[Lamar]

I just want to share with the LLG's around here my personal humidor experience. I wish that I had known a handful of humidors ago what I know now. I must admit that I have spent years in this hobby thinking that the humidor itself wasn't an intergral part of our hobby and I also never believed that temperature really didn't factor in that much in the enjoyment of our fabled sticks.

I have come to know personally that a stable temp retains the bouquet and creates with time a far more elegant stick than anything that I have gotten in humidors that are subject to the fluctuations that are normal in a home. I have also come to see that internal recirc fans and powerful humidification creates for me a smoke that far exceeds anything that I have gotten with passive humidification or even the power units that are popular now.

Arlin Liss has pulled together for me a cigar storage/aging system that far exceeds anything that I have experienced at a reasonable cost. The combined cost of all of my other humidors is about what I paid for Arlin's work...I wish that I had gone to him in the beginning of my journey.

If you are thinking about a humi, do yourself a favor and give Arlin a call.

http://arlinliss.com/_Mahogany/Unsold Mahog Cab 48x22x16/Humidor_Details.htm

 

[motortown]

THAT is one beautiful box, Lamar! Major props. It's definitely an heirloom that can be passed on to many generations. Let me give you my address!!

 

[ArlinLiss]

Lamar has the 1st Cabinet allowing:

[1] RH to be kept/set with 1/10th of a percent RH!
[2] set Temp to stay within 1 degree!
[3] set recirculation fans to your own intervals!
[4] provide 'low water' indicator for Humidifier.
[5] allows Lamar to determine how tight a range/margin
of temp & RH he wants kept [not like others 2-4% ranges!]

 

[relaxnsmoke]

Stunning, Lamar you have a beautiful cabinet. ArlinLiss you've built a work of art.

I am curious as to what type of heating/cooling system is being used?

Does it require moisture drain-off? 120 volt?

My last question is the air circulation, what determines the set point for on/off of the fans? Do you run them a few hours a day or more?

Sorry for all the questions, don't feel obligated to answer them, I work as an engineer and I"m really fascinated with the proper conditioning of cigars!

Can I move in to your house?

That is one amazing system, form,beauty and function, I love it when someone does something right! Lucky Lamar. :w

 

[Lamar]

Now it is time for me to show my true ignorance because I am NOT an engineer and this stuff baffles me. My understanding of the engineering is as follows:

1 Arlin uses a Peltier cooling system, the benefit being that there are no moving parts to wear out. The cooling system is based upon the Peltier effect which goes way beyond my limited mental resources but seems to be based upon certain metals ability to produce a cooling effect when current is run through them.

2 A drain plug has been installed which empties into the water tray for the humidifier. The condensate should only accumulate if the external temp is more than 20 degrees than the internal temp and the cooler runs for more than several hours. Should that happen, even though there is a catch tray, Arlin lined that tray with Climaxx beads to compensate for any internal humidity spikes. My chiller is only running for about two minutes out of every 20 minutes or so because my house temp is only about 6 degrees above my humidor temp. I opted for the chiller because I wanted a consistant 65 degree internal temp

3 The fans are currently set for 15 minutes on and 15 minutes off though this variable is just about infinate. The mechanics of that system are well beyond me.

 

[ArlinLiss]

System Compoments

The cooler is, as Lamar wrote, a Peltier unit rated at 280 BTU and is 24v dc powered

The controller and humidifier are 12v dc powered apliances.

Two power supplies [12v & 24v dc] are used. Both are powered from a 110v ac wall outlet. The 24v has 2 cooling fans that operate when there is a load on the 24v system.

Condensate is dealt with in 2 ways. There is a condensate 'catch' tray below the cooler with a hose leading to the humidifier. 2nd Climmax media are used in the humidor to overcome any 'spikes' in humidity that may result from trying to cool more than 10-15 degrees difference from ambient [room] temp.

The effect is that Lamar can cool the interior more than 30 degrees lower than room temp and the humididty will not exceed 70% . Lamars' is unique in that it will do this! This is NOT typical of most other temp controlled cabinets to my knowledge. It is well known that lowering the temp CAUSES a rise in humididity, but the way Lamars the rise in humidity it is overcome!

As to the recirculation fans and the timing, they are regulated by the two potentiomers on the top of the controller case which feeds into this relay:

and here is what the wiring and relays look like :

 

[relaxnsmoke]

Awesome job. Thanks for sharing, you've taken things to a whole new level that is for sure. Peltier sounds great. Damn! That is a beautiful humidor. How did you get the Mrs. to go along with this? That is a technique I've yet to master. :w (don't tell me your hiding it away in a back room)

PS, Is it hard to smoke a cigar that is not directly taken from the Humi? I could see myself apologizing to folks, "Sorry, it's been out of the Humi for 20 minutes!" :r

Next time I'm back in your area, I'll be PMing you Lamar!:w

 

[Lamar]

The wife is still trying to figure out how much it cost...I am going to have to ante up soon!

 

[Mayor]

Looks awesome. I know you are excited. Do you have any photos of the humi with your smokes?

j

 

[dayplanner]

Nice Lamar, ,,,,,,,,,, Nice. Drool.:w

 

[Lamar]

Mayor

As soon as I get another box of Strawberry Philly Blunts I'll be glad to forward pics.

 

[mad4Fuente]

That is a beautiful humi! I am envious. High tech at it's best. Enjoy it for years and happy smokin'.