I finally got around to building my dry cure cabinet. I picked up this top mount compressor commercial freezer for free. It had a wiring problem so I played around with it until I figured out the problem. Once I had it running I could figure out how I was going to tie in the controls.
I worked with Suyi at Auber some time ago to come up with a controller that could control both adding humidity and dehumidify simultaneously. He has had them on his web site for some time now. Unfortunately it took me a while to find a cabinet and some time to work on it. For the dehumidification cycle I'm using a 3 inch fan mounted on the exterior of the cabinet at the top. I also have an intake vent at the bottom on the opposite side. Both have filters on them.
Both the humidity and temperature controllers have dual display so you can see the set value and actual value at the same time which is nice.
So far I've only ran it empty but it's working quit well. I'm getting temperatures of about a 4 degree swing (2 degrees above and 2 degrees below set point). My humidity stays within about a 6% swing (3% over and 3% Under). The only exception is when the compressor cuts in I will loss about 10 or 15% humidity for about 30 or 40 seconds before it recovers. If it over shoots my dehumidify fan cuts in and reduces the humidity.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2417_450x600_zpsbe8bee9c.jpg)
I rewired the fan you see in the cabinet to run while the compressor is running. It was thermostatically controlled but at these temperatures the compressor only runs for about 30 to 40 seconds every 15 to 20 minutes. The fan pulls air in the front and blows it down the back wall. It's a fairly large fan but I was surprised it really doesn't blow that hard which is probably a good thing.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2420_450x600_zpsa6952bcb.jpg)
This is the fan used for dehumidifying. There's a filter on the outside of it.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2414_800x600_zps866859c7.jpg)
I cut a 3 inch hole for the fan and lined it with aluminum.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2421_800x600_zps33c9f546.jpg)
This is the intake for the dehumidify cycle. It's a 3 inch hole as well, lined with aluminum with a filter on the exterior.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2413_800x600_zps60789a52.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2422_800x600_zpsa36dc631.jpg)
Here's the only thing on the interior of the cabinet, just the thermalcouple and the humidity sensor.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2423_800x600_zps7d41af9f.jpg)
This shows the humidity flowing in through the fitting in the side of the cabinet.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2427_800x600_zpsb86de204.jpg)
I modified the humidifier to accept a 3/4 inch hose to pipe the humidity into the cabinet.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2429_800x600_zps8c638931.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2415_800x600_zps5b16d4c0.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2416_450x600_zps0434dd1f.jpg)
I thought I took more pictures of the wiring but this is the only one I have. With the switch and the plug on the back the boxes are fairly full but work very well.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2152_800x600_zps1711c2e2.jpg)
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2440_800x600_zps06d8274a.jpg)
You can see on the humidity controller the alarm light (small red light) is on bringing the humidity down.
(http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v158/mmike/IMG_2435_800x600_zps6257df64.jpg)
Mike
Edit - April 14/13 - To add settings and terminal wiring.
As I indicated I've been working with Suyi from Auber as there appears to some interference getting to the SLY 2342H humidity controller which periodically causes it to lockup. I haven't identified the source which could be the fan, the humidifier, or even the RH sensor itself but we have come up with what appears to be the solution. You will need a Noise Suppression RC Snubber (http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_35&products_id=238). It's available from Auber. The snubber has 2 leads and you connect them to terminals 9 & 10, polarity doesn't matter. The other setting to watch is the Hy setting. At this point it works flawlessly with a setting of 1.0 on my setup. I'm still playing with this setting and will update this with what I find.
Here's the settings & terminal wiring that I'm using on this controller setup.
SYL 2342H Settings (Humidity Controller)
ALM1 = 76 (this setting you adjust based on when you want the dehumidify fan cutting in)
ALM2 = 0.0
Hy1 = 9999
Hy2 = 9999
Hy = 1.0
Pb = 0.0
AL-P = 17
COOL = 0
LocK = 0
The wiring to the controller is as follows:
1 – Hot out to the venting fan for dehumidify cycle
2 – Green wire from RH sensor
3 – n/a
4 – Red wire from RH sensor
5 – Black wire from RH sensor
6 – n/a
7 – Hot to humidifier
8 – Hot jumped from 9
9 – Hot from switch (main Hot coming to controller & jumped to terminal 8 & 13)(terminals 9 & 10 have a Noise Suppression RC Snubber (http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_35&products_id=238) across them)
10 – Neutral from switch (main neutral coming to controller, can also be jumped to the neutral for the dehumidify fan and the humidifier) (terminals 9 & 10 have a Noise Suppression RC Snubber (http://www.auberins.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=7_35&products_id=238) across them)
13 – Hot Jumper from 9
14 – n/a
SYL 2342 (Temperature Controller) Settings
(these are the settings I changed, all the others are factory default)
ALM1 = 9999
ALM2 = -1999
Hy = 1.2 (You may have to play with this setting. You don't want the compressor running to frequently. With this setting mine only runs every 15 minutes or so.
At = 0
t = 10 (this is the cycle time and is recommended to be set at 20 for relay control. The 20 second time frame is to protect the compressor from frequent starts)
P-SL = 34 (this is the lowest SV you will be able to set on the keypad)
P-SH = 110 (this is the highest SV you will be able to set on the keypad)
COOL = 9
The wiring to the controller is as follows:
1 – n/a
2 – n/a
3 – n/a
4 – TC+
5 – TC-
6 – n/a
7 – Hot to compressor on fridge/freezer
8 – Hot jumped from 9
9 – Hot from switch (main Hot coming to controller)
10 – Neutral from switch (main neutral coming to controller)
13 – n/a
14 – n/a
I think I have it all there... ::) ;D
Mike
Gee Whiz you do nice work.
Very Nice! Hope it works great for you.
Mike nice build. Should work OK for you. The real test will be when you have 20 pounds of wet sausage and your trying to get the R/H down in the cabinet to 75%. I know my first build with a stand up freezer had a hard time with that. Also the summer weather will play with your R/H as it will not be as dry as in the winter months. I like your idea of keeping the humidifier on the outside. Not sure if I could do that with mine unless I use duct tape ;D
Good luck and start making some salami.
Don
Very nice! Can't wait to see your products lol!
Mike;
As always; you have put together another great appliance that is well thought out. With the ability to dehumidify, you should be able to control the RH. I can't wait to see some of the dry cured products that you will be creating.
Lots of work! Nice build Mike.
very impressive build, Looks like you put alot of thought into this one too...... Great post thanks
Awesome build Mike, Very impressive!! I know a lot of time, research and a little money went into this project but will pay off soon :)
Thanks Guys!
I'm still waiting for a supply order but hopefully I can run this baby through it's paces shortly. ;)
Mike
Very cool Mike.
Thanks for the play by play and pictures.
Lump
very cool
WOW....
Nice build for sure.
Sent from my iPhone 5 using Tapatalk
What Squirt said. WOW!
Great looking merchine Mike! Biding my time until I can build me one also We just finished out an Italian restaurant - the chef/partner is from Sardinia and is supposed to share some salumi recipes with me. Hopefully! No once you get the beast up and running I volunteer for quality testing! To send samples for testing - my address is........... BR549!
Dude! Wow. Feel free to send some bresaola up to Saskatoon. :)
P.S. the RH swing is to be expected as the compressor runs since the air will increase in RH as it cools. You can try and massage that out in your control scheme if you want to. You could also try and restrict refrigerant flow if the freezer is fancy enough to handle it. Or you could do nothing and send me some bresaola :)
Good work man
Wow, Saskatoon! I was in your fair city 3 years ago on my my up to near Stanley Mission to catch my first Northern - had a blast.
Thanks guys!
I'll be sure to keep you posted when I get a load hanging in there.
jjmoney
The RH actually drops when the compressor is running. Mind you the compressor only runs maybe 30 to 40 seconds every 15 to 20 minutes and the RH recovers in under a minute. I think, as Devo pointed out, once you get a load in there you can have trouble getting the RH down. This was why I designed the fan the way I did. Our humidity is typically low so this should work well. I guess if you live in a high humidity environment it might be different. I guess I don't need to tell you about our climate when your only a couple of ours away. You guys getting the storm we're getting hit with right now?
Mike
Thats one good looking cabinet, can't wait to see you get started, I really like dry cure, only problem is the waiting
Hmm, interesting that RH drops when compressor is on. Maybe the cold condenses some moisture? What's the fan doing while the frig kicks on?
Not much storm action here, pretty quiet, just skiffs of snow and a bit of wind.
@Caneyscud: You probably came up through La Ronge. My folks have a cabin near there. Stanley is a great jumpoff point for the Churchill River...did you go downstream through rapids or upstream into Mountain Lake? That whole area is incredible in the summer.
