Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

I decided that the heat and humidity here on the Gulf Coast warranted a little more protection for my smokes than just my humidors. As it's a few years before I'll be making the jump to an Aristocrat, I decided on a wineador.

I went with an 18-bottle NewAir. Why not 24? Because with all that extra space I'd be too tempted to fill it up. :)

I received the fridge a couple of days ago and gave it a wipe-down inside. Then I left the door open and kept a fan blowing into it overnight. In the morning, the "plasticy" smell was gone. I then put some electrical tape over the condensation drain hole as recommended by others here.

I'd ordered 1.5 lbs of HF beads and made a mistake - I should have just put them straight into the wineador along with a hygrometer, left them for a few hours, and seen where I needed to adjust from there. Instead, I partially wet them with some distilled water, let them sit for a bit, then put them in the wineador. They were WAY too saturated; the humidity shot up to 83%. I had to use a blow dryer to get rid of the excess.

I just now got the beads back in the wineador and plugged it in, temperature set at 65*. Cedar drawers have been ordered from cheaphumidors.com. Once I get them I'll post an update. Stay tuned...



http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7384/9...cf88ee975b.jpg

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

looks good so far James....have fun with this project and use it as a learning experience for when you buy the 28-bottle :r :r

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Yeah, I'm in denial about the fact that I'm :adam :D

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

its a fun ride :tu

i started small think i wouldn't fill up a 6-bottle, bought a 16-bottle two weeks later, again thinking i wouldn't fill it up....three weeks later i bought the 28-bottle.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Good luck with the build buddy.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Very cool!

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Nice can't wait to see the build

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Nice! You will love it.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Nice. I grew concerned with the heat in my apartment and got a wine fridge a couple months ago. I actually just stuck my 2 desktop humidors and 3 medium size Tupperwares directly into the fridge. It would definitely be nicer to have the fridge work as a humidor itself, but I was too lazy to try and figure out how to make that happen.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

It's not very labor intensive and there are quite a few threads on here that lay out the process. For me, I'm making the move to a wineador simply for piece of mind.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Looks awesome, and mighty empty. You're a brave man.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

LOL! I guess I should have noted that once it's ready, it will be filled with my existing stock. I forget that you've got to watch your step around here. :D

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Nice James, I think these are so cool looking as well as functional. I also think it's funny you believe the 16 bottle will prevent you from buying too much......good luck with that. :D

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

LOL! Yeah, space limitations hasn't kept me from buying more cigars than I have space for now, why would it with the wineador? :D

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Awesome James, looks good! I am finally in the rh adjusting stage waiting on stuff to settle for mine!

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Nice, James. You're on your way. How're your numbers? If they're bouncing around, get some empty cedar boxes in there to help level her out. Also, you might want to stick a tiny fan in there at some point. Are you having any issues with condensation?

Looking forward to watching your project unfold. :tu

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

I've got a few empty boxes in there now to help stabilize the RH. The shelves should be here tomorrow so they'll help get me where I need to be.

I plan on having a hygrometer at the top and at the bottom. If I notice a difference of more than two or three in the RH I'm going to look into getting a small computer fan to put in the bottom. My preferred method would be to have it on a timer, running about 10-15 minutes every two hours or so.

No condensation so far.

Here it is with the only empty boxes I had on hand inside it:

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2876/9...ba25f19cc1.jpg

RH has been right around 70 for 24 hours. After I get the shelves in it tomorrow I'll give it another 24 hours to see if I need to adjust the beads.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Hi Porch !
I just got a Haier model HVW18 last weekend. I did not want to go to wineador so fast, but it was a display unit and practically free. It is absolutely pristine with excellent seal. But it needed service from apparently running constantly on display. So it appears a thermostat circuit error was it's demise. I cleaned the external heat sinks ( no compressor) and I already had new PC fans on hand to replace the dead ones yesterday.

I could likely have replaced the thermostat control board but instead I just " dumbed it down" .
So I'll be interested in what type of timer you use, so I can run a similar cycle.
:tu

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

I don't have a circuit diagram. But, you may need that circuit board to power the cooling modules.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

:sw

I sincerely wish I knew what you guys are talking about. I'm sure I'd have a better job today. Instead, I went to art school. What was I thinking?! Ugh. My old man was right! :fp

This is why I use an Oust fan. It's got an on/off switch, runs on one "D" battery, automatically toggles on/off every now and again, is perfectly silent, and I think I picked it up for $8 about seven or so years ago.

It still works great and keeps my cigars resting comfortably. :tu

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Unfortunately, the Oust fans have been discontinued.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

If you are looking for a small battery operated fan I can recommend the following -- it is a refrigerator fan for an RV refrigerator. Runs on two "D" batteries and is always on.

https://images3.campingworld.com/Cam...425/38134n.jpg

I use these for circulation when conditioning my beads.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Thanks!

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

I received the cedar trays today. The smell when I unwrapped them was incredible.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5493/9...665992102d.jpg

Because of the smaller size of the 18-bottle fridge, they go in sideways and fit the depth of the fridge perfectly:

http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3764/9...58ca902050.jpg

Now, I keep an eye on the RH for a day or two before I determine whether the beads need tending to or if it's ready for some sticks.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Na Rat, I'm good. It's been tested, it cools now, but it is powered continuously though. It's a simple design. Glorified CPU coolers.

I could run a common household thermostat, and define a temp that would close the leg to a relay, and allow the 12volt to the fans. A timer on the AC power is just a cheaper less involved solution.

I'd take a picture but as some may have noticed my new phone double posts any time I edit pics. ( Need an app.)

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

They look sweet ! How wide are your trays?

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

They're 12.5"w x 7.5"d x 2.25"h. Here's a link to where I picked them up: http://www.cheaphumidors.com/p_cedar-tray_TRAY.html

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

LOL yeah I jumped on that and bookmarked the site yesterday. My trays will need 8.25" wide bottom slats , but the box side width about 7" wide. ( they slide in side slots like toaster oven trays. ) If that makes any sense. So just to beat the proverbial dead horse.... did you put a timer on that beast yet?

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

Not as yet. The humidity seems to be pretty consistent from the bottom to the top. I'm going to give it a day or two with just the trays in there for it stabilize. Once I get my sticks in it I'll be keeping an eye on the RH differential from top to bottom. If it's >2 after three or four days I'll add a fan.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

rojer that. I'm thinking if I get trays next month and get the Rh stable after that.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

It's coming along nicely James.

Re: Porch Dweller's Wineador Progress
 

...and, here it is all loaded up:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7397/9...1716591561.jpg

Drawer 1:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7432/9...c0853b0af1.jpg

Drawer 2:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7321/9...cfca23be69.jpg

Drawer 3:

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7317/9...d2617dd758.jpg


I'm still tweaking with the RH; the beads might need one more blow dryer treatment and they'll be good to go.

Lessons Learned, to help those in the future who may set one up:
- When you get your beads, put them right into the wineador and leave 'em be for a day or two. I wet mine before putting them in and ended up using the blow dryer more than The Zohan. :D
- If your power goes out, check on your wineador first thing when the power comes back on. Some models including mine default to the coldest setting when they lose power.
- Get more space than you need. Mine's an 18-bottle and I'm quite pleased with it. But it's pretty full and I'd like just a little more space in the event I stumble upon an awesome deal that I can't pass up.