Thermoelectric wine cooler drying and curing - DIY

[curious2garden]

I've connected my IHC-200-WIFI to my network and app. Now I'm testing it. The Koolatron arrives Thursday

 

[curious2garden]

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.

I'm looking forward to seeing your pics. I was already wondering about fittings/filler, you read my mind.

 

[Vonkins]

So I got mine loaded up around 130. My temp is set to 66. Once I got it loaded up the temp rose to 73. Checked it b4 work this morning around 5:45 and it was 70 degrees. Hopefully it'll be down to 66 by the time I get off at 3. I assume the mini dehumidifier is raising the heat while trying to get it down 67% rh.

 

[curious2garden]

So I got mine loaded up around 130. My temp is set to 66. Once I got it loaded up the temp rose to 73. Checked it b4 work this morning around 5:45 and it was 70 degrees. Hopefully it'll be down to 66 by the time I get off at 3. I assume the mini dehumidifier is raising the heat while trying to get it down 67% rh.

That would be my guess too. That initial off gassing must be quite the load. I bet the gradual downward slope as long as there's air circulation won't hurt anything. I'm holding my last 3 plants that are ready to pull until I get mine running so I'm right behind you!

 

[StoneDHedgE]

That would be my guess too. That initial off gassing must be quite the load. I bet the gradual downward slope as long as there's air circulation won't hurt anything. I'm holding my last 3 plants that are ready to pull until I get mine running so I'm right behind you!

A day or 2 hang or slight pre-dry before loading up helps with first day or 2 maintaining temps. Way easier on the cooler this way as well. Plus you can cram more in that way.

 

[curious2garden]

A day or 2 hang or slight pre-dry before loading up helps with first day or 2 maintaining temps. Way easier on the cooler this way as well. Plus you can cram more in that way.

Thanks! I do love the cram more in philosophy.

 

[Hook Daddy]

I used to always hang a day or two first as well. It does help, but I just loaded my first cooler back up last night with a fresh cut Bubba Kush, it’s doing fine this morning. I stuck a paper towel in the drip tray and soaked the towel, so it’s pulling water out. I have people coming over that I don’t know too well, and in the cooler there is no smell, so no pre dry hang again, but the cooler handles it well, it does swing both temp and rh a bit. I have the temp set at 62 and it will rise to 65 before dropping back to 62, not bad at all. I started the rh at 66.5 with a diff value of 1%.

 

[Hollatchaboy]

I used to always hang a day or two first as well. It does help, but I just loaded my first cooler back up last night with a fresh cut Bubba Kush, it’s doing fine this morning. I stuck a paper towel in the drip tray and soaked the towel, so it’s pulling water out. I have people coming over that I don’t know too well, and in the cooler there is no smell, so no pre dry hang again, but the cooler handles it well, it does swing both temp and rh a bit. I have the temp set at 62 and it will rise to 65 before dropping back to 62, not bad at all. I started the rh at 66.5 with a diff value of 1%.

I set my temp at 58, just to see, and it'll go down to 58. I leave it at at 60, it'll go above and under a bit, but nothing drastic. Same with rh. I set it at 60%, and it'll go above and under, but again, nothing drastic. It's working well for me.

 

[pahpah-cee]

A day or 2 hang or slight pre-dry before loading up helps with first day or 2 maintaining temps. Way easier on the cooler this way as well. Plus you can cram more in that way.

I believe cannatrol recommends hang drying the first day as well.

Im lazy so I just chop a plant or two a day and slowly fill up the shelves of my fridges. The next day when I go to chop another plant I rearrange my previous days harvest since they shrink so fast. This method allows me to reallly maximize how much I can fit in there. It also helps my family life since I’m not wet trimming for hours straight.

For those with little free time and no extra space for a legit dry room these fridges are a no brainer.

 

[Vonkins]

Only had an issue with temperature when my difference value was large and I tried to drop the RH too fast with fresh nugs. I think it got it up to 73F before I noticed I have the inkbird value to low.

My did the exact same thing. It was down to 70 this morning.should I let it continue @67rh or raise it up to like 75 or 80 and drop it slowly so the dehumidifier doesn't run for so long.

 

[pahpah-cee]

My did the exact same thing. It was down to 70 this morning.should I let it continue @67rh or raise it up to like 75 or 80 and drop it slowly so the dehumidifier doesn't run for so long.

I personally don’t like the go above 60F temperature. I would turn off the Dehum for an hour or two and let the RH rise. Once the RH stabilizes I would turn the inkbird 1 to 0.5 points below your stabilized RH. Then the next day I would drop it another 1/0.5 points and so on.



Hookdaddy has been getting great results at higher temperatures. The cannatrol does a 7 day dry at 70F I believe.

 

[Hook Daddy]

You

I personally don’t like the go above 60F temperature. I would turn off the Dehum for an hour or two and let the RH rise. Once the RH stabilizes I would turn the inkbird 1 to 0.5 points below your stabilized RH. Then the next day I would drop it another 1/0.5 points and so on.



Hookdaddy has been getting great results at higher temperatures. The cannatrol does a 7 day dry at 70F I believe.

