Haier Wine Cooler

Mister MaDuroo said:
...When the boxes finally hit 63% (low of 62%) I started spraying distilled water from a plant mister into the cooler - 5 squirts/day. Two days later the monitored boxes were back around 65%.

As far as I can see this drain-plugged, well sealed cooler holds pretty steady humidity inside all the boxes. Five sprays from a misting bottle raises rh in boxes by 1%. I'm not sure there's much merit to foam, an electric Oasis or beads in a cooler with a good seal on the door and drain. This plant sprayer thing is easy and very precise if you do a bit at a time and match your "sprays/month" to the humidty needs of the mass in the cooler.
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I can't believe it. Less than three weeks ago I bought my first desktop humidor and discovered CS. Now, thanks to the Lowland Gorillas, I'm already researching Haier, EdgeStar, etc. :hn But to be honest, I've been loving every minute of it! :D

I haven't decided yet which way to go, but I'm currently leaning toward this thermoelectric EdgeStar. Anyone familiar with this particular model?

Mister MaDuroo, when you say you 'spray into the cooler,' where exactly do you spray? Directly onto your boxes? Also, what did you use to seal the drain? I want to get a set up running perfectly before winter, and I'm definitely one of those obsessive-compulsive types, not at all casual about rh%. TIA :al
 
ColdCuts said:
I can't believe it. Less than three weeks ago I bought my first desktop humidor and discovered CS. Now, thanks to the Lowland Gorillas, I'm already researching Haier, EdgeStar, etc. :hn But to be honest, I've been loving every minute of it! :D

I haven't decided yet which way to go, but I'm currently leaning toward this thermoelectric EdgeStar. Anyone familiar with this particular model?

Mister MaDuroo, when you say you 'spray into the cooler,' where exactly do you spray? Directly onto your boxes? Also, what did you use to seal the drain? I want to get a set up running perfectly before winter, and I'm definitely one of those obsessive-compulsive types, not at all casual about rh%. TIA :al
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I am running an Avanti 28. I know dartsinsa and scrapiron both set up Edgestars. They are both great guys I am sure if you PM them they can help you out. I can answer questions also if you need.
 
moon said:
I am running an Avanti 28. I know dartsinsa and scrapiron both set up Edgestars. They are both great guys I am sure if you PM them they can help you out. I can answer questions also if you need.
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Well moon, I sent PMs to both those guys. Maybe they'll have a thing or two to say. Thanks for the tip. :w
 
Can someone that has experience with this please help? I will list the specs and my plans and tell me if it's ok/or if I am an idiot.

So I finally entered the wine coolidor arena. I got the same Haier as hikari - Haier BC112G Wine Cooler.

Specs:

Total Volume 12.48 cu. ft.
Capacity 30 bottles
Overall Width 19.94 in.
Overall Height 38.63 in.
Overall Depth 21.69 in.
Thermostat 45 to 60 degrees (white/red)

Plan:

* Line the whole thing in cedar (minus the door).
* Install 8 cedar trays with dividers (2 per shelf, from cheaphumidors). This will leave room for 2 shelves for boxes and 1 for equipment on the bottom
* Two pounds of 65% beads for the bottom (enough?)
* 1 fan from RadioShack (32 cu ft / min) on bottom.
* Put my current OasisXL on the top shelf (do I still need this?).

Temperature is my big question. There is one setting for 45, one for 60. The 60 can fluctuate from 55 to 63. Do I need to regulate the temperature somehow? I would like to keep it at 65. I have read some posts on using the Williams Brewing controller (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CONTROLLER_P762C100.cfm). Do I need this?
 
hey guinsdan

You sound like your on the right track
I dont think you need to line the wine cooler with ceder just get some ceder trays.. you have the right idea

My wine cooler holds Rf great with the exception of summer time here in Southern CA it get hot. I have johnson controller on mine that solved the problem i would say its a must in southern CA

only thing i can say with mine is i want something bigger lol....
next step is turning a closet into a humidor lol...


good luck on the project post pics when done .,..
 
guinsdan said:
Can someone that has experience with this please help? I will list the specs and my plans and tell me if it's ok/or if I am an idiot.

So I finally entered the wine coolidor arena. I got the same Haier as hikari - Haier BC112G Wine Cooler.

Specs:

Total Volume 12.48 cu. ft.
Capacity 30 bottles
Overall Width 19.94 in.
Overall Height 38.63 in.
Overall Depth 21.69 in.
Thermostat 45 to 60 degrees (white/red)

Plan:

* Line the whole thing in cedar (minus the door).
* Install 8 cedar trays with dividers (2 per shelf, from cheaphumidors). This will leave room for 2 shelves for boxes and 1 for equipment on the bottom
* Two pounds of 65% beads for the bottom (enough?)
* 1 fan from RadioShack (32 cu ft / min) on bottom.
* Put my current OasisXL on the top shelf (do I still need this?).

