Thermoelectric wine cooler drying and curing - DIY

refriedbeano said:
Ok, so I'm not sure exactly whats going on. So you have a big ass petlier to cool the fridge and a small one for dehumidification. And since the petlier isn't a dehumidifier, it just changes the temperature like the big one, so I figured why not attach an arduino to the main unit and just use that? Maybe the big unit isn't exposed to the inside environment of the cooler? I mean before you send everyone out to buy dehumidifiers, you should test out the simplest solution, which would be to just use the main unit.
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Build one. Show us the way!!
 
refriedbeano said:
Ok, so I'm not sure exactly whats going on. So you have a big ass petlier to cool the fridge and a small one for dehumidification. And since the petlier isn't a dehumidifier, it just changes the temperature like the big one, so I figured why not attach an arduino to the main unit and just use that? Maybe the big unit isn't exposed to the inside environment of the cooler? I mean before you send everyone out to buy dehumidifiers, you should test out the simplest solution, which would be to just use the main unit.
Click to expand...
No one is telling anyone to do anything. Hookdaddy most likely made this thread because he gets private messages frequently asking how to do this.

The fridge peltier controls the temperature. The dehumidifer controls the RH. Without the Dehum/heating element you are probably looking at a 3+ week dry. The first few weeks the RH would be way high and would be a breeding group for any molds.

tampering with the fridge board is asking for an inferior fridge. These fridge ramp up and down depending on the temperature sensor. The fridge is the most expensive part of this project, best not break it. The whole; “if it ain’t broke don’t fix it” applies here.
 
TCH said:
Build one. Show us the way!!
Click to expand...
Well, like I said I'm just growing a half dozen autos to test out my arduiana prototype (vacuum drying) right now. But I'm def excited to make one for next year when I expand my grow. Actually my first project with the arduino was fixing my broken dryer. It just happened to break when I was looking for a project, and I spent a whole week trying to get the tumbler rolling. Its a pretty amazing feeling, and was mostly just a drop in replacement (I just connected to the mosfet switches already on the board). I even used the onboard speaker to play a tune (99 red ballons).
But your right if it works out of the box then I guess that's better than making it your own through hard work.
 
refriedbeano said:
Well, like I said I'm just growing a half dozen autos to test out my arduiana prototype (vacuum drying) right now. But I'm def excited to make one for next year when I expand my grow. Actually my first project with the arduino was fixing my broken dryer. It just happened to break when I was looking for a project, and I spent a whole week trying to get the tumbler rolling. Its a pretty amazing feeling, and was mostly just a drop in replacement (I just connected to the mosfet switches already on the board). I even used the onboard speaker to play a tune (99 red ballons).
But your right if it works out of the box then I guess that's better than making it your own through hard work.
Click to expand...
We're all here to learn and get better. I say you expirament with your idea, and document it for all to see and review. Post it here the Harvest section, but maybe start your own thread. We can all bounce ideas off each other and learn. You say arduiana, and I have no idea what you are talking about.
 
Mr. Mohaskey said:
We're all here to learn and get better. I say you expirament with your idea, and document it for all to see and review. Post it here the Harvest section, but maybe start your own thread. We can all bounce ideas off each other and learn. You say arduiana, and I have no idea what you are talking about.
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Sorry to hijack this thread, I already made a thread for the arduiana, I decided to bring my design to the forums here first. I'm using a vacuum chamber to hopefully precisely control the dehydration, I'm actually using a weight sensor to keep track of moisture loss. But this is a great idea too, since there isn't really any options out there in this price range. But anyone can use the Arduino to better themselves and their life.
 
I'm thinking I want to investigate the thermoelectric method of drying, since I just remembered I had thrown a mini fridge away (into a pile of maker trash I collect in the backyard). So I'm thinking I'll laser cut a wood box and give it all the same stuff as the Arduiana has. Should be cool!
 
