here and elsewhere about how to set these up. If you dont get the plastic smell out you'll end up transferring that to your cigars. It took me almost a week to get the smell out but thats pretty extreme compared to most.

matkn293

Not sure. I will have to check it out. Going to search for the threads now to make sure I get it right thanks for the heads up.