quote:

Originally posted by allforcigars:
hey aphex, I sent you an email regarding some information. HIt me back as soon as you can, Thanks in Advance.

Absolutley, man. I will be near my laptop tomorrow afternoon and I'll write back. cheers!

just keeping it alive

Awesome thread guys. Beautiful pics too.

Those trays are gorgeous MTMouse!

Is anyone else having humidity problems? I can't keep it down. I now have 8lbs of kitty beads in my cooler. I have about 1/2 pound to a pound in the humi itself in tupperware containers and a huge brownie tray full of beads. The humidity hangs around 65%-67%. Normally, this isn't bad, but I have a decent amount of cubans(dwindling fast) in there. I'd like to see how they do around 62% humidity.

One day, I put the hygrometer in the cooler outside the humi by the brownie pan of beads and it read 57%. I got all excited. Two days later when I tried it, the humidity got up to 71%. I thought we were trying to add humidity to these things, not remove it. Strange.

Still got the baking soda in mine to get rid of the plastic smell. Didn't have it at first but it built up and was pretty bad. My Oasis should be here in a few days.

So far so good on my new wine cooler humi. Sitting at 65 degrees, and anywhere from 64%-67% Rh. It fluctuates up and down, but never below those numbers, the cigar oasis is great, and the two xikar humidifiers up top are working great as well.

I have a bowl of heartfelt beads soaking up the condensation, and no boxes touching the back of the cooler, as I dont want to get anything wet. I pull everything out about 1 a week, to wipe down the inside, of any wetness(which there usually isnt much). Im already wishing I would have went bigger with the Wine Cooler, Its already full, and two more boxes on the way.

Everyone.. lets see some pics.. I will as well this weekend(cigars included)

Allfor... what you said about not wanting to get anything wet is spot on

When I first put my fridge together I had condensation soak one of my boxes... I opened up to inspect one day and found the outside of a box of Regalos soaked.... it was a lesson I learnt early - dont allow boxes to touch the back wall and dont put them on the very bottom either.

Got my Oasis XL in my cooler today. Everything is set, with cigars in place, at 66 degrees and 68% humidity. Baking soda got the plastic smell out finally. I just put some electrical tape over the drain hole and filled it up with silica beads. I will get pics tomorrow. I think its the best deal I have spent money on in a while.

Love the thread and glad to see the progress you guys are making. Justin

That's great Justin!

I’m not having as much luck - I think my shelves are preventing my Cigar Oasis from circulating the air and keeping ahead of the cooler plate which is just drinking out any humidity lol.

So I've got some beads on order, and some DC fans and a power supply to get things circulating, and plans for a seamless, factory looking install.

I did get the ExTech thermo-hygro and it is brilliant. It uses a glass bulb-type sensor and is very accurate based on two tests that I've done with it. The good news is that the temp reported by my cooler is the temp inside within a degree or two depending on the cycle - I know it doesn't matter, but I'm the type of person who worries when reading don't match the actual value lol.

Justin, will be looking for those pics!

quote:

Originally posted by allforcigars:
So far so good on my new wine cooler humi. Sitting at 65 degrees, and anywhere from 64%-67% Rh. It fluctuates up and down, but never below those numbers, the cigar oasis is great, and the two xikar humidifiers up top are working great as well.

Hey man, the humidity fluctuation isn't a big issue, as the boxes and bags you're using will totally buffer it and I doubt they swing internally more than a point, if that. I'm sure you know this, but I'm making the point for the record. Cheers!

icall, I have no idea why you are having so much trouble getting humidity to go DOWN. It must be your freaky Florida air, man. Keep us posted, you'll figure somethign out and I'm sure it will be valuable info!

quote:

icall, I have no idea why you are having so much trouble getting humidity to go DOWN. It must be your freaky Florida air, man. Keep us posted, you'll figure somethign out and I'm sure it will be valuable info!

I'm up to 8lbs of beads. I rotate them out every day. I got the humidity down to 62 for 1/2 a day. Then right back to 64. As long as I can keep it under 65 for the next few weeks, I'll be happy. At least until I get rid of the cubans.

