Author Topic: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer  (Read 3843 times)

Offline Cartierusm

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Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« on: December 13, 2008, 07:04:20 PM »
Ok, here's my saga for the cheese frig. I didn't want to spend a lot of money. I ended up getting for $75 including tax a 1.7 cuFt. frig at Target. It uses TEC, Thermoelectric Cooler, which I don't like. I've built devices with them before and they can burn out and draw a lot of power. So I kept checking Craig's List and found this perfect, same manufacturer and size, frig. $20 Sweet plus it was the old compressor style. I added my own personalization.

Cheese Head

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Re: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« Reply #1 on: December 14, 2008, 02:12:49 PM »
Cartierusm, I may have missed it in another one of your posts in a different thread, do you have an external thermostat to control the temp or does this style fridge go high enough with it's internal thermostat and how are you going to control the humidity?

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« Reply #2 on: December 14, 2008, 08:18:35 PM »
No I never mentioned it but yes it will be temp controlled by a Ranco ETC. I have a few of these from wine making. I'm not sure if I'll ripen the blue cheese in here by itself and just clean the frig everytime, which is not hard - just some lysol spray, or put it in a tupperware. I think I'll just do that so I don't have to open up the tupperware to exchange the air. I can just walk by and open it for a couple of seconds.

wharris

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Re: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« Reply #3 on: December 14, 2008, 09:11:14 PM »
I have a large standup freezer, that my (ever so accomodating) wife has given me permission to repurpose for a cheese cave. 
This is a 26cuft freezer.

I am thinking of getting an external thermostat for the freezer. 

Anyone think that will not work?

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« Reply #4 on: December 14, 2008, 09:27:38 PM »
It will work perfect. The good part about it is the freezer is large enough to put in a humidifier that has a control on it. I use one for my wine cellar it goes up to 90%. I recommend Ranco model 0000-111 ETC. They are about $50 new unwired and $70-$100 wired. They are simple to wire. The best part is they are digital so they are easy to set and use. If you want to know how to wire it let me know.

Cheese Head

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Re: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« Reply #5 on: December 14, 2008, 09:29:49 PM »
Wayne, some notes on my current Cheese Cave here based on a chest style freezer and external thermostat, I've had problems getting the humidity too low.

An upright style is way more user friendly, I'm very envious. What is the cooling mechanism, forced dehumidified air like big fridges in which case you will not have enough humidity and will have to employ a solution lie Cartierusm or a more manual system of water bucket and towel over the edge as a wick, or radient like my chest freezer and too much humidity as sealed unit?

Tea

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Re: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« Reply #6 on: December 15, 2008, 09:18:42 PM »
I just wanted to add that I love how you "name" everything.  Very classy. How are you doing it?

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« Reply #7 on: December 15, 2008, 10:43:50 PM »
LOL...Thanks, but I don't name EVERYTHING...if you catch my drift. I enjoy making things look professional. To do it I have a vinyl plotter. I design it on my computer then it cuts it out on vinyl.

Offline Cartierusm

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Re: Carter's Cheese Cave #1 - Mini Radient Fridge-Freezer
« Reply #8 on: December 16, 2008, 10:21:23 AM »
So the frig is up and running with temp control. I need 50F for Blue Cheese with 95% humidity. So I turned it on and set a hygrometer in there. After about 1 hour or so it was 50F and 80% humidity. SO I'm going to air it out again and see if I can get rid of the lysol smell (read other post), then try it with the humidity packs I have. I think I'll still spray the walls of the frig every other day so the humidity packs don't work too hard.