Temp Issues

ADSEG

Living in So. Cal., especially in the summer (103 degrees today), it is way too expensive to keep my house cooled at 70 degrees.  I keep my humidor near the floor where it is coolest and in a room that is not pounded by the daytime sun.  Bottom line, my house temperature hovers around 75 degrees, sometimes higher or lower, depending on when I am at home.  My cigars seem to be okay and smoke great.  I know during the cooler season it will be no problem keeping them cooler.  I am sure this has been argued already several times so bare with me.  Any reasonable solutions or does everyone else just deal with it?   

rusirius

j0z3r

j0z3r

rusirius:

With that said, I have a "sudo" wine fridge I fixed up... It's actually a "real" fridge that I bought for practically nothing in a local paper classifieds ad. I found a temperature probe that drives a contactor for a 110v outlet... So basically I can set the box at 70 degrees and fridge set at it's coldest setting... When it gets to like 71 the power comes on and cools it down to about 69 and then kills the power... Works well, but a wine fridge would be simpler, albiet much more expensive...

Now that sounds like something I'd cook up Greg. I'm an Electrician by trade, so rigging things up to work within a set of parameters is stuff I like to do for fun lol. I like your method too, a thermostat controlled contactor. *temp hits 71, CLANG! contactor engages.... down to 69 CLANG! contactor disengages. lol*

rusirius

j0z3r:

rusirius:

With that said, I have a "sudo" wine fridge I fixed up... It's actually a "real" fridge that I bought for practically nothing in a local paper classifieds ad. I found a temperature probe that drives a contactor for a 110v outlet... So basically I can set the box at 70 degrees and fridge set at it's coldest setting... When it gets to like 71 the power comes on and cools it down to about 69 and then kills the power... Works well, but a wine fridge would be simpler, albiet much more expensive...

Now that sounds like something I'd cook up Greg. I'm an Electrician by trade, so rigging things up to work within a set of parameters is stuff I like to do for fun lol. I like your method too, a thermostat controlled contactor. *temp hits 71, CLANG! contactor engages.... down to 69 CLANG! contactor disengages. lol*

Exactly... My dad works for a company that runs a hatchery... They use a lot of stuff like that in their incubators, so I had him snag one for me... Not sure what it would cost to purchase, but I can't imagine it'd be too expensive... I think I paid $20 for the fridge cause it's ugly ass green... But it stays in the garage so it didn't make a bit of difference to me!

ADSEG

j0z3r

ADSEG

Not to get away from my original question here, but it is very hot & dry in Hemet.  The humidity the last few days has been around 10%.  I know weather accross the country differs so we all have issues one way or the other.  By the way, I live at State St. x Whittier Ave....Thanks for the responses, I usually post questions rather than answers. 

kuzi16

j0z3r:

rusirius:

With that said, I have a "sudo" wine fridge I fixed up... It's actually a "real" fridge that I bought for practically nothing in a local paper classifieds ad. I found a temperature probe that drives a contactor for a 110v outlet... So basically I can set the box at 70 degrees and fridge set at it's coldest setting... When it gets to like 71 the power comes on and cools it down to about 69 and then kills the power... Works well, but a wine fridge would be simpler, albiet much more expensive...

Now that sounds like something I'd cook up Greg. I'm an Electrician by trade, so rigging things up to work within a set of parameters is stuff I like to do for fun lol. I like your method too, a thermostat controlled contactor. *temp hits 71, CLANG! contactor engages.... down to 69 CLANG! contactor disengages. lol*

the problem with this is that a condenser unit also messes with RH. thermo electric does not. what you need is a Peltier device rigged to turn on at at 71 or 72 and turn off at 68 or 69. i never thought of putting the peltier on a thermostat to turn on and off but it makes perfect sence. when i build a humi some day that will be one of the features.

urbino

A 28-bottle wine fridge can be had for well under $150. Look at Target or Wally World.

Bad Andy

I can get one here that is a 40 bottle (maybe 50) for only 100. If i wasn't now jobless I would have been all over 2 of those. One for wine another for smokes.

rusirius

kuzi16

Every cigar forum i have ever been on has said that a condensing unit will make it far to dry and a thermo electric will do beter when humidity is an issue. I dont have a fridgador and probably never will, so to say my knowledge on the subject is "limited" would be an understatement. Plus the only electronics i deal with are electric guitar inards so im at a loss there as well. Maybe someone with a thermo electric fridgador and an understanding of the electronics/physicas/whateverelsescienceisbehindit can give a more thought out argument.

rusirius

kuzi16