Temp/humidity control

Folks use a variety of gear for temp and humidity control. There are pre-fab units from the Johnson Controls company--I do not know the model numbers, but when I first started with dry curing, I looked into these, and was scared away by the price. Whatever the case, these are probably the easiest solution because you just have to wire in the power lines for your devices (fridge + humidifier).

If you trust dirt-cheap electronics from China (and you like a bit of a challenge because instructions are often not included!), you can get something that is essentially functionally equivalent to a Johnson Controls unit, but for supercheap. Here's a link to a combo temp/humidity controller with LED display for less that US$14 including free shipping--really!

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/New...nd-Humidity-Controller-Board/32779921026.html

If you are even more adventurous, and want an even greater level of control including fancy stuff like data logging, many folks end up using a microcontroller (like an Arduino) hitched up with temp/humidity sensors and relays to control the higher power devices like the fridge + humidifier. I've gone this route myself simply because I want data logging, but admittedly, it is much more involved than the other solutions mentioned above.

Not sure I helped too much here, but the point is that there are a range of solutions along the price+involvement spectrum so depending on your wallet and desire to tinker, there are several solutions that could work for you.

Shyzabrau said:

I don't mind tinkering and I have a variety of temperature controllers in my home-brewed beer equipment. I could easily convert a fridge to handle the temperature but was hoping to avoid having yet another fridge!

I was worried about using a standard humidifier (despite the control) because they are known to have a propensity to harbor mold and bacteria.

Click to expand...

They need to be sanitized to prevent the spread of molds and harmful bacteria...   Same with the refrigerator...  

Regarding a standard ultrasonic humidifier, they are generally meant to humidify whole rooms. But since you will be using this in a fridge, which is a very tiny volume, why not consider a mini-humidifier some of which are so simple that issues with mold or harmful bacteria become less of a problem? Let me explain more.

For my curing chamber, a 2.7 cubic foot dorm fridge, I use a donut mini-humidifier. The donut, basically a hollow plastic ring, floats on water, and includes just two other parts--a tiny filter on the bottom, and an ultrasonic oscillating disk that vaporizes the water it floats on. The thing sits in a coffee cup that I fill with spring water, and I top it up as necessary. I keep an eye on it, and it has never become slimy, green, or anything that might indicate mold/bacteria/algae growth. But if it did, since the reservoir is just a coffee cup, well, it would be extraordinarily easy to clean.

If you are not in a rush, you can order these from China for $3, which includes shipping--really! Here is an example link:

https://www.aliexpress.com/item/201...C-5V-Doughnut-Donut-Diffuser/32771582500.html

If you go to Youtube and search, you can find many videos about these things--here's an example:



There is another interesting style, too, that is essentially a cap that you screw onto a bottle of spring water. It has a long filter straw that draws water up to the ultrasonic disk where it is vaporized. The long filter straw can be replaced so this may alleviate potential issues with mold/bacteria/algae. Here's a link to some that goofily look like cowboy hats, not just a screw-on bottle caps. With prices lower than $6, if you can ignore the silly design, it would work wonders for adding humidity to a curing fridge whether screwed onto a water bottle or simply sitting in a cup.

https://www.aliexpress.com/w/wholesale-ultrasonic-humidifier-cowboy-hat.html

There are many other styles available, too--just search for "usb ultrasonic humidifier" on Aliexpress.

Anyway, my point with all of the above is that some of these mini ultrasonic humidifiers are so simple that keeping them clean is much less of an issue than a larger, regular humidifier with reservoir.

By the way, I can vouch that these put out plenty of mist to keep a high humidity level in a mini-fridge and probably even a regular-sized fridge. If folks want more details, a video of one in action, or something else, just let me know.