I kept my temps at 60f at first as well, this last couple runs I upped it, but not as much as Cannatrol recommends either, last I read their default was a 4 day dry at 68f. I have not noticed a big difference yet, but there’s probably really not a noticeable difference between running 60f and 62f. According to Cannatrol the old saying to dry at 60f/60% was because that was as low as standard AC units would go, and you wanted cooler to keep bud rot away, so they would shoot as low temp as possible and 60% rh. At 60% rh a temp of 68f gives a better VPD for drying, but I am not fully convinced myself that you won’t loose some terps at the higher temp. I still don’t know anyone with a cannatrol personally so have never tried their end product either.

 

[Vonkins]

How often should I lower the humidity. First night, which was Saturday, I set the humidity to 68. Monday night I dropped it to 67. I planned on dropping 1% every other day until I'm down to 62. Is the proper or do u guys recommend a different plan

 

[Hollatchaboy]

How often should I lower the humidity. First night, which was Saturday, I set the humidity to 68. Monday night I dropped it to 67. I planned on dropping 1% every other day until I'm down to 62. Is the proper or do u guys recommend a different plan

Mines been dying for 12 days now. I set mine at 60 and 60. It hasn't gotten over 62.8% or lower than 58.7%. I figure it's averaging around 60%? Holds 60°f no problem. Buds are still pretty moist, but smokelable. Another week and it should be perfect.

It has worked really well for me so far. Thanks @Hook Daddy. Not only did you save me$$ on a dryer, but you gave me an easy diy project. Love that shit. Lol

 

[Hook Daddy]

How often should I lower the humidity. First night, which was Saturday, I set the humidity to 68. Monday night I dropped it to 67. I planned on dropping 1% every other day until I'm down to 62. Is the proper or do u guys recommend a different plan

In short yes, that works. What is your low rh difference setting at? I like to get my upper rh threshold under 70% rh fairly quick, then go slow from there. So if your diff setting is 2% and you’re seeing 2% overshoot, once you have the low rh setting under 66% there’s much less chance of mold. I’ve never had anything mold in mine, and getting under 70% rh greatly reduces the risk. Once there you can just creep the rh down .5 to 1% a day as needed. I’m going fairly quick now but that is because I have another plant to harvest, so my dry this time only took 2 weeks, but it will cure in the grove bags so no problem.

One trick I used to do to verify a good dry is to pull out a jar of buds with a hygrometer and set aside as I would when hang drying. If it stays at 58-62 all’s good, if it creeps up above 64 I put it back in and let it go another couple days. Keep in mind the hydrometer you use may not be calibrated the same, it’s good to grow it in the cooler first and then you have a starting adjustment you can use. I usually have a couple in already along with my Inkbird Wi-Fi sensor so just grab one or those and throw it in the jar.

 

[Hook Daddy]

Mines been dying for 12 days now. I set mine at 60 and 60. It hasn't gotten over 62.8% or lower than 58.7%. I figure it's averaging around 60%? Holds 60°f no problem. Buds are still pretty moist, but smokelable. Another week and it should be perfect.

It has worked really well for me so far. Thanks @Hook Daddy. Not only did you save me$$ on a dryer, but you gave me an easy diy project. Love that shit. Lol

Awesome, glad it’s working for you. I think you will be pleasantly surprised at how nice the smoke is as well. I was at a friends the other day and brought some bud. Before lighting up he said “That’s not the hang dry bud is it? That other shit rocks”. Hearing that made my day.

 

[Togs]

Here’s what’s been working for me;

load up the fridge with trimmed flower. I really crammed it in there. Set inkbird controller to 90% RH. Wait 12 hours, record the RH it settles at. Adjust inkbird RH to recorded max RH.

While monitoring the temperature so I don’t exceed 60F, I slowly nudge the inkbird down 0.5RH. If I drop it 0.5 every day it’ll be smokable in 2 weeks. After this I throw them in grove bags.

@Hook Daddy what’s been working for you?

At what % do you set your inkbird to drop humidity with the dehumidifier when starting at 90%. Thanks!

 

[curious2garden]

I unboxed my Koolatron getting ready to start modding and much to my surprise it had to two big scratches. So I swallowed my upset and phoned Target to ask about getting them cut me a discount. Low and behold the guy handling my call is sending me a second Koolatron and told me to keep the first one!! I'm pretty pleased with that outcome and would never have asked for so much. He just volunteered it, hurrah.

 

[TCH]

I unboxed my Koolatron getting ready to start modding and much to my surprise it had to two big scratches. So I swallowed my upset and phoned Target to ask about getting them cut me a discount. Low and behold the guy handling my call is sending me a second Koolatron and told me to keep the first one!! I'm pretty pleased with that outcome and would never have asked for so much. He just volunteered it, hurrah.

Wow!!! That's amazing. Now run off to Amazon and getcha another dehumidifier and inkbird. Haha

 

[Hook Daddy]

At what % do you set your inkbird to drop humidity with the dehumidifier when starting at 90%. Thanks!

I would start at 68 and see how it ran for a bit. Should be fine to run from there dropping .5-1% a day.