can't get RH down in wineador
 

Alright all you guru's.....I'm in the process of converting my wine cooler into a humidor. I've got baking soda and an empty small humidor inside it (for smell) right now. Temperature is at 63 but the RH won't go below 85%.

I've got beads ordered and I thought I would just put them in there dry.

Any ideas?

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

Is your drain plug open or plugged?

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

What is the ambient RH of the room where you have the wine-cooler? If the RH in the room and the RH in the wine-cooler are the same (or close) then you may have a leak. It could be the drain plug as Dave said above, or it could be the door seal or something else.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

Beads beads beads beads.
Oh and line it Spanish cedar, or cedar shelves. They suck moisture like anything.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

i've had the drain plug open and plugged.....didn't change anything. been 84-88 RH either way.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

Things don't happen quickly with cigars -- you need to be patient. Plug the drain and then check the rest of the wine-cooler for leaks (the door seal, etc.). Give everything some time -- if there is no leak it can still take weeks (or more) for everything to even out.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

hmmm, interesting. My advice would be open the drain and lower the temperature. It better be pouring water out the back into the catch bucket or your cooler isn't cooling. The humidity should lower as the temperature cools (condensation). The drain hole is to catch the condensation and get it out of the cooler. Make sure that mechanism is working properly IMHO.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

A humidor is a sealed environment. If you leave the drain hole unplugged then you do not have a humidor. You have a leaky box. If your ambient environment is close to where you store your cigars, then a leaky box will most likely be fine for you. However, if like many of us, your ambient environment is not what you want for you cigars, then you need a sealed humidor to create that special environment for your cigars.

If condensation collects at the bottom of your humidor, wipe it out with a cloth or sponge. At some point -- when the interior of your humidor reaches an equilibrium at your desired RH, all the excess moisture will be absorbed. I and many others have beads (HCM, Hearfelt, etc.) that help absorb this excess moisture and release it later when it is needed.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

Great Guys! This is super helpful.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

Yep, lots if patience. The best way I was able to regular my cooler was more cigars :) which is always a good thing.

I keep my cooler plugged, but I don't turn it on. No really need.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

Just out of curiosity, you did calibrate your hygrometer?

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

I find the same thing! The more cigars, the easier it is to maintain steady RH.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

yep...thanks for asking though. I keep thinking its something simple I'm not doing. The RH in the room is much lower than 65% so the fact its staying up there around 85% tells me there is a good seal (I think). I'm assuming that when the cooler kicks on and the temperature goes does that it produces condensation that is driving RH up.

I'll keep working on it.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

What type of cooling unit do you have? Some types are not recommended for cigar use. I think that maybe Shilala or someone similar posted about that a while back on wineadors.

Re: can't get RH down in wineador
 

I think you are referring to compressor driven vs. thermo-electric. Most wineadors are the thermo-electric variety and as a lot of us realized they don't last that long. They usually go out after a few years and you have to replace the cooling unit. The compressor driven one's are said to not be good for cigars because it dries out the cigars. Here is a thread I did with Shilala's help that explains how to do the compressor driven ones that will last forever and keep your cigars at the humidity you want.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=69177