Curing Cabinet build

[buckscent]

hey all, I would like to invite you on my curing cabinet build with me, help me with this build because I am sure I will need all the help I can get. SO, below is step one. Took ,e a couple months to find the fridge I wanted, I knew I wanted a glass door one and those are harder to find. But I did find one

<a href="https://postimg.cc/8sq8BF6m" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.postimg.cc/8sq8BF6m/fridge1.jpg" alt="fridge1"/></a><br/><br/>
<a href="https://postimg.cc/9rT6xWP5" target="_blank"><img src="https://i.postimg.cc/9rT6xWP5/fridge2.jpg" alt="fridge2"/></a><br/><br/>

A nice surprise was it already has a Emerson Temp controller in it that someone added

I put a thermometer in it and set the Emerson to 60... Righ now it goes from 40 one minute then I go look at it later and it is right on 60, then 50 back to 40... Don't know ywt if it the thermometer yet or not but when it shows 40 it does feel like it inside


I also have these ready to purchase but have not yet



May need this IF the Emerson controller isin't working

This is one item I do already have

I think this is all I will need for the build but let me know if I have missed anything. I know a small fan but I will get one from Wal-Fart. I look forward to taking this journey with all of you

 

[buckscent]

this is the manual for the emerson it came with, I think it talks about the set point you where talking about. I need to check what it's set to

https://climate.emerson.com/documents/16e09-101-instructions-en-us-4209196.pdf

so you have a humidifier and a dehumidifier?

 

[SmokinAl]

Nice setup Holly!!
Al

 

[buckscent]

such good info thank you!!! So what heater and dehumidifer are those, hard to tell in pic. And what controls the heater? When does the heater come on? Sorry just so new at this and want to make sure I have everything I need for the build.

 

[buckscent]

Well I got all my equipment in a couple days ago... I have been so busy at work then coming home and laying flooring, my wife has me replacing the carpet with wood. I hope to get working on my cabinet next week




I did put the temp/humidity display in there just to see, I also went to Lowes and got the AcuRite Holly suggested and put them both in there. it looks like the Emerson that was in there is holding 60 after I made the change

 

[buckscent]

well don't know if I am in the club yet or not... let's hold off that high honor until I at least produce something edible :)
I have my cabinet in the basement in the back corner against the blocks of the outside wall. it gets colder in there during the winter but in Alabama that still not to cold for very long. I am sure I will have many many questions once I get started curing, but that's a new thread for a later date

 

[buckscent]

That is the exact cure I thought of doing...spot on. That or a duck Prosciutto. I am one when I do something I go wide open from the beggining, going to slow down this time as this can affect other people if I get them sick so yes, starting slow and working my way up as I learn processes and get comfortable

 

[buckscent]

Hey Holly, still gathering ext cords, plugs and cable managment stuff.... For now just for testing i pit the humidifier and dehumidifier in... What are your srttings on the inkbird for a place I can start. Going to set for 70% just to play with and get myself familairized. Thanks

 

[buckscent]

I hope as I am building this cabinet that it will help others with issues that I am having if they come across the same thing... so my issue now is this..... Before I start drilling all my holes I want to check the placement of equipment so I went ahead and put in the humidifier and dehumidifier and got the inkbird setup. 70%RH with an alarm of high 100 and low 50. Before I plugged them in the fridge one wireless hydrometer read temp of 60 and humidity of 81. The other one, yes for now I have 2 setup just for double verification, temp 60 and humidity 89. So when I plugged them in the humidifier started spraying the cool mist. So if the internal humidity is above 80 and I have the inkbird RH set to 70 why would it come on? Could it be that the original roof fan is still hooked up and running?

