Beads!

[Wascal]

I got a large 65% humidifier from Vern back in the winter for one of my coolers. As long as the humidity was low outside it worked great. Now that summer is here with the higher humidity I can't keep the cooler below 70%. Have taken the unit out twice and dried the beads. Will pull the humidity down to 67% or 68% for 5 or 6 days after drying then it's right back up to 70%.

Cooler is in my computer room with air conditioning. Cooler gets opened 3-4 times a week. Plug is closed. The other 2 coolers with 70% beads are holding a solid 70%. They are all 120q so the volume should be enought to handle a quick opening or 2.

 

[emodx]

Do you have enough beads? If so, what are they in? And where are they at? I put my beads in 3 different palces in the fridgedor. All of them are in pantyhose to allow maximum surface contact. Surface are is a bigger factor in humidity regulation than volume is.

Emo

 

[Allofus123]

First things first..... how are you measuring the humidity? Does each cooler have a hygrometer? Change the beads from your rock steady cooler with the one you're having problems with. Do not change anything other than the beads. Measure the humidity with the same hygrometers used in each cooler regularly. If the problem continues in the same cooler than you know its a problem with that cooler. If the problem switches coolers (and you're useing the same hygrometers regularly in the coolers) than it very well could be the beads need to be recharged. They can lose their memory if they have been at a different humidity level for a long period of time. Of couse I stand to be corrected by Vern on that.

The key here is to only change one thing at a time when looking for regulating humidity problems. This takes time.....there's no other way to do it. Its a lot easier to discover a problem this way than to blindly change multiple things.

 

[emodx]

 

[Wascal]

The beads are in Vern's custom made Respiracicn De La Habana, made for 200 cf.
It is attached to the lid of the cooler. The coolers have pen type hydrometers that Hotek used to sell. All have been salt tested and corrected. Am going to take the unit out and dry the beads one more time. If that doesn't work will write Vern.

 

[emodx]

What is the temp in there when you check the RH? Remember that the 2 are directly related. Our A/C went out for 4 days, and during those 4 days the RH in my fridgedor went up by %4. The other thing is did you put anything new in there recently?

Emo

 

[DaveWF]

The other thing is did you put anything new in there recently?

Emo

Like a large bowl or water or something like that?

Bwwaaaaahahahaha


Sorry, just couldn't help myself

 

[wk-mang]

Hmmm... interesting problem Bruddah. It could possibly be your hygrometer as was previously mentioned or maybe it's the seal on your cooler. I had this problem with one of my 120 Qt Igloos.... the seal wasn't as tight as I thought it was. I use 2 digital hygrometers in each cooler, one on top and one on the bottom. My bottom hygrometer kept reading a low RH and I would constantly fill my Respiracion de la Habana with water but still the reading was low. Although I live in the middle of the ocean my house is air conditioned so the RH is relatively low most of the time. I finally figured it out and then went to Walmart and bought a couple of nylon ratchet tie-downs... the type used to secure cargo in truck beds. I put the tie-down around the bottom portion of the cooler and tightened the ratchet and after 24 hours... BINGO! The reading on both top and bottom hygrometers were at 66%... problem solved!

Since then, I now use the tie-downs on all my Igloodors just to be safe and the Respiracion de la Habana Humidifiers are holding the RH at a steady 65% - 67% without problem. Hope this helps!

Aloha,

Wade

 

[Wascal]

Wade, thanks brudda. Never thought about the cooler not sealing. :0 Stay tuned.

 

[wk-mang]

Aloha,

Wade