Wineador Modification to Prevent Temperature Reset

[Nostromo]

Wineador Modification to Prevent Temperature Reset

I've been lurking at the old forums for a long while now. I’ve learned so much from the site and figured I would try to contribute. I’m in the process of outfitting my 28 Bottle Wine Enthusiast Thermoelectric Wine Fridge into a humidor. While many keep their fridge unplugged, others need a way to keep their cigar temperatures in check. In the case of the Wine Enthusiast and several other models of thermoelectric wine fridge, when there’s a power interruption the built-in thermostat resets to the lowest setting, resulting in condