Thermoelectric wine cooler drying and curing - DIY

amneziaHaze

Well-Known Member
its probably because there is little inside 10 branches, maybe 10-20g total inside. its thermoelectric.
first day bottom was half full second day there was a small puddle and third day dry and turned off at 52%
first day it was turning on every 10min
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
I think it must be the smaller load. This load I had fairly full to start, and it ran a lot at first, then leveled out after a couple weeks.
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
That is common with small loads.

heres is the original thread. Lots of great information.

Yea, as I mentioned earlier in this thread uk420 is where I got much of my initial information and started thinking about building one.

The general idea is that with a small space and large load the humidity will rise quickly and then the dehumidifier slowly brings it down, but with a small load the humidity never rises, especially if the outside humidity is low to begin with. The end result with a small load is not much different than just hanging to dry. The overall concept is similar to placing in jars, the jar has a smaller volume of air than the room so the humidity rises quickly once loaded, and needs to be burped. With the cooler it is just burping for you at a controlled rate. If the buds do not have enough internal moisture to raise the humidity in the jar (or cooler) it will just rise to a level and stop.
 

Tomatoesonly

Well-Known Member
That is common with small loads.

heres is the original thread. Lots of great information.

Interesting thread over there. I'm not a member so I can't comment.

What gets me about all this. If it was just humidity and temperature, people have been doing that for a long time in LOTS of industries. Any aged food or plants (Tobacco) this should be old news.
If you watch the Cannatrol video I posted in the other thread, the owner said the idea started with cheese nerds who couldn't get the conditions right. That's where he started. So how is it only a short time ago cheese nerds couldn't get the conditions right? If it's just controlling humidity and temp, just how the hell could they not figure that out and need to bring in "outside" help?

OR and this is total speculation because I haven't been able to fully wrap my head around it. Is it possible the Cannatrol can do the humidity/temp control in such a manner that the traditional methods of control just can't replicate? I mean the guy has patents on whatever he's figured out. You telling me nobody has patented controlling humidity/temperature?
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
Interesting thread over there. I'm not a member so I can't comment.

What gets me about all this. If it was just humidity and temperature, people have been doing that for a long time in LOTS of industries. Any aged food or plants (Tobacco) this should be old news.
If you watch the Cannatrol video I posted in the other thread, the owner said the idea started with cheese nerds who couldn't get the conditions right. That's where he started. So how is it only a short time ago cheese nerds couldn't get the conditions right? If it's just controlling humidity and temp, just how the hell could they not figure that out and need to bring in "outside" help?

OR and this is total speculation because I haven't been able to fully wrap my head around it. Is it possible the Cannatrol can do the humidity/temp control in such a manner that the traditional methods of control just can't replicate? I mean the guy has patents on whatever he's figured out. You telling me nobody has patented controlling humidity/temperature?
Lots of industries do this, you’re correct. The tobacco industries have humidors that do very similar functions, and if you read around there are people converting humidors for weed. And the roots of the cannatrol are indeed in the meat and cheese industries, and just like weed curing the cheese and sausage guys have been doing it for years, even centuries, many different ways. This is just another new way, it’s not that the cheese guys couldn’t figure it out, they just wanted easier and cheaper. I don’t think there are any patents on controlling temp or humidity, it’s the process that’s used, along with the particular controllers and software developed to make it easy. I think the guys at Cannatrol have done a great job and their product is worth every penny for those that can afford one, but for those that can’t or are like me and just love diy, there is always a way to recreate the process, it just takes some time and patience to learn the finer points.
 

Tomatoesonly

Well-Known Member
I think the guys at Cannatrol have done a great job and their product is worth every penny for those that can afford one, but for those that can’t or are like me and just love diy, there is always a way to recreate the process, it just takes some time and patience to learn the finer points.
It would seem someone is gonna have to come up with a controller that allows ALOT more control on the cheap. Something Arduino based, like a rasberry pi thingy. I mean the computer was a clunky pile of shit till Windows came along. It wasn't the hardware, but the software that made it king. DIY guys need a Linux version of Cannatrol.
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
It would seem someone is gonna have to come up with a controller that allows ALOT more control on the cheap. Something Arduino based, like a rasberry pi thingy. I mean the computer was a clunky pile of shit till Windows came along. It wasn't the hardware, but the software that made it king. DIY guys need a Linux version of Cannatrol.
Honestly there’s not that much that needs to be changed to make it work very well. I only change settings a few times a drying cycle, and that can be done via the Inkbird from anywhere. I guess I can’t change temp without going to the fridge, but I only change that once or twice at most. Compared to how I used to have to check drying branches hanging, and then fussing over burping jars, I’ll take looking at my phone a few times a day and making a change or two a week manually.
 

