My $10 wine cooler turned into a dry curing chamber

[tommix]

I picked this up off of Craigslist for $10.


With a couple of new thermo couples, it works!


A couple of modifications and it is ready to hang some meat!


For less than $35 I am in business, the only thing I will need to control is humidity which I think I can do with a wet terry cloth towel and opening the door now and then.

I asked the gal twice if she was sure all she wanted was $10, she just said I just want it outa here......that works for me!!

[grisell]

Great job!

[wheels]

A great catch! Just watch that those fans don't dry things out too much.

Phil

[tommix]

Phil, I will keep an eye on those fans; this unit used to have seperate upper and lower chambers, with a fan in each, now it is just one large chamber. The internal fans don't move much air, if you put your hand in front of one you can barely feel the air movement. If they are a problem I can disable one, or both and go from there.

I think that there is a salami in my future, I know that there will be issues but I don't have alot invested at this point. The meat will be my biggest investment.

[wheels]

I think that there is a salami in my future, I know that there will be issues but I don't have alot invested at this point. The meat will be my biggest investment.

That's a superb starting point. May all your salami's be good!

Phil

[grisell]

[---]
I think that there is a salami in my future...

I know that there is a salami in your future!

[Gill]

This is a super idea . Can it be done with all wine coolers or just those with digital temperature controls? I'm terrified of anything which requires electrical work but I'd love to have a go at adapting a wine cooler myself. Is there any chance of a more detailed explanation of how you are doing this? Something of a Dummies Guide, perhaps?

[grisell]

The simplest and cheapest solution for temperature control is the sort of 'diurnal' timer which can be set to turn on in 15- or 30-minute intervals. With a thermometer in your fridge (preferably a max/min thermometer), you will be able to determine how many intervals per 24 hours you need to get the desired temperature. I have used this setup for years, since I'm totally handicapped when it comes to electronics.

At the moment, I run it at 1/8 of the time, i.e. 12x15 minutes per 24 hours. That gives an average temperature of the desired 12 C. This will only work if the ambient temerature is fairly constant. In Summer, when my apartment warms up (it's now 21 C), I will have to increase the running time.

[tommix]

Gill,

This wine cooler I picked up does not have a compressor like a regular refrigerator does, it is a thermo electric unit. This article explains how they work.
http://www.ehow.com/how-does_5003479_th ... -work.html

If you can pick up a wine cooler or regular refrigerator cheaply enough then it should not be too difficult to modify them. Do as grisell suggested and put a timer on.

If you have a particular cooling unit in mind post that, I am sure there will be someone here who can help.

[vagreys]

Someone is currently trying to sell this exact model on Craigslist, in my local area, and they want $125 for it. The unit retails for $299. You got a great deal!

[saucisson]

I have a peltier unit too and I still had to dehumidify it, so it may not be a problem with over drying. It's reading room temperature at the moment so I have other issues

[tommix]

Vagreys,

When I was looking on Craigslist in my area I was seeing the same price range from $100 to $200 for used ones. When I did the search I just put in "wine" in the appliance section search and this unit popped up. I thought at first it must have been a typo, I just got lucky that no one else beat me to it, probably because at that price it must be a piece of junk. This makes up for all the times I didn't get a good deal, we have all been there.

Saucisson,

Sounds like a thermocouple problem also. These things have two heatsinks on each thermocouple. One very large one on the hot side of the thermocouple to draw away the heat with a fan blowing over it and another smaller one on the wine cooler side with a fan pulling cool air into the cooler.

The problem with most any electronic device is overheating, if these units are put in a space without proper ventilation then the thermocouple will overheat and give out. Another problem is that when people replace these components they don't apply thermal grease, thermal grease is very important because it makes a very good conductor to draw heat away from the thermocouple and to the heat sink where it can be dissipated.

That was the problem with this unit I picked up. The fans and heatsinks were full of dust and dirt and when I removed the thermocouples the thermal grease had dried out and just crumbled. The reason I mention the dust and dirt is because a heatsink, usually made out of aluminum will dissipate heat very well except when it is covered in dust and then they are not as efficient.

Anyway if you could post some more symptoms maybe I could point you in the right direction. If the fans are working and the digital display, if it has one, is working then the circuit card assembly is probably okay.

[saucisson]

Thanks, the last time it was a dead fan, but if it's not that I'll be back

It doesn't have any display or controls so it's not very user approachable