wine cellar info

originally posted by JasonA:
originally posted by Mark Davis:

Peter-

My recommendation: get a split system, have it expertly designed (by someone other than cellartec), factor in all the unique parameters of your system and room, and...realize 50deg/70% hum is much different than 55/70 or 60/70 in terms of system design.

..and condensate pumps/lines suck in cold weather and add add'l risk. Drain w/gravity..and definitely drain it -- you don't want the potential for extra humidity near your air handler.

--mark

Mark,

Cellartec touched a nerve huh?

I didn't mean to discount the attention you have spent on your cellar design or construction. I was speaking in generalities as I certainly cannot provide specific advise with the limited information provided. I think the important thing that we can agree on is that wine cellar cooling should be engineered as refrigeration and not air conditioning. The operative word here being engineered.

That said I do think you are somewhat of a zealot on the design and maintenance of specific temperature/humidity parameters, I mean it is wine storage, not a mission critical data center. So pop one those zins already.

PS. I understand some of your points about condensate pumps, i.e. they are a pump and subject to failure - gravity works everyday - but I don't understand what you are speaking about when you say they suck in cold weather. Is your discharge line terminating outdoors and freezing up? You should be able to find an indoor point of discharge to avoid that problem.

Jason-

Yeah, the cellartec "ordeal" was long lasting and irritating.

I expect to have this cellar for quite some time...and the room specification, design, and construction was interesting to optimize.

I've had numerous condensate pumps fail. Also, the lines tend to be very small diameter flexible hose...vmaking them much more likely to freeze in cold weather. I had 3/4" and 1" PVC installed, which works much better and doesn't freeze as easily....you still need to insulate...In the grand scheme of cellar design, this is a nit. There are dozens of more important construction details to stress about.

OK, back to wine. Hope that helps Scott.

-mark
 
Mark

I agree that the manuals should be consulted. Auto mechanics are the only mechanics that seem to bother with manuals unfortunately.
 
the room(s) and unit(s) will actually be in wine stores in nj. some pricey wines with moderate traffic. no dinners or extended stays, but moderately frequent opening of the door.
 
Scott,

What you are proposing is known as a HT (high temperature) WIB (walk in box). You might want to talk to commercial kitchen consultants/engineering firms about your projects. This is not home cellar stuff we are talking about. Good luck.
 
originally posted by scottreiner:
the room(s) and unit(s) will actually be in wine stores in nj. some pricey wines with moderate traffic. no dinners or extended stays, but moderately frequent opening of the door.
I knew there was more to it.
 
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