Thermoelectric wine cooler drying and curing - DIY

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blip6579

Member
Hi all, I’ve just started giving this a go and it’s my first grow/dry ever. Are the buds supposed to feel wet and spongy after a couple days drying in the fridge?

they were firm and stinky going in. Only been a few days but want to make sure this is normal

55f/68% at the moment but I haven’t harvested everything yet. Want to make sure this is how they feel releasing water before I add the rest

thanks
 
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diyguy420

New Member
Fun to see others doing a diy version. I have my own I did. I used a 28 bottle thermoelectric wine fridge. I own a cannatrol so I’m testing the one I made. It works great. I’m using a ACI 69 pro controller to control mine. Also the cannatrol shelves fit it perfectly. It does it just as well as the cannatrol.
 

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Hook Daddy

Hook Daddy

Well-Known Member
blip6579 said:
Hi all, I’ve just started giving this a go and it’s my first grow/dry ever. Are the buds supposed to feel wet and spongy after a couple days drying in the fridge?

they were firm and stinky going in. Only been a few days but want to make sure this is normal

55f/68% at the moment but I haven’t harvested everything yet. Want to make sure this is how they feel releasing water before I add the rest

thanks
Click to expand...
If you’re still at 68% rh then yes spongy and damp is normal. Keep slowly dropping the rh to 60% then let it steady. After that you can drop,to 58% if it still seems a bit wet. Remember the rh on the Inkbird is only as good as your last calibration, so a few points one way or the other is normal. If it seems a bit wet drop the rh setting a percent And wait a day.
 
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blip6579

Member
Hook Daddy said:
If you’re still at 68% rh then yes spongy and damp is normal. Keep slowly dropping the rh to 60% then let it steady. After that you can drop,to 58% if it still seems a bit wet. Remember the rh on the Inkbird is only as good as your last calibration, so a few points one way or the other is normal. If it seems a bit wet drop the rh setting a percent And wait a day.
Click to expand...
thanks mate. Makes me feel better knowing this is normal . Probably shouldn’t have tried a fridge dry my first dry but it’s really hot and humid here
 
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blip6579

Member
I also had a dehumidifier that had an internal AC to DC converter. I just mounted it on the back of the fridge with some computer motherboard standoffs and removed all the unnecessary power switches etc

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B

blip6579

Member
I have another question if anyone is able to help. The room I have the fridge in has fluctuating temps depending one time of day. This would affect the temp that the fridge can run at.

if I get my buds to 58% steady RH but the fridge is trying to get to 55f still, wouldn’t that dry the buds more because the fridge is sucking out moisture as it cools?

if not in a temperature controlled room do people set a fridge temp they know is achievable and keeps the RH at 58% or just leave it at 55f?

be nice to cure in here as well without going into jars.

Thanks
 
D

diyguy420

New Member
blip6579 said:
I have another question if anyone is able to help. The room I have the fridge in has fluctuating temps depending one time of day. This would affect the temp that the fridge can run at.

if I get my buds to 58% steady RH but the fridge is trying to get to 55f still, wouldn’t that dry the buds more because the fridge is sucking out moisture as it cools?

if not in a temperature controlled room do people set a fridge temp they know is achievable and keeps the RH at 58% or just leave it at 55f?

be nice to cure in here as well without going into jars.

Thanks
Click to expand...
Your fridge should hold the temp you set as well as humidity. It’s a sealed unit. Humidity and temp of the room will not affect it
 
S

Spacebucketcr

Member
Greetings from Costa Rica!
I have been following this thread and have made myself my own version with a small 6 bottle fridge I had.
Will harvest in a few weeks and I am really exited to give it a test.
I have made a 3D printed enclosure for the dehumidifier, controller and sponge.
Cheers!
 

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P

pahpah-cee

Well-Known Member
diyguy420 said:
Fun to see others doing a diy version. I have my own I did. I used a 28 bottle thermoelectric wine fridge. I own a cannatrol so I’m testing the one I made. It works great. I’m using a ACI 69 pro controller to control mine. Also the cannatrol shelves fit it perfectly. It does it just as well as the cannatrol.
Click to expand...
Thank you for your service! I think you’re the first one who compared the two. It’s very rewarding to hear that it does get similar results.

upgrading the shelves with cannatrol shelves is great. They’re reasonably priced and it’s a way we can still give back to cannatrol for giving us the inspiration.

out of curiosity; is there anything the DIY can improve upon that the cannatrol brings to the table? I’ve always thought the only thing we are missing is the presets and operating system.
 
P

pahpah-cee

Well-Known Member
Spacebucketcr said:
Greetings from Costa Rica!
I have been following this thread and have made myself my own version with a small 6 bottle fridge I had.
Will harvest in a few weeks and I am really exited to give it a test.
I have made a 3D printed enclosure for the dehumidifier, controller and sponge.
Cheers!
Click to expand...
Well done. It looks very clean. Did you also build those shelves?
 
J

jdotg24

Member
I ended up with a smaller wine cooler. The black and decker 10 bottle. It's size is perfect for my closet grow of two plants. I used PVC chicken wire to make baskets for the shelves.

Day 5 of the first dry. Amazed so far. Eager for end product.

Also instead of drilling any holes I just removed the drain grommet, ran the wires, cut the grommets on one side and slide over the wires. Drains fine. Run enough wire to be up out of drip pan. Using a cookie sheet.

Im using a pymeter from Amazon as well. Looks like knock off ink bird. No WiFi but all the same. Make sure it's within range to click on, in about 15-20 mins or goes down a half percent
 
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blip6579

Member
Couple more questions. I have been trying to dry direct in the fridge (no hanging) for about 2 days. Buds feel very light already and I have emptied a lot of water.
I feel like it might be drying too fast. I have my inkbird at 72% with a 1% diff but it will go up to 80% when the dehum kicks in and then down to 67%.

these fluctuations seem too big. Any ideas?

my dehumidifier fan blows against the fins so the air goes up which may be messing with the inkbird sensor?

does everyone else’s blow out towards the front of the fridge? I’m assuming I can just reverse the fan if that’s the case

I started at 75% but it’s the same.

Dehum pushes up the temp a bit too much for my liking as well, about 55f to 70f. I think this is why it’s so dry already

thanks
 
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dwc420letsgo

dwc420letsgo

Well-Known Member
blip6579 said:
Couple more questions. I have been trying to dry direct in the fridge (no hanging) for about 2 days. Buds feel very light already and I have emptied a lot of water.
I feel like it might be drying too fast. I have my inkbird at 72% with a 1% diff but it will go up to 80% when the dehum kicks in and then down to 67%.

these fluctuations seem too big. Any ideas?

my dehumidifier fan blows against the fins so the air goes up which may be messing with the inkbird sensor?

does everyone else’s blow out towards the front of the fridge? I’m assuming I can just reverse the fan if that’s the case

I started at 75% but it’s the same.

Dehum pushes up the temp a bit too much for my liking as well, about 55f to 70f. I think this is why it’s so dry already

thanks
Click to expand...
Im coming back home Friday so I will see if my buds dried correctly and didn’t mold on me but this has been my sensor readings. I was getting around 9% humidity swings thruout the first week, lately it’s been around 6% swings… currently inkbird is set to 63.5%

The dehumidifier doesn’t really seem to affect my temp much. Room temp is around 70f
 

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blip6579

Member
dwc420letsgo said:
Im coming back home Friday so I will see if my buds dried correctly and didn’t mold on me but this has been my sensor readings. I was getting around 9% humidity swings thruout the first week, lately it’s been around 6% swings… currently inkbird is set to 63.5%

