Cigar Oasis replacement, the inkbird IHC-200-WIFI
VegasFrank
Posts: 18,328 ✭✭✭✭✭
I've had this unit in my wooden tower for about a week. 
I have it paired up with the moist-n-aire unit that came with the tower. The moist-n-aire comes with a **** ranco analog humidistat that doesn't effectively control the unit. For the past couple of years. I've just run the moist-n-aire on a timer with varying degrees of results. Constantly fiddling with it during winter and summer months to adjust the timer.
This thing has two plugs, one for a humidifier, which is my moist-n-aire, and the other for a dehumidifier which I obviously don't use.
This Wi-Fi unit has an accompanying app that lets you control it from your phone. The downside of this humidistat, other than it's Chinese garbage, is that it requires a 2.4 GHz Wi-Fi connection, and I had to turn off band steering and create two separate networks, one for the 2.4 and one for the 5.
Once you get it hooked up, you can control all of the settings in the app.
You can also control them on the device but it is clunky. The app is much better.
One of the cool features is the RH adjustment. I guess the Chinese knew they were going to make a crappy device so they put that field in there to account for inaccuracy in their sensor. It has audible alarms for Rh that goes above or below percentages that you can set.
The app also allows you to monitor your RH through your phone. It does graphs and exports CSV files.
Also comes with a desktop widget if you're so inclined, which I'm not, but here it is
Last time I tried to buy a cigar Oasis 3.0, it was 300 bucks and out of stock everywhere. This Wi-Fi unit cost me 52, and you can get it for 42 on Amazon without the Wi-Fi stuff.
To completely replace the cigar oasis, you'd have to have a couple of other things. Some sort of box or container like a tupperware with holes near the top, and a plastic plug-in fan that would blow on that water. You could do it like cigar oasis and fill it up with beads. A 12 oz bag of beads goes for like 9 bucks on Amazon. So literally for $60, you can build yourself the biggest cigar oasis in the world.
For most of you guys with coolers, doesn't matter. But for a guy who has converted a walk-in closet to a humidor or has a couple of big cabinets or something, this is a pretty good option.
Despite it being Chinese, I recommend.
Comments
I'd buy 10,000 Boveda's before I would let that electronic crap piss me off.
It is amazing what the Chinese can turn out at a cheap rate, maybe a topic for a different thread.
Frank - I did the exact same thing! The Ranco humidistat might be good for an entire house, but not for my cabinet. I bought the $42 Inkbird on Amazon (without the wi-fi), and have it set to a 3% differential. Works like a charm, though I still haven't mounted the sensor.
I see you did the correct thing by taking the ranco unit off. I left it on and just sent it to "on" (99 percent I guess). I'm a well known lazy a$$
It was easy. Three screws, and pigtail two pairs of wires.
I might end up doing that so I can place the inkbird right on top of it. I can check the numbers on my phone with the wifi, so I don't need to see it.
Would love to route the sensor through the slots in the drawers in the middle of the unit, instead of over the front of them, but I'm not sporting enough to clip it off and and splice it back together. Maybe a summer project.
@EgoBoundary