Temperature is my big question. There is one setting for 45, one for 60. The 60 can fluctuate from 55 to 63. Do I need to regulate the temperature somehow? I would like to keep it at 65. I have read some posts on using the Williams Brewing controller (http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CONTROLLER_P762C100.cfm). Do I need this?
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I have had good luck with tightly woven polyester (wicking, non-absorbent) fabric installed in front of the cooling coil. It snatches and holds a lot of condensate when the cooling cycles kicks on; it releases the moisture back into the cooler quickly, after a cooling cycle, with the help of a small fan (Target/Hawaiian Breeze, 110VAC, $5.99). A cotton towel on the catchment grabs the rest, may become periodically damp in summer months, but has shown no mold or mildew over the past six months.

Cedar lining would occupy too much space for me and the improved aesthetics would be lost on a humi in the back corner of a back room.

This Johnson A419 controlled winecoolerdor holds +/- 1.5*F when cycling in summer months. Rh in the cooler quickly wanders from 45% to 85% when the cycle runs, then stabilizes in the mid 60% zone almost as quickly as a cycle is over. The effect inside closed boxes and cabs at most is +/- 1% on rh and +/- 1*F on temp.

The cooler uses no active/passive humidification devices, Oasis, beads, etc.; when rh drops below 63% in a monitored box I spray the inside the cooler with distilled water from a fine-misting plant sprayer - about 5-poofs/month, assuming I open the door for more than a few minutes. A few poofs will up the rh a couple %-points inside monitored boxes over 24-hours. Very simple and surprisingly precise once you learn the poof formula.

haier02.jpg


haiercoolerdor.jpg


I suggest starting with no inside lining or humidification; I strongly advise a stout little fan that runs a lot in warm weather and not-a-lot in cool weather. If you have a lot of vacant space when you are set up, for sure occupy it with (empty) cigar boxes to help keep temp and, esp., humidity more stable.

:2
 
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Re: Haier Wine Cooler - add on

...and here's a realtime snapshot to help keep me honest. I just now pulled this box out of the cooler, popped the top and snapped a foto of the contents and monitor that reside inside. I haven't opened this box in many days. The high/low readings on the memory were not greater than +/- 1. All the Oases, foam, propylene glycol, cedar linings, etc. in the world aren't going to make this storage any better. IMO. $0.99 sprayer bottle and distilled water. Poof poof poof poof poof - one every 4-5 weeks. Poof.

(My very workable arrangement, unlike Thomas'/Hikari's, btw, may be less than ideal if you wanna keep open trays of 'gars - which I think he does, and I do not.)

fuentebox.jpg
 
Yes the hair has setting that low in temperature

Keep in mind the more your compressor turns on the more RF(moisture) your going to get.You don't want it turning on to much.

Keep in mind the summer months thats where its going to get you those 100F days. thing of a ambient room temp lets say 80-90 how much is it going to have to work to keep that temp down to 65f or something going to be allot.

I have mine set to 69f which means it turns on at 70f. i hold a rock solid 65RF

still using the same setup as i posted before.
 
TorpedoGuy said:
I researched Coolers extensively and after talking to a few fellow aficionados, I decided to go with a Whynter 16 bottle Wine Cooler. I got it from

http://www.bensdiscountsupply.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=921

It's worked out really nicely in during the hot humid spells plus I also keep a few bottles of my favorite red to go with my torps.
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Nice - very nice. (After you've been here for a while you can fill it up with wine and get yourself a 100-bottle cooler for cigars - you poor bastid. :D )
 
Hello Gents:

Any comments on the Avanti 28? Here is a link of the one I am considering picking up:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00097CVB0/104-3291809-0631904

I plan on storing it in the garage as it is the coolest place in the house. I live in NY and in the winters there is no problem. Come spring and summer it is a whole different matter. During these months the temp in the garage sits around the mid 70s. On the hottest days of last year (100s) it hit 80s in their. So the main purpose of getting this is to keep the smokes cool in the summer. I can basically have it unplugged in the winter and fall.

Thanks
 
ghost said:
Hello Gents:

Any comments on the Avanti 28? Here is a link of the one I am considering picking up:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00097CVB0/104-3291809-0631904

I plan on storing it in the garage as it is the coolest place in the house. I live in NY and in the winters there is no problem. Come spring and summer it is a whole different matter. During these months the temp in the garage sits around the mid 70s. On the hottest days of last year (100s) it hit 80s in their. So the main purpose of getting this is to keep the smokes cool in the summer. I can basically have it unplugged in the winter and fall.

