So I have some experience with Charcuterie which requires pretty tight tolerances for temperature and humidity. I've seen a lot of questions about how to set up a cave to control these factors so I though I'd explain my setup. I have two of these and the keep the temp rock solid and the humidity within a a few percent of whatever you decide. Hope this is helpful.
#1) You need a frost free freezer. This is important because they have a dehumidifier built in that will be your negative humidity force. You can find these for a hundred bucks, more if you want a commercial style. I found this one for $500 from a restaurant surplus store.
(http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa428/jasonworks/IMG_0090.jpg)
I like the commercial style because they will hold a ton of stuff. It can hold five or six times what it has now. (this is a True T23f)
(http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa428/jasonworks/IMG_0100.jpg)
#2) You need to control temperature and humidity so in this picture you can see a low voltage computer fan and a humidifier. (You can also see how I plumed a hole in the back to feed a thermostat and the power source. you can stuff the hole with a big piece of foam to keep it insulated.)
(http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa428/jasonworks/IMG_0091.jpg)
These can't run all the time so you need to control them. I use the following controls.
(http://i1197.photobucket.com/albums/aa428/jasonworks/IMG_0098.jpg)
I use a Dayton 1UHG3 hygrometer ($58) and a Woods 59366 Lamp and Appliance Timer ($6).
#3) It is helpful to have a remote unit to tell you the conditions inside your space without having to go out and check it. I use an Oregon Scientific BAR208HGA ($39) This gives me a display inside the house that will monitor up to three sensors.
#4) Lastly, you need the Temperature controller for the freezer. I use a Freezer Temperature Controller from kegworks on Amazon. ($51) There are lots of versions of these including some that are digital.
So basically, The freezer unit kicks on when the box gets too warm. This sucks some of the humidity out of the air. The hygrometer recognizes that the humidity is low so it turns on the humidifier. The computer fan will go on and off periodically to circulate the air.
The only other factor is adding a small heat source when it gets too cold outside but this has not been a problem for me. If you have a push pull effect with both temperature and humidity, you can control them very precisely.
Anyway, I hope this helps someone... Let me know if you have any questions.
Jason
Good show, ordinary Jason. That deserves a cheese!
Very eloquent and thorough presentation. I'm sure there are some folks on the forum who will benefit from what you've put together here.
Very helpful, Jason. Have a cheese on me too.
-Boofer-
Thank you for the feedback. I have learned so much here and I'm such a rookie so it is great to feel like I can help someone else out.
Thanks,
Jason
6 cheeses in 27 posts! I thinI you've set a new record. Keep up the good work.