Hook Daddy said:
Here’s my latest going now. It’s finishing the dry stage and going into curing after about 4 weeks. When harvesting I took the main branches and removed the fan leaves, then hung to dry as normal for 36 hours. Best colas went into the wine fridge, set for 62% rh to trigger the dehumidifier, 9% drop until it turns off, fridge set to 60f. Ran it there until it starts to level out. At first it will bounce back and forth from 53 rh to 62 rh, but take a several hours to go down, then climb in minutes. Once it settles after about two weeks it will get to 53% rh, then take several hours to rise back to 62%. At this point I change the settings to start the dehumidifier at 62% but stop at 56%. After a while longer I change it to cycle between 58 and 62 and just let it go u til I am ready to reload and start again. Hope that makes sense and helps some.

Here’s it loaded now with Laughing Buddha. It’s a clone I have grown a couple seasons, and the smell and taste is far better with this dry than with just hanging and hoping. I can’t say the high is better, but it is superior in every other way.

View attachment 5273752
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I just finished up my build. I didn't insulate anything yet. I have 1 question. Where's your dehumidifier located. Seems like there wouldn't be room for the bottom tray.
 
refriedbeano said:
Ok, so I'm not sure exactly whats going on. So you have a big ass petlier to cool the fridge and a small one for dehumidification. And since the petlier isn't a dehumidifier, it just changes the temperature like the big one, so I figured why not attach an arduino to the main unit and just use that? Maybe the big unit isn't exposed to the inside environment of the cooler? I mean before you send everyone out to buy dehumidifiers, you should test out the simplest solution, which would be to just use the main unit.
Click to expand...
This has been tried over and over, not a new idea and has been tested many times. The problem with only using only the built in TEC is the box is insulated too well, and it just gets cool and stays there, so you have cool rotting buds. The hot side of the TEC is outside the box, so the TEC doesn’t run hard enough to effectively dehumidify. With the small TEC inside it both drives the humidity to our desired setting and forces the built-in TEC to work harder and assist.
 
refriedbeano said:
Well, like I said I'm just growing a half dozen autos to test out my arduiana prototype (vacuum drying) right now. But I'm def excited to make one for next year when I expand my grow. Actually my first project with the arduino was fixing my broken dryer. It just happened to break when I was looking for a project, and I spent a whole week trying to get the tumbler rolling. Its a pretty amazing feeling, and was mostly just a drop in replacement (I just connected to the mosfet switches already on the board). I even used the onboard speaker to play a tune (99 red ballons).
But your right if it works out of the box then I guess that's better than making it your own through hard work.
Click to expand...
Hi, I appreciate your efforts and interest in experimentation. However this thread is specifically a DIY thread for those building this specific type of dryer. So it needs to stay tightly on topic, please create your own thread for these posts, thank you.
 
refriedbeano said:
I'm thinking I want to investigate the thermoelectric method of drying, since I just remembered I had thrown a mini fridge away (into a pile of maker trash I collect in the backyard). So I'm thinking I'll laser cut a wood box and give it all the same stuff as the Arduiana has. Should be cool!
Click to expand...
Before building my second one I was considering building a unit from scratch or using an older fridge and retrofitting it, pulling out the compressor and adding a TEC. I had also considered using an arduino or something similar, but when it came down to price and time I couldn’t find a better option of what I already had working. The Inkbird humidity controller comes preprogrammed to do exactly what we want, controlled via Wi-Fi with a nice probe and outlets already wired up, hard to beat for the price. Yes you can build your own, but how many tents do you see with home built controllers? Sure it can be done, but is it worth the time and extra expense. For the average person this version we are building is easy, relatively cheap, and tested by many people to work very well.
 