Thanks
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Do you plan on letting the cigars freeze/thaw all winter or is your garage heated, if I may inquire?
 
ghost said:
Hello Gents:

Any comments on the Avanti 28? Here is a link of the one I am considering picking up:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00097CVB0/104-3291809-0631904

I plan on storing it in the garage as it is the coolest place in the house. I live in NY and in the winters there is no problem. Come spring and summer it is a whole different matter. During these months the temp in the garage sits around the mid 70s. On the hottest days of last year (100s) it hit 80s in their. So the main purpose of getting this is to keep the smokes cool in the summer. I can basically have it unplugged in the winter and fall.

Thanks
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I have one and it works very well.
Here is what I have done to keep the temp in check and it ran me about $350.00

370042.JPG


It is a wine cooler and here is the break down:
Avanti model EWC28 thermoelectric ( only type to get for better RH control) I got it off ebay from anythingforsale it is a scratch & dent model with only small dents to the lower rear corners for $169.00 delivered, If you get one of these make sure you read the discription of the damage.
Link
http://cgi.ebay.com/Avanti-28Bottle-Thermo...1QQcmdZViewItem

To get the correct temp, mine wouldn't go above 58 deg, I bought a Johnson controler from Williams Brewing for $54.16 delivered.
Link
http://www.williamsbrewing.com/CONTROLLER_P762C100.cfm

I bought Polymers from Watersorm 2lbs for $15.00 delivered. Get the craft stuff it has no dust
Link
http://watersorb.com/prices.htm

You can also buy 65% beads but at a cost of $65.00 for 2 lbs I'll stick with the watersorb ;)

I have 2 Oust Fans I bought at the Grocery store on sale for $5.00 each, don't use the scents just the fans. ;)
link
http://www.oustodor.com/oust-fan/

I went to Rocker and bought Sp Cedar for about $70.00, I bought too much but will use the rest on the next Coolidor I'm building, you will need 1 pc. 5" x 48" and 1 2" x 48" to make 2 shelves. You don't have to get the Sp Cedar but it really makes the coolidor smell lika a humidor ;D ONLY GET SPANISH CEDAR FOR THE SMELL AND IT HELPS CONTROL THE RH
Link to locations
http://www.rockler.com/retail/retail.cfm

I bought selves from Bargin Humidors for $9.99 each plus shipping
link
http://www.bargainhumidors.com/bh/ProductI...uctid=ACC-TRAYS
And 2 Hygrometer, 1 in the top & 1 in the bottom, also from them.(not in Photo)
link
http://www.bargainhumidors.com/bh/ProductI...id=ACC-CALIBER3


So after all this I let it set for 5 days with the polymers in it to season and get the humidity to stabilize. It now sets at 68deg and 65% RH

I use a Cigar Oasis to help control humidity in it as well
 
Update #1:

I hard wired a Watlow SD temp controller using a thermocouple type t2. This will let the Haier have power at all times and I set the temp from 67 -63 degrees F instead of 60 - 52 (factory red wine setting). I debated the Johnson controller but the whole unit will power off unless it is cooling so I decided to go a little overboard with the Watlow controller.

Phase 2:

This weekend I am installing two low voltage fans to circulate the air.

Phase 3 starts on Monday. I purchased 3/8 cedar wood and I am lining the whole unit and making 3-4 slide out shelves and the rest for box storage. Two pounds of beads will maintain the humidity. I have been taking pics so I will post a nice tutorial/final images when it is done.

Thanks to everyone who provided input to date!!!
 
ghost said:
Hello Gents:

Any comments on the Avanti 28? Here is a link of the one I am considering picking up:

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00097CVB0/104-3291809-0631904

I plan on storing it in the garage as it is the coolest place in the house. I live in NY and in the winters there is no problem. Come spring and summer it is a whole different matter. During these months the temp in the garage sits around the mid 70s. On the hottest days of last year (100s) it hit 80s in their. So the main purpose of getting this is to keep the smokes cool in the summer. I can basically have it unplugged in the winter and fall.

Thanks
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I live in a tiny NYC apartment. I have an EdgeStar 18-bottle, and I flippin' love it--if I had a garage, I would've gone bigger, but with my limited space, the 18 is good. In conjunction with Heartfelt beads, this thing works like a dream. One bit of advice though, you'll likely find it for a better price on ebay. BTW, I don't think there's much difference between Avanti and EdgeStar.

Don't forget to post some pics here once you've got it all set up! :)
 
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