Increasing humidity when a programmable humidifier indicates "max"

[ArnaudForestier]

Ugh.  I have an issue whereby my programmable humidifier is indicating its "max" RH of 90%, yet a new remote sensor is showing no higher than 70%RH.  I've tried placing the sensor closer to the humidifier outlet, but that won't do much good anyway, since it is the fridge in toto that I want to know about.  I can at least measure the accuracy of the remote (cannot calibrate), but am not hopeful. 

Outside of pitching the humidifier as a cave option - not a good choice, for us - any suggestions for how to increase the humidity of the cooler, without causing the programmable humidifier to shut off?

[KosherBaker]

This is for your walk in, right? The now famous spread out cloth dipped in a bowl of water with a fan blowing behind it is all I got. If that doesn't do it I saw someone post about a saltwater solution. Maybe you can look that up.
Also, it would be great to check the sensor accuracy. I think LB posted the instructions on how to do it, but I can't seem to remember. Sorry. I'm not sure if I'm being too helpful, but hopefully someone else will chime in with some ideas.

[ArnaudForestier]

Hi Kosher, no, this is just a converted refrigerator.  I guess my use of "reefer" is apparently a so-Cal thing, as you're not the first to think I was talking about a walk-in (I wish....but then, I wish for a true cave, underground....!). 

The issue I'm having is that the programmable humidifier nominally goes to 90% - then shuts off when it's sensor registers that maximum.  The trouble is, the wireless I have is registering lower. 

So, if I presume it's the case of an accurate remote sensor and a bad humidifier sensor,  I was hopeful of finding a way of gaming the system somehow by increasing the humidity while keeping the humidifier rolling...perhaps, a separate level of the refrigerator that gets some of the humidifier humidity, but increased by some of the methods you suggest.  The good news out of this, I think, is that I had wanted a drying chamber at 55F and 90-75% RH, per some thoughts gleaned from Linuxboy.  I strongly suspect I have strata of different RH's within this one cooler, and that would be ideal, for me.

I know that if I simply put a pan or something like this by the humidifier, it will only shut off "sooner," not achieve a higher RH than 90%.  More than you asked for, I'm sure.  On the highest nominal RH, the good news, or at least better news, is that even the remote sensor is now registering 87%, but it sure took it's sweet time to get there.  I actually do not trust either of the sensors, and will back them  up with an analog, calibratable hygrometer.  Hopefully, it will either show one of them is spot on, or if not, that it is consistently off so I can work an an assumed difference.

Linux, if you're watching - presume an RH in the high 80's will mean b. linens will likely not do so well, yes?  Based on some other comments you made - basically, a simpler notion of tomme, not the kitchen-sink idea; emphasizing mycodore/derm - I get the wisdom, so am not too terribly disappointed at this juncture if the red-smear characteristics are muted, or even almost nil.  But it would be nice to know the field of play among Geo, P. candidum, KL71, mycodore/derm, b. linens, for different cheeses, or different variations on a given cheese, with an RH in the high 80's as opposed to 90, or 95%.

[linuxboy]

High 80s means b linens will grow, but slowly. Other molds easily outcompete with it. when you're at 90-92%, the b linens and geotrichum go back and forth in the first 10 days, fighting for dominance. But at 85-88%, b linens will be slow and spotty, makes for a mottled kind of look.

Here's a good rule of thumb... in the mid to high 80s, yeasts, mycodore, and mycoderm can compete with molds. When you get to 90-95, they don't compete as well. When you get to 95, they can hardly compete with b linens and geo. When you get to 98, even geo can't compete well with b linens.

So that's why I usually will start at 85, and watch for growth. if b linens/geo balance is too slow, I move the wheels to a more humid part or put a box over some wheels to help the growth. If they are too fast, I'll let them slow down in a less humid part. This is for the first week. After that, a steady 85-88 RH makes for a good rind, and then brush back depending on how you want it to come out. More brushing = thinner rind because of less mold growth.

[ArnaudForestier]

Perfect, as usual, linux.  A thousand thanks!

Paul