The dehumidifier doesn’t really seem to affect my temp much. Room temp is around 70f
Click to expand...
thanks for the update. Pretty sure I cooked my buds

lucky I have another plant hanging in the tent
 
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blip6579

Member
Thinking about this more and I think dehumidifier blowing up is bad. The inkbird sensor will fight against the dehumidifier which is why it takes ages for it to pull down the rh, and then when the dehumidifier switches off the real rh is actually way lower which is why mine drops so much.

will test it blowing forward
 
dwc420letsgo

dwc420letsgo

Well-Known Member
blip6579 said:
Thinking about this more and I think dehumidifier blowing up is bad. The inkbird sensor will fight against the dehumidifier which is why it takes ages for it to pull down the rh, and then when the dehumidifier switches off the real rh is actually way lower which is why mine drops so much.

will test it blowing forward
Click to expand...
I just left the fan the same way it came originally installed
 
J

jdotg24

Member
blip6579 said:
Couple more questions. I have been trying to dry direct in the fridge (no hanging) for about 2 days. Buds feel very light already and I have emptied a lot of water.
I feel like it might be drying too fast. I have my inkbird at 72% with a 1% diff but it will go up to 80% when the dehum kicks in and then down to 67%.

these fluctuations seem too big. Any ideas?

my dehumidifier fan blows against the fins so the air goes up which may be messing with the inkbird sensor?

does everyone else’s blow out towards the front of the fridge? I’m assuming I can just reverse the fan if that’s the case

I started at 75% but it’s the same.

Dehum pushes up the temp a bit too much for my liking as well, about 55f to 70f. I think this is why it’s so dry already

thanks
Click to expand...
First, give it a few days and chill out. The weed will still smoke fine and only smell once broken up

I'd think your fan is installed correctly from manufacturer. Nobody flipped them. The fins are exposed on the backside, that's the cool side of your peltier.


Have you timed your cycles?

My temp swings are much less. Your temperature jump seems excessive for a 8% drop in humidity. Once my humid kicks on the temp does start raising slowly. Have mine set for a 5% drop between on and off. Jumps few percent when fan kicks on

Maybe consider lowering the fridge temp setting, or your rooms ambient temp. Can you move cooler to a basement? My fridge is set at 53 but my temp sensors all showed about 57. Jumps to like 59.5 at end of humidifier cycle
 
B

blip6579

Member
jdotg24 said:
First, give it a few days and chill out. The weed will still smoke fine and only smell once broken up

I'd think your fan is installed correctly from manufacturer. Nobody flipped them. The fins are exposed on the backside, that's the cool side of your Pelletier.


Have you timed your cycles?

My temp swings are much less. Your temperature jump seems excessive for a 8% drop in humidity. Once my humid kicks on the temp does start raising slowly. Have mine set for a 5% drop between on and off. Jumps few percent when fan kicks on

Maybe consider lowering the fridge temp setting, or your rooms ambient temp. Can you move cooler to a basement? My fridge is set at 53 but my temp sensors all showed about 57. Jumps to like 59.5 at end of humidifier cycle
Click to expand...
I do need to breathe . Thanks

I think because the fan blows up towards the fridge sensor it pushes the temp up. Might not be the real temp in the fridge.

My dehumidifier blows up which is where the fridge and inkbird sensors are. Which may be messing with settings.

I have a feeling other’s dehumidifiers blow forward toward the front of the fridge which would circulate the air better

I will time some swings and see. Thanks
 
J

jdotg24

Member
blip6579 said:
I do need to breathe . Thanks

I think because the fan blows up towards the fridge sensor it pushes the temp up. Might not be the real temp in the fridge.

My dehumidifier blows up which is where the fridge and inkbird sensors are. Which may be messing with settings.

I have a feeling other’s dehumidifiers blow forward toward the front of the fridge which would circulate the air better

I will time some swings and see. Thanks
Click to expand...
Hmm yeah. Is your humidifier different?

The fan should be facing the door. The pointy side of fins of dehumidifier pointing down, with unit standing vertical. There's some photos in here in early posts
 
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