 

[buckscent]

SO I "Thought they where plugged in correctly but they where backwards in W1 and W2. And the fan IS running all the time as the fridge is plugged into the wall outlet (I might go ahead and plug up the temp controller as well to test it). And the Humidity Controller settings are:

Humidity set point )HS_ 70%
Humidification differential value (HD) 3.0%
Dehumidification value (DD) = 3.0 %
Alarm high (AH) = 100.0 %
Alarm low (AL) = 50.0 %
Compressor delay = 0 minutes
Humidity calibration (CA) = 0 %

 

[buckscent]

SO I "Thought they where plugged in correctly but they where backwards in W1 and W2. And the fan IS running all the time as the fridge is plugged into the wall outlet (I might go ahead and plug up the temp controller as well to test it). And the Humidity Controller settings are:

Humidity set point )HS_ 70%
Humidification differential value (HD) 3.0%
Dehumidification value (DD) = 3.0 %
Alarm high (AH) = 100.0 %
Alarm low (AL) = 50.0 %
Compressor delay = 0 minutes
Humidity calibration (CA) = 0 %

 

[buckscent]

Sorry for the delay, crazy couple weeks, I was gone all last week. So I got back yesterday and rested. To day I hooked up the Inkbird humidity controller and the Inkbird Temp Controller. when you look at the pics just know I have not put the cabinet in it's place and just have all the controllers laying on the floor as I want to get everything working before I drill holes and start mounting equipment. I was having issues with the humidity but only had it plugged up. today I got both humidity and temp connected and working and I think so far so good!! Thanks Holly!!! Here are the pics

This is 4:42 today when I first programmed and plugged in.. Alarms where going crazy






this is at 5:54 seems to have settled down

 

[buckscent]

So i have it all hooked up but just laying on the floor, now I just needto drill holes, mount electical boxes and do some cable managment. One question is, is it normal when the fan and compressor comes on the humidity shoots up 8-10 percent? It does come back down, what I can tell is tthat when the cooler comes on the compressor and the fan both come on till temp is achived then off

 

[buckscent]

Just about done. The interior light and come cable management and I will be done and ready to cure meat...

 

[bill ace 350]

If you want to really simplify the controls get

Inkbird ITC-308 - temperature controller
Inkbird IHC -200 - humidity controller

Together on Amazon they are $70.99

The beauty of there controllers are:

1. They are plug-n-play
2. They each are dual function Cool/Heat & Humidify and dehumidify
3. They have hi/low audible alarms
4. The temp controller has a compressor timer lockout function to keep the refrigerator compressor from cycling on/off
5. They are very accurate and be set to be set to 1/10th degree/percent and the ability to set a dead band to keep over cycling of the chamber

What you are potentially experiencing with the erratic temperatures swings is not having a dead band.

Set you fridge to 40 degrees and after it reaches temp the compressor shuts off but since there is still some cool air falling the chamber will overshoot and go sub 40 degrees. If you don't have a 2 or 3 degree deadband as soon as the temp drops below the set point of 40 degrees the heat will kick on trying to keep the chamber at the 40 degree setpoint. But again since then thermostat isn't instantaneous the heat will overshoot past 40 degrees and then the cooling comes back on. Repeat over and over and you have a very unstable curing chamber and really stress the mechanical components and accelerate wear.

So if you set a deadband of 2 degrees with a set point of 40 degrees the cooling will not cycle until the interior temp reaches 42 degrees then it will shut off at 40 but the temp can continue to drop to 38 degrees until the heat is commanded on. It really levels things out and the same goes for the humidify/dehumidify side of thing.

I run my chamber at 58 degrees and 80% RH and I can stay +/- 2 points of either very easily w/o over taxing mechanical the components.

Another thing that help temperature swings is thermal mass. When I only have one or 2 meats in the curing chamber I put a couple 6-packs of beer in there to help hold/maintain temperature.

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Great setup!

I have the inkbird controls, looking for a suitable fridge Wat one did you use?

 

[buckscent]

I found a true as well. Paid 200 bucks for it.

 

[buckscent]

What type of hanging hooks should I use?

 

[buckscent]

Just put in its final resting place. Hooked it all up and added a bucket of water.

 

[buckscent]

Any idea why the humidty stays close to 2.5% higher? If I set it for 75% it sets about 77.5. If i set it to 72% it will sit at about 74.4. Temp is right on

 

[buckscent]

That did it I believe... I set from 3.0 to 2.0 for both and then the humidifier was set all the way up and it was putting out a ton of mist. I dialed it back to a little before half way and now 75.2 and 75.3 all day long.. Thanks!!!