I haven’t built my dryer as of yet, but I did plug it in and run it for awhile. It cooled down to 60 very fast and although It was empty, it held the temp for a long time before kicking back on. I didn’t want to repeatedly plug it in and unplug it, but it appears it has a factory default of like 55 degrees. So my first impression is if you have a power outage, you will need to reset the temperature once power is restored. I guess that’s where the ink bird wifi temp controller would be nice to have, not to control the fridge but to monitor the temp.
 
smoke and coke said:
I haven’t built my dryer as of yet, but I did plug it in and run it for awhile. It cooled down to 60 very fast and although It was empty, it held the temp for a long time before kicking back on. I didn’t want to repeatedly plug it in and unplug it, but it appears it has a factory default of like 55 degrees. So my first impression is if you have a power outage, you will need to reset the temperature once power is restored. I guess that’s where the ink bird wifi temp controller would be nice to have, not to control the fridge but to monitor the temp.
Click to expand...
My cooler will keep its temp setting after a power outage, and the Inkbird did as well. I’ve tested that a few times already with all these crazy storms we’ve been having. The cooler does default back to displaying in Celsius, but keeps the temp from before power was removed. It may be your internal battery was not charged yet, or you had it off longer than my power outage lasted.
 
Hook Daddy said:
My cooler will keep its temp setting after a power outage, and the Inkbird did as well. I’ve tested that a few times already with all these crazy storms we’ve been having. The cooler does default back to displaying in Celsius, but keeps the temp from before power was removed. It may be your internal battery was not charged yet, or you had it off longer than my power outage lasted.
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Thank you I haven’t plugged it in long enough to charge a battery. I plugged it in and will leave it for the weekend and try it again. It’s still not a deal breaker, but if something isn’t working properly it’s better to resolve it asap. Thanks again
 
I don’t know if it’s been said but I like to keep a wifi temperature gauge/sensor in my fridge so I can be lazy and check the temp and the humidity from the phone. The more I use the fridge the more I don’t check shit and just trust in the process.
 
pahpah-cee said:
I don’t know if it’s been said but I like to keep a wifi temperature gauge/sensor in my fridge so I can be lazy and check the temp and the humidity from the phone. The more I use the fridge the more I don’t check shit and just trust in the process.
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My first time running one loaded up I checked it constantly. Now I forget to look at it all day, and sometimes don’t actually look at it for several days, just adjust if needed by phone in the morning and done. I do have Inkbird TH3-plus Wi-Fi sensors in mine as well just to keep an eye on things.
 
refriedbeano said:
I looked into the thermoelectric dehumidifiers for a minute but couldn't find anyone selling the actual units on ebay. And some preliminary research into the mini dehumidifiers looks like they are barley able to register the effect. But these things are working for you?
If there is a great interest in these conversions I could provide some direction for a plug and play unit.
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Mine makes a puddle on the floor in 3-4h.no idea why mine frezzes but it was only 10$ from aliexpress. 20 for a temperature controler came with a humidity controler.and ebay 40$ little smaller than op fridge.got some fans from old pc and the machine works wonders.the smell is almost not noticable.compared to normal drying its non existant.but when you open it smells amazing.

I have to be carefull at the end of drying it starts going under the desired humidity probably because fridge dehumidifer still works.i had a hot summer when i was drying
 
Got everything going now. I noticed this wine cooler is gonna take a minute to get down to temp. I've got it in a room that's 78 degrees. I initially had it out in the non cooled roomwhich was around 85+ degrees. It was definitely struggling to get cool. Everything should be good now. I'll get some pics. Very neat build. I made a half inch hole in the back cover but decided not to use the hole. I removed the back cover, stripped off about 6 inches of black insulation off the power cables so I could add all 3 wires in the wire holder. Tightened the wire holder back down, reinstalled back cover, and zip tied the wires neatly. I only drilled a 3/8 hole in the interior and exterior of the fridge to feed wires through. Since I used a unibit on each side I didn't drill any of the insulation out. Then I used a 1/4 inch bit to drill the insulation out to pull my wire through. Since the wire is the same size as my hole I drilled I didn't need to use any type of grommet to fill any void around the wire.
 
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