Vinotemp Runs Constantly

[Prospector]

Originally Posted by Golfman

I live in a crappy walk up apartment in NYC... During the summer months the ambient temp in my room approaches probabyl about 98 degrees... the temp in the Vino at its highest is around 80 degress but thats rare... it reaches about 78 when i get home and the humidity is usually about 55%. When I turn the AC on the temp runs down to 67 but the humidity remains at about 55%. The humidity is higher on the bottom about 65% because the humidity isnt condensin on the bottom only where the fan blowing in is the humidity really low for my tastes.

I had no idea that there were different types of Vinotemps. I just bought one. How do i know if its thermo electric or compressor cooled? I just ran out and got some putty. I'll seal up the drainage hole for good when i get home and recharge the beads... I'll update you all and see if it makes a difference

Based on your symptoms I would say that you do indeed have a thermoelectric unit. They are only capable of cooling 20 to 30 degrees below ambient, which is what you are seeing. I am at a loss to explain the condensation, however. That shouldn't be happening at those temperatures.

The daily temperature fluctuations might explain the inability to adequately regulate RH. The time required to stabilize RH is longer than the daily temperature cycle times, and RH is a function of temperature. Not sure how to resolve it, though.

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by Prospector

I am at a loss to explain the condensation, however. That shouldn't be happening at those temperatures.

I beg to differ. With temperature changes and ambiet temps he is seeing it would be impossible not to have condensation. The harder the unit has to work the more water the cooler will condese out of the air. When it is up to 90+ ambient the cooler is working at it's maximum output to cool the cabinet. He is going to have to collect and return the condensate to the air in some fashion.

Originally Posted by Prospector

The daily temperature fluctuations might explain the inability to adequately regulate RH. The time required to stabilize RH is longer than the daily temperature cycle times, and RH is a function of temperature.

True but with a plugged drain and more beads or some other method he can reduce that to a minimum. My rH is affected the same as his with the temperature swings. My modifications have reduced those effects to nill except for a small portion of the day. Even when allowed to go extremely low during testing my edgestar was able to recover to within 2% of 65% rH within 6 hours with 2-3lbs of beads.

Originally Posted by Prospector

Based on your symptoms I would say that you do indeed have a thermoelectric unit. They are only capable of cooling 20 to 30 degrees below ambient, which is what you are seeing. I am at a loss to explain the condensation, however. That shouldn't be happening at those temperatures.

The daily temperature fluctuations might explain the inability to adequately regulate RH. The time required to stabilize RH is longer than the daily temperature cycle times, and RH is a function of temperature. Not sure how to resolve it, though.

Yea I would concure with kydsid that I have a thermoelectric unit. I definitely dont have a cooling tank on the bottom of the humi...

I can literally see the beads of water flowing down the back of the humi. There is no question condensation is occuring. Unfortunately I have to keep the humi at the lowest possible setting otherwise i run the risk of infestation... Ultimately my cigars feel spongy and they taste fine but I want the peace of mind that they are resting steady at 65% all over my humi... I will not be defeated by nature or physics... or a vino temp...

Pretty strange....I haven't had any beads of water in mine since last summer (ever) and I live in L.A. Mine is steady 65-65....sorry you're having this problem. I do have my drain plugged, for what it's worth.

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

Pretty strange....I haven't had any beads of water in mine since last summer (ever) and I live in L.A. Mine is steady 65-65....sorry you're having this problem. I do have my drain plugged, for what it's worth.

Yea I have no idea whats going on... I'll plug the drain real nice when I get home... then maybe things will stabilize...

[kydsid]

Originally Posted by mrreindeer

Pretty strange....I haven't had any beads of water in mine since last summer (ever) and I live in L.A. Mine is steady 65-65....sorry you're having this problem. I do have my drain plugged, for what it's worth.

But what is the ambient temp in the room it is in? And does that temperature vary throughout the day?

Originally Posted by kydsid

But what is the ambient temp in the room it is in? And does that temperature vary throughout the day?

It can really vary...lately it's been in the mid to upper '70's...sometimes caps out in the mid to upper '80's. The temp really does vary. We live by the ocean so it gets warm during the day and then really cools off at night.

Alright, so I went out and bought silicone putty and i plugged the hole completely and put a small silica sheet over the drain and rested a bag of beads over the drain to collect condensating water. The humidity is 65% in the middle of the humi but its sitting still at 57% on the bottom of the humi. I know humidity rises so its possible that over time the whole humi will aclimate to 65% rH. The one thing I did notice was that the temperature was real low when I woke up this morning... 60 degrees... I think the fact that i plugged the drain air tight helped keep in the temperature. Hopefully humidity will be locked in the same. I have about 2 and half beads in there all of which are located on the bottom of the humi and I have a cigar oasis running on the top shelf near the cooling fan. When I get home tonight i'll give another update as to the status of the humi.

Thanks again for all your help guys.

[rack04]

I have the opposite results in my Vinotemp. My Vinotemp runs constantly but I have a problem keeping the humidity down. It probably has something to do with the ambient relative humidity. One thing to be sure of is that you are reading the humidity inside of the cigar boxes. If not, you are getting skewed readings due to the humidity swings in the Vinotemp. Well, this assumes that you store your cigars in boxes. At times I have reported humidity inside the Vinotemp at 74% but inside of cigar boxes the reading is 67%. Right now mine holds true to 64% top and 67% bottom.