Tomatoesonly

Well-Known Member
Honestly there’s not that much that needs to be changed to make it work very well. I only change settings a few times a drying cycle, and that can be done via the Inkbird from anywhere. I guess I can’t change temp without going to the fridge, but I only change that once or twice at most. Compared to how I used to have to check drying branches hanging, and then fussing over burping jars, I’ll take looking at my phone a few times a day and making a change or two a week manually.
Maybe I misread what you typed in your other posts. But it seemed things bounced around humidity wise quite a bit and then it also takes alot longer. As someone who destroyed alot of good products from mold, that scares the hell outta me. The Cannatrol can slope it down to basically curable condition in just 4 days. I don't have mine yet, but I assume their system can do it literally in a nice slope.
 

amneziaHaze

Well-Known Member
It would seem someone is gonna have to come up with a controller that allows ALOT more control on the cheap. Something Arduino based, like a rasberry pi thingy. I mean the computer was a clunky pile of shit till Windows came along. It wasn't the hardware, but the software that made it king. DIY guys need a Linux version of Cannatrol.
super easy to program an arduino you can find online a diy smart plug. and then you program it to open power to 220V now you have anydevice smart. second you buy a humidity senzor for arudiono and tell the plug to ask it what temp it is now and to start or stop. then you can add humidifer and dehumidifier and just power them and copy cannatrol.
thats what it basicly is a simple fridge with 2 machines inside.even it has a flaw that you need to put wet spunges inside to rehumidify the air soo it can work
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
Maybe I misread what you typed in your other posts. But it seemed things bounced around humidity wise quite a bit and then it also takes alot longer. As someone who destroyed alot of good products from mold, that scares the hell outta me. The Cannatrol can slope it down to basically curable condition in just 4 days. I don't have mine yet, but I assume their system can do it literally in a nice slope.
You misunderstood the bouncing around, the cannatrol does that as well from what I have seen. You set a high and low rh, and it will stay between those settings. It will drop humidity to how it is set, then turn the dehumidifier off, and the humidity will then build back up, just like burping a jar but automated. As it approaches finishing that “stage” or “ramp”, the humidity drops quicker and raises slower, then you can change the settings and lower the humidity again. I can set it low and finish in a few days if I want, just not what I am looking for. I am trying now to so rather quickly to about 68% rh and out of mold danger, then slowly drop down to 58% rh over a couple weeks. Cannatrol has taken the extra steps to create a controller that sets those him and lows, or ramps, for you. They also give you the option of setting them yourself, which puts you right back where we started, controlling it yourself. From what I have read many with the Cannatrol don’t use the factory settings anyway.
 

amneziaHaze

Well-Known Member
Maybe I misread what you typed in your other posts. But it seemed things bounced around humidity wise quite a bit and then it also takes alot longer. As someone who destroyed alot of good products from mold, that scares the hell outta me. The Cannatrol can slope it down to basically curable condition in just 4 days. I don't have mine yet, but I assume their system can do it literally in a nice slope.
thats because he is using the cheaperst shit dehumidifier that could fit inside. cannatrol has a bigger dehumidifier thats all.mini dehumidifiers are simple peltiers that are basicly shit in 24h it can give you 10ml its shit

it would be nice to have another inkbird for the fridge when it reaches its low temp to stop working because it is allsoo a peltier that will lower humiditiy on its own
edit i forgot i have a temp sensor i will build that tommorow
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
thats because he is using the cheaperst shit dehumidifier that could fit inside. cannatrol has a bigger dehumidifier thats all.mini dehumidifiers are simple peltiers that are basicly shit in 24h it can give you 10ml its shit
I could have gone with a bigger one, but it was about space and not price. It works just fine, so why get a bigger one? I would rather use the room for more product and not more equipment. If It didn’t do the job I would agree.

Edit: If it breaks in a couple uses I will agree with price, for now it’s still working but I do hear the cheaper ones don’t last as long with frequent use, time will tell. The brand came recommended from a few people that had already built them.
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
it would be nice to have another inkbird for the fridge when it reaches its low temp to stop working because it is allsoo a peltier that will lower humiditiy on its own
edit i forgot i have a temp sensor i will build that tommorow
If your fridge has a temp setting is should be turning the peltier on and off already. The dehumidifier has both the hot and cold side inside the fridge so it doesn’t affect the temp as much, but the cold side still condenses the humidity and drains it out. If the peltier on your fridge keeps running then a separate controller should definitely help.
 

Tomatoesonly

Well-Known Member
How come the Cannatrol appears to only have ONE of these devices? Unless someone has a shot showing something extra added in.
 

amneziaHaze

Well-Known Member
it does have a thermostat but i have no idea when it is on or off. but what other reason would the humiditiy drop 6% under that i told it to stop maybe its broken or maybe i just never checked i guess tommorow i will look. does your fan stop spinning when it reaches the temp or is it allways running?fan from fridge?

How come the Cannatrol appears to only have ONE of these devices? Unless someone has a shot showing something extra added in.
doesnt the canatrol raise humiditiy if its too low?
 

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
it does have a thermostat but i have no idea when it is on or off. but what other reason would the humiditiy drop 6% under that i told it to stop maybe its broken or maybe i just never checked i guess tommorow i will look. does your fan stop spinning when it reaches the temp or is it allways running?fan from fridge?
Good question about the fan, I assume it turns off since its function is to cool the hot side of the peltier, or at least the heat sink. Could be worth looking into.

doesnt the canatrol raise humiditiy if its too low?
No, that’s why you have to put a wet sponge in it once the humidity gets close to the target range, otherwise it will continue to dry during a long cure. I am sure mine will do the same if I leave herb in there too long curing, fortunately I don’t think that will be a problem, and if it is I know a solution, put in a wet sponge.
 
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