I have an EdgeStar 28 Bottle, I have 1.5LB of 70% heartfelt beads about 35-45 Cigars. The problem I am having is before plugging the drain hole the RH was between 58 & 65% and my beads were always white. I plugged the drain and the RH was between 60 & 68% but I it was filling with water in the bottom. I took the beads out and over night the RH was reading at 65% but still had water in the bottom.

I am looking from some help from some of the Wine cooler vets.

Here are the two things that I am thinking about doing;

Keep the drain plugged and get 2+LB of 60% beads
Unplug the drain and get 2+LB of 65% beads.

The water in the bottom is what has me concerned if I keep it plugged.

Please help.
[Reply]

I have one and get some water collection in the trough but not a large amount. I cut a cedar piece to fit down in there and that pretty well takes care of it. I check it about once a month, at first I sponged it out but the cedar seems to have relieved the problem. But - just for safety I do not store anything on the hard bottom, keep a lowest level shelf as the bottom level.

I started with 1.5 pounds of 65% but could not hold enough moisture so increased to 2.5 pounds and increased bead moisture to 67%. Now after everything has settled out I am holding at 64-68% which is what I was looking for. After all that I don't have the huge spikes I started off having.

One thing I have started doing is transferring about a weeks worth of supply to my desktop humi (makes the wife happy too since she gave it to me for Christmas long ago) so that I only open the door once or at most twice a week. This made a big difference in the consistancy of the humidity levels and also should help with the extra moisture collection.

Lots of experimenting but I am very happy with the setup now. Have ChasDen drawers ordered so may have to adjust things some when I put them in, just have to experiment again. I also keep the temp at 66 +/- 1 degree.:-)
[Reply]

Did you put the cedar in all the spaces?
I have ChasDen's drawers you are going to love them.
[Reply]

Mine just has a little trough in the back with the drain hole in the center. The condensation collects in that trough but when new it did overflow the trough a bit once. I just used waterproof tape over the drain hole.
[Reply]

Just looking at it and it does have some front to rear channels connecting to a trough across the front that I guess you are referring to. No, I just have the cedar in the rear trough where the drain is.
[Reply]

What size cedar did you use?
[Reply]

Just had a scrap piece and cut it down to the length of the trough so it would go into the it without sticking out the top, trial and error fit.

I also have 2 Oust fans in there with one of them at the bottom, not sure if that helps or not.
[Reply]

The output for the drain is threaded, I used a 5/16 Acorn nut and it sealed it for me. I used plastic to guide the water back into a small cedar box with beads in it. See the link below

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=19819
[Reply]

Thank you reefkeep this threaded is what I was looking for you are the man.
And so is kydsid.
[Reply]

Get some empty boxes from your B&M. Tatuaje, LFD and other unvarnished boxes work the best. Fill the shelves with empty boxes, they will help absorb moisture and keep things more stable. :-)
[Reply]

Good Idea I have some and just put them in. Thank you
[Reply]

Even Dress boxes or varnished boxes like Oliva V's will work. They take up space and help stabilize things a bit. Its the empty space that kills you when you open the door.

I seldom moisten my beads any more as well. I just spritz the glass door a couple of times and let the moisture go where it wants. But this will not work in high RH areas. The ambient Rh is about 60% on average, never higher but often it drops to 30% on hot days.
[Reply]

I used to have this problem with my Edgestar too until me and Shilala riged up 2 computer fans for better circulation water dosent collect any more it just evaporates back into the air :-)
[Reply]

Thank you all for all your help. I have taken all of your advice and have done the following.

1. Cut down a Hoyo de Monterrey Le Hoyo Du Maire box top for the trough.
2. Replaced the 1.5lb 70% beads with 2.5lb 65% beads. I should have these Tue.
3. Added all of my empty boxes to take up space.
4. Added two oust fans at the bottom.
(Note: Without any beads and with the empty boxes I have an rh of 65-68% and very little water)


Thank you again to all of you for your help.
[Reply]

I believe that will improve the situation, don't forget to report in the final results.:-)
[Reply]

Did it work for you?:-)
[Reply]

Update:
I got my new 2.5lb 65% beads Monday. I put 2oz tubes in each of my 3 large drawers and 1oz in each of my small drawers. Made a tape ramp in to a pan with 3oz of beads to catch the dripping water. The remaining beads are in two bags in the bottom.

I am now at 65/65 thank you again to everyone that helped with this.
[Reply]

Here are some Pic's.




I'm looking forward to filling and getting rid of the empty boxes.

Attached:

[Reply]

Congratulations, you can rest a little easier now and enjoy the smokes. It just takes patience and experimentation.:-)
[Reply]

From my limited experience, I have noticed that the Edgestar unit is so hit or miss regarding temperature output. Some people say their unit is sticking around 64-65 degrees, but mine is stuck at 60-61 degrees and won't go any warmer. I know another guy whose is stuck at 60 degrees, called the company and was told that is normal.

If I would've know that, I would've paid the extra money for the Vinotemp...

Just my 2 :-)
[Reply]