URGENT Wine Cooler Questions

S

SilverFox

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I have decided to go wine fridge, I am tired of managing my 4 Humis and my cooler and want to consolidate.

Given the difficulty in find a Vino here in Canada at a price I am willing to live with I have one question.

Is a thermoelectric unit necessary and if so why.

I have a couple of purchase options that I want to look at today so the sooner the better gentlemen
 
I would have to say yes. I had a Avanti wine coolidore before I got my Avallo. Thermoelectric cooling allows you to maintain proper humidity and does not dry out your cigars the way a condenser cooled unit would. Using a condenser cooled unit would be like storing your sticks in the refrigerator - not a good thing.

Is cooling an issue where you are? If not a large cooler placed in a cool room should do the trick. Living in the southern U.S., I don't have a choice.
 
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silverfox67 said:
I have decided to go wine fridge, I am tired of managing my 4 Humis and my cooler and want to consolidate.

Given the difficulty in find a Vino here in Canada at a price I am willing to live with I have one question.

Is a thermoelectric unit necessary and if so why.

I have a couple of purchase options that I want to look at today so the sooner the better gentlemen
Click to expand...

When a thermoelectric unit kicks in it does not pull your RH down like a compressor run unit does. This is necessary in warmer climates. The room I keep my vinotemp in stays around 65-70°F (below ground level) year around so I never run my vinotemp. I would think where you live, it probably doesn't get that warm. If you could find a non-working vinotemp that would be ideal. I searched for one for quite awhile without any luck. If I found one today I'd grab it. I've also heard of these turning up at Goodwill or Thrift stores. Hope this helps.

Rick
:cb
 
Just to clarify, a thermoelectric doesn't pull your humidity down as much as a condensor unit, but it still does pull it down.

Both can be managed, the condensor being a little more work. The vino has a good stock thermostat, meaning it will go up to 66 or so, many others will not. If you can't get the temp up you can buy a Johnson external thermostat to cycle the power on and off to regulate temp.

If you go condensor route you'll likely need to really beef up on the beads or go active humidier.

With either unit, there is a drain that funnel condensate out of the interior to a tray on the exterior. This keeps food from getting soggy and moldy. You will need to plug this drain and collect the condensate for reuse or disposal.

That all being said, I would go with thermoelectric if possible, very quiet, efficient units.
 
jkorp said:
Just to clarify, a thermoelectric doesn't pull your humidity down as much as a condensor unit, but it still does pull it down.

Both can be managed, the condensor being a little more work. The vino has a good stock thermostat, meaning it will go up to 66 or so, many others will not. If you can't get the temp up you can buy a Johnson external thermostat to cycle the power on and off to regulate temp.

If you go condensor route you'll likely need to really beef up on the beads or go active humidier.

With either unit, there is a drain that funnel condensate out of the interior to a tray on the exterior. This keeps food from getting soggy and moldy. You will need to plug this drain and collect the condensate for reuse or disposal.

That all being said, I would go with thermoelectric if possible, very quiet, efficient units.
Click to expand...


Definitely agree. I have a Haier 122 bottle cooler that is condenser cooled. I keep 2 lbs of 70% beads in there and a Hydra unit. I put the cooler on a timer that turns on for 1 hour and off for 2 hours. The RH ranges from 59-72% and the cigars smoke great. The TE units are definitely easier to control but the condenser units are not that bad to manage. If you need a lot of space I wouldn't hesitate getting a condenser unit as long as you stay on top of it.
 
mikeyj23 said:
I just calculated UPS shipping for the 28 bottle one - the cheapest would come out to $98. So, in answer to your question, yes.
Click to expand...

UPS Standard
Guaranteed By:
By End of Day
Tuesday
April 22, 2008
Billable Weight: 74.0 lbs.
5:00 P.M.
Friday
April 18, 2008 6:00 P.M.
Friday
April 18, 2008 73.75 CAD*

This is using the VT-28 SW Model which would make the total $193...

The shipping sucks, and who knows what they'll actually charge but that is normally what they are at target anyway so i wouldn't write it off as an option.
 
pbrennan10 said:
. . . This is using the VT-28 SW Model which would make the total $193...

The shipping sucks, and who knows what they'll actually charge but that is normally what they are at target anyway so i wouldn't write it off as an option.
Click to expand...

To WV it may be that much. I was calculating to me (TX) and the cheapest option was $98USD, making the total cost $217+whatever taxes.
 
pbrennan10 said:
http://www.vinocool.com/products.htm

Is the shipping outrageous?

They have some deals on thermoelectric.
Click to expand...

The site says VinoCool. When the pics are enlarged they say Vinotemp, but looking at the 28 bottle size, it doesn't look the same as the Vinotemp 28 bottle size sold by Target. The one sold by Target has the controls on the outside just above the door. The dimensions, temp range and warranty for the 28 bottle at Vinocool are not the same as the Vinotemp 28 bottle sold by Target.
 
DAL said:
The site says VinoCool. When the pics are enlarged they say Vinotemp, but looking at the 28 bottle size, it doesn't look the same as the Vinotemp 28 bottle size sold by Target. The one sold by Target has the controls on the outside just above the door. The dimensions, temp range and warranty for the 28 bottle at Vinocool are not the same as the Vinotemp 28 bottle sold by Target.
Click to expand...

Vinocool is blowing out there Vinos and not carrying thermo anymore they only have 10 bottle size and less in the thermos
 
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