Hi all,
I am new to this forum - well, I have been reading it for a while now - but this is my first post.
I have just set up my first curing chamber made from a wine fridge with a small desk fan and humidifier at the bottom. I am still waiting for my humidity controller to arrive, however in the meantime I have had the fridge running for a couple of days and noticed the temperature and humidity is fluctuating a fair bit
To get some data I have written down the temperature and RH every 15 minutes for 3 hours and the starting temperature/RH in the chamber is 13.7C/87%. The fridge cycles once it reaches 14.5C at which point it will cycle for about 20 minutes during which the temp will slowly drop to around 9.7C/41% RH and turn off. Shortly after it turns off the temperature and RH will slowly rise to 14.5C / 80-85%.
Basically every hour it will go from 14.5C to 9.5C and back to 14.5C, while the RH will go 85% to 41% to 85%. The humidity increases quite fast once the fridge switches off whilst the temperature is a bit slower. I could turn on the humidifier to counter the fridge cycle so the RH doesn't drop as much however this will cause the RH to go through the rough as soon as the fridge cycle stops.
Over 3 hours the data is as follows:
Max temperature: 14.5C
Min temperature: 9.7C
Average temperature: 10.8C
Max RH: 87%
Min RH: 41%
Average RH: 67%
Note for this test the fridge has been on the lowest possible setting and the desk fan is turned on the whole time for circulation but the humidifier has been off the whole time.
Do you think this is cause for concern or is it okay as long as the average temp/RH are approx.. within the recommended? At this stage I will only be making cured meats. E.g. guanciale, bacon and maybe a coppa or bresaola but at some stage I would like to venture into sausage making.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Kasper
I am new to this forum - well, I have been reading it for a while now - but this is my first post.
I have just set up my first curing chamber made from a wine fridge with a small desk fan and humidifier at the bottom. I am still waiting for my humidity controller to arrive, however in the meantime I have had the fridge running for a couple of days and noticed the temperature and humidity is fluctuating a fair bit
To get some data I have written down the temperature and RH every 15 minutes for 3 hours and the starting temperature/RH in the chamber is 13.7C/87%. The fridge cycles once it reaches 14.5C at which point it will cycle for about 20 minutes during which the temp will slowly drop to around 9.7C/41% RH and turn off. Shortly after it turns off the temperature and RH will slowly rise to 14.5C / 80-85%.
Basically every hour it will go from 14.5C to 9.5C and back to 14.5C, while the RH will go 85% to 41% to 85%. The humidity increases quite fast once the fridge switches off whilst the temperature is a bit slower. I could turn on the humidifier to counter the fridge cycle so the RH doesn't drop as much however this will cause the RH to go through the rough as soon as the fridge cycle stops.
Over 3 hours the data is as follows:
Max temperature: 14.5C
Min temperature: 9.7C
Average temperature: 10.8C
Max RH: 87%
Min RH: 41%
Average RH: 67%
Note for this test the fridge has been on the lowest possible setting and the desk fan is turned on the whole time for circulation but the humidifier has been off the whole time.
Do you think this is cause for concern or is it okay as long as the average temp/RH are approx.. within the recommended? At this stage I will only be making cured meats. E.g. guanciale, bacon and maybe a coppa or bresaola but at some stage I would like to venture into sausage making.
Looking forward to hearing from you.
Thanks
Kasper
