Author Topic: Mini humidifier  (Read 2893 times)

Offline scasnerkay

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Mini humidifier
« on: November 24, 2015, 01:14:12 AM »
My new cave is a mini frig with the cooling coils in a plate along the inside back wall of the frig. Ice will collect there, even when it is running at 55 degrees, but then it melts and runs down the panel to a drain at the bottom, and goes out to an evaporation plate resting on the compressor.  I thought humidity was fine at first - my gauge indicated 85%. But it is not right, as I can see from all the cracking on my lovely cheeses  :-[. I placed some cheesecloth on the back panel, hoping it will get wet with the melting ice. And I placed a small basin of water with a paper towel wick to add moisture. Still too dry  :'(.
Any recommendations for a mini humidifier?? The unit from PC is too big for the size of the frig unfortunately.
Susan

Offline Gregore

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Re: Mini humidifier
« Reply #1 on: November 24, 2015, 05:21:14 AM »
The best way is to use smaller containers where you can control how much the lid is on .  A slight mist on the inside cover means you are at the correct humidity

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Mini humidifier
« Reply #2 on: November 24, 2015, 05:43:57 AM »
Hi Susan, when you say small... how small ?  I have a cave cube and works really well - maybe John could make a micro cube.  Though if its really small then what Gregore mentions is probably the only way.  It is really difficult maintaining a set humidity in a small space because it doesn't take to much of a change in temp to reek havoc with the humidity.  I have a VinTech wine fridge as my primary cave
http://www.vintec.com.au/index.php?section=products&id=68
and even that only take less than 2 minutes to go from 85% to less than 60% when the compressor kicks in.  The cave cube still take about 3-4 minutes to get it back up to 85%.  The pan in the bottom doesn't really do much unless you can generate a bit of air movement via a fan but the big killer is the fridge itself.  The other issue with a fridge is the internal thermostat are set too fine and with a separate Thermometer mine varies not even 1 degree and the fridge kicks in... I am now looking as by passing that with an externally controlled thermostat.  Oh I which I have a real dripping limestone cave :)

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Offline scasnerkay

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Re: Mini humidifier
« Reply #3 on: November 25, 2015, 02:52:11 AM »
Mini caves within this 4.4 cubic ft cave would mean less room for cheese! And that is what it it all about! These wheels all range between 3 and almost 7 pounds! Finding mini cave containers would be difficult.
However... I think I have an improvement, courtesy of Yoav (Iratherfly) and an old post I found. I hung a piece of cheesecloth on the back cooling plate inside the cave. Then using an aquarium pump to push air from outside the cave, I put the end of the tubing coming out of the pump through the frame of the door, and behind the sheet of cheesecloth. I am not sure what aspect of this is helping, but I am now about 80 to 85% humidity.
I will keep an eye on it and update!
Susan

Offline OzzieCheese

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Re: Mini humidifier
« Reply #4 on: November 25, 2015, 04:19:39 AM »
Well there you go - necessity being the mother of invention.  I would have never thought to use an aquarium pump.. Amazing.... and a Cheese for you ingenuity.

-- Mal
Usually if one person asks a question then 10 are waiting for the answer - Please ask !