Your right, the cold condenses some of the moisture in the cabinet. I don't think you can get away from this but on the positive side the recovery is very quick at under a minute or so. The Fan (the large one inside) comes on when the compressor does and off with it as well. It gently moves air through the condenser and down the back of the cabinet. It should provide a nice gentle air turn over in the cabinet. At least that's the plan. In the original wiring it wouldn't cut in until the condenser reached freezing temperatures so I rewired it to come on with the compressor.
Mike
Its kinda of hard to tell in this picture but near the end of this graph you can see as the temp goes up and down so does the R/H.
Mine is set for 76% R/H and this shows its not that far off most of the time. This is from when I but the tester in and took it out.
(https://lh5.googleusercontent.com/-jxjlAnJG6iI/UT8jLkeH0WI/AAAAAAAAFos/BztkGYne43E/s800/Humitity.jpg)
Quote from: jjmoney on March 11, 2013, 11:34:50 PM
@Caneyscud: You probably came up through La Ronge. My folks have a cabin near there. Stanley is a great jumpoff point for the Churchill River...did you go downstream through rapids or upstream into Mountain Lake? That whole area is incredible in the summer.
Yep, caught a float plane in LaRonge. We were on the Churchill at Potters Rapids - lodge called Anglers Rapids. Some guys from Nashville owned it then. Fished downstream from the rapids at Drinking Lake and Keg Lake. Incredible fishing for Northerns - I'm probably scarred far life. It would be hard to beat! First time out for Northern and I'm catching 40+"ers. Everything I had read about them for years was true. Big, toothy mean, aggressive, will bite right at the boat, etc.... Took a fly rod with me, but I was in the hunt for the big fish pot - so stayed with spinning gear. But next time, it is fly rod serious time. Shore lunch of walleye fried in lard was memorable. Black bears on the shore. We were there during THE mayfly hatch of all time. Not just mayflies, but also some caddis and of all things some salmon flies. Incredible biomass. When they died, floating rafts of dead spinners for miles up and down the river/lake. And no trout to eat them! Incredible wilderness - wide open spaces with no sign of man - I'd like to stay up there for an extended stay and learn what the area has to offer! Bound to be some good lake trout somewhere. Oh, and got to see the petroglyphs coming into Stanley Mission.
Sounds like a good time Caney. That's very close to my part time stomping grounds. I've been from Stanley downstream as far as Potter but not over Potter. If you ever return, check out Nistowiak falls on your way through. They're well worth seeing.
I like to go around the Churchill best in June to get walleye and sauger. Pike are fun to catch and all but I don't care for the eating as much as walleye or lake trout.
Sorry to threadjack Mr. Walleye. :) Have fun with your cabinet!
Hey!... No problem when your talking fishing! ;) ;D
Devo
Based on your graph that's very similar to what I'm seeing. Although mine is empty... Still waiting for an order to come in! ::)
Just our of curiosity... Have you tried this recipe?
http://lpoli.50webs.com/index_files/Salami%20Hot.pdf
I'm kinda partial to a little kick and I buy a product that I think would be similar. This may be my trial run, I'll see.
Mike
I have never tried it Mike. You can't go wrong with Len Poli Recipes. You will find after a while looking at salami recipes there is a base recipe and then different cultures just add a few spices here and there. Its all good ;D
By the way I liked your way of mounting the thermocouple and humidity sensors that I did it that way also. ;)
(https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/-o6RzUae6iKQ/UT-zy-hMgkI/AAAAAAAAFqI/ZbVSuRbMCk4/s912/DSC_0292.JPG)
(https://lh4.googleusercontent.com/-PVX04lB5Gx4/UT-zvheit2I/AAAAAAAAFqA/OOCk1IX_h7U/s912/DSC_0293.JPG)
Good luck
Do you have a copy of Ruhlman's Charcuterie? Lots of good stuff in it.
jjmoney
I do have that book. I'll have to have another look through it and see if anything else tickles my fancy. :D
Devo
Your right, it's very similar to smoked sausage, once you have the basics down you can change the predominant spices and you have another type of sausage. Your absolutely right, it's all good! ;)
How did you have your TC and humidity sensor mounted before?
Mike
Just through the door and hanging off a rack, not very tidy that way. I like your way much better ;)