Where to place sensors/humidifiers?

[Knargle]

I have a tallish (9 shelf) compressor fridge controlled by an external thermostat/hygrostat that run on one sensor, and I've often wondered what's the most appropriate part of the fridge to place the sensor.

Currently I have it sitting about 1/3 of the way up from the bottom, very close to the door of the fridge. But it's worth pointing out that I live in a hot/humid climate, so every time the door is opened, hot/humid air rushes straight past the sensor, sending the readings haywire. So I'm wondering if it would be better to place it towards the back, but then it's very close to the condensor, which is usually covered with condensation... Or if it should really be in the centre of the fridge, at the middle of the temperature gradient and halfway between door and coils.

Another thing bugging me is where to place the humidifier (a DIY ultrasonic with a fan)? I decided on putting it on the topmost shelf, assuming that the wet air would fall through to the lower parts of the fridge. I figured that if it were put in the bottom of the fridge, the humid air just wouldn't circulate up to the top - right? And I fear putting it in the middle because the fridge is pretty crowded, so I worry that the humid air would just end up building up somewhere and dripping onto the cheese.

Has anyone else given this any thought?

[Lancer99]

K, you might consider adding a small fan.  I don't use one in my "cheese vault," but use a computer fan, cranked down to its lowest, in my 7 x 4 x 1 -1/2 foot mushroom (eating not magical types!) growout chamber, and it evens out the humidity from top to bottom.  Probably too much for a smaller space, but you can get smaller (2" ) "personal" fans that run off a USB charger.

Maybe the fan on your DIY humidifier is already providing enough air circulation, so just a thought.

-L

[Knargle]

Thanks for the input

The fridge does already have a large fan running at the top, actually. It doesn't blow down into the fridge, but blows backwards, pulling air from below up, and circulating it down the back wall where the coils are. I presume this does even the humidity and temperature out, but I do worry that it causes too much air movement. The reality is that it's absolutely necessary, I guess, since without it the temperature gradient (over about 5 feet) would be a whopping 6-7C, and who knows how the humidity would change...