Thread: Converting Danby DWC286BLS Wine Fridge to cigar Humidor

Hello Gentlemen!

I purchased a wine fridge off of craigslist today for $40, the fridge was not cooling anymore so the gentleman i got it from decided to sell it to me for next to nothing (it costs $400 new!) I looked up a couple of links to set this bad boy up including this one: Converting a Wine Fridge/Cooler into a humidor. | CigarChoice.net- Cigar Reviews and News
what do yall think about that? I set it up in an area by my kitchen that was perfect for it (already have my desktop humi set up there) anywho, i cleaned it using mild dishwashing detergent, luckily it has cedar trays so it already smells like a humidor inside! it came with these two plastic tubs that i cleaned and filled with distilled water to humidifie it, i also put an empty cigar box in it (God of Fires yummy cigars!) with strips of cedar and a cheap hygrometer just for a ballpark humidity level. Let me know what yall think! thanks!

I would invest in an active humidifier rather than a passive one. It's too big to just have a credo unit. Cigar oasis is a good choice.

If that is an analog hygrometer, be careful because they are notoriously inaccurate.

Originally Posted by ace

If that is an analog hygrometer, be careful because they are notoriously inaccurate.

im just using it till i can get a digital one next week, for some reason it wont get cooler than 75 degrees.. any tips on cooling it down a bit (it doesn't cool anymore so im going to have to find another way to cool it down)

65 to 70 degrees is optimal, but I have a humidified walk-in closet that has varied from 60 to 75 degrees, sometimes even more, with no problems. As you go above 75 degrees you risk hatching tobacco beetles, but I've never had much of a problem with that. Keep it away from sources of heat if you can, and maybe put a bucket of ice in it to cool it and provide humidity. Ice will evaporate more quickly than a container of water will anyway. Good luck!

With something that size, I'd drill a hole in the back or side and install an active air exchange and humidity control. Depends on how many sticks you want to keep in there. If you're going to fill it up, then spend the extra cash to have good air quailty with temperature and humidity.

My two cents.

Originally Posted by Maxi

With something that size, I'd drill a hole in the back or side and install an active air exchange and humidity control. Depends on how many sticks you want to keep in there. If you're going to fill it up, then spend the extra cash to have good air quailty with temperature and humidity.

My two cents.

can you give me an example of a good air exchange and humidity controle machine?

A cigar oasis+ can deal with that space wise without much of a problem. Especially if you are going to store in boxes. Most all humidity reading devices can be faulty. It pays to just have a couple as a reference point. The proof in the pudding is always the condition of the cigars and are they to your liking. Cuban cigar collectors, for the most part, prefer temp control low and humidity around 65% for long term storage (years and years). For the rest of us mere mortals, target humidity for non-Cuban cigars is right around 70% or a touch lower. Cuban cigars are, imo, around 66%. Tobacco beetles are becoming more rare because of control measures by manufacturers but can still be a problem. They can hatch in the 60 degree range but are more likely above 70 degrees. Keep your unit in the coolest place in your house if possible and no direct sunlight. The oasis+ can show you humidity and temp so you should have another measuring device or two for humidity to give you a balance of stats to work with. The cigar oasis has a fan built in to keep air moving and it is not difficult to add a couple of cpu fans in different locations in the humi. I have a Staebell M+ 60 or so box humidor with no temp control and even here in the Cali central valley on the worst summer days and running our central air my humidor temp may reach 80
with no ill effects on my cigars. Let us know how it goes for you.

Here you go: Humidifiers

A couple of different models. I'd probably go for the XL Plus, or the II XL....the big daddy.

FWIW, I keep my sticks at about 68 f, and about 68-70f. In the winter up here, the box tends to dry up (I have a desk top Humi), and I have to add distilled water more frequently. But as far as I'm concerned, I try to keep both the temp and humidity consistent all year round (at all costs). I'm not going to kill a box and a half of Cohibas!

Originally Posted by Maxi

Here you go: Humidifiers

A couple of different models. I'd probably go for the XL Plus, or the II XL....the big daddy.

FWIW, I keep my sticks at about 68 f, and about 68-70f. In the winter up here, the box tends to dry up (I have a desk top Humi), and I have to add distilled water more frequently. But as far as I'm concerned, I try to keep both the temp and humidity consistent all year round (at all costs). I'm not going to kill a box and a half of Cohibas!

In my unit the compressor is working but not creating any coolness whatsoever so i simply turned it off because it was actually heating the inside of the fridge. i simply unplugged it. what yall think about that?