8lbs of beads. Thats crazy. Get an Oasis.

I use 1 lb of heartfelt beads at the 70% level. works fine for about 6 months.

quote:

8lbs of beads. Thats crazy. Get an Oasis

I have an Oasis. The Oasis provides humidity. I'm looking to remove it. For some reason my wine cooler adds humidity.

It may be the combination of my humidor and the wine cooler. I may have to just give in, kick the wife's wine out and follow this thread. Man I suck at woodworking!

Any significant updates from anyone?

I'm just now getting mine to tame down. I am using a pound and a half of beads (65%) and they do a fantastic job, I'm really impressed. The cigar oasis helps recovery, but I might remove it eventually who knows.

My biggest problem is the veritable waterfall down the moisture chute in the back. I have an extra half pound of beads (70%) in a mesh bag and it is getting soaked like you wouldn't believe. I had to take it out once a day and it would be dripping. Is this much condensation normal???

But then I realized that with my cigar oasis set at 70% from before I had the beads, it was preventing the 70% beads from evaporating...makes sense no? So I set it down to 60% and I do believe that I've made progress, less water build up in the 70% beads...crossing my fingers, I'd hate to add more.

I still need some air circulation and I have parts on the way. I have cigars on the way as well. So I am under pressure. I like it that way.

This message has been edited. Last edited by: aphexafx,

quote:

Originally posted by icall:
I'm up to 8lbs of beads. I rotate them out every day. I got the humidity down to 62 for 1/2 a day. Then right back to 64. As long as I can keep it under 65 for the next few weeks, I'll be happy. At least until I get rid of the cubans.

icall! Eight pounds??? Holy crap, dude.

I do not understand where all of the excess moisture is coming from in your setup. Obviously it must be the ambient air - but you said that your ambient RH was less than 70%! I just don't get it.

Hey Man, I get some condensation. But not enough to where I have to wipe it down daily. I take out the beads once a week and let them drain. The beads are fairly absorbed, but not enough to where its getting on my boxes. The bottom of my cooler is always bone dry! I have my Cigar Oasis set at 63, and two Xikar 70% crystal humidifiers up top on each side of the wall. It balances out to around 66%-68%. My cigars are smoking better than ever. I am practically full.. and still have 1 box of HOYO Limitadas, 1 box Cohiba Coronas Esp., and 1 box Cohiba Siglo VI all on the way.. hope they can fit!!

Thx allfor, I think your setup is an inspiration to us all, seriously. I was thinking about it and perhaps it is because you have yours filled? Not only does all that cigar box cedar help buffer the RH, but there is less free air to maintain???

I've got mine hitting 64% and going stable, but it takes about two hours - regardless, I’ve started moving what stock I have into it and I really think this has helped.

I am pretty sure my Cigar Oasis being set at 70% was overriding my beads that I’m using to soak up and reemit condensation.

Things are looking up! Btw, your taste in cigars is just fantastic dude.

M,
The excessive condensation is usually the result of large differences in temp between the inside and outside of the fridge.

I had this problem as well and as soon as I put the internal temp up from 60 to 64 I had half as much condensation... and when I went to 67 it disappeared altogether.

I do get a few drops forming when we have unusually hot days - thus making the difference between inside and outside bigger... but it is no problem when it happens this infrequently and with very little moisture.

Having more beads or an oasis emitting moisture is not likely to increase condensation at the rate you are seeing... it is the thermoelectric unit producing it... not the internal RH conditions.

quote:

Originally posted by aphexafx:
Thx allfor, I think your setup is an inspiration to us all, seriously. I was thinking about it and perhaps it is because you have yours filled? Not only does all that cigar box cedar help buffer the RH, but there is less free air to maintain???
Things are looking up! Btw, your taste in cigars is just fantastic dude.

Thanks aphex, I have been pretty lucky with everything working out just great. I think your right about the boxes. Since mine is full I think its the cedar is soaking up alot of the moisture. Once you start filling yours up, i think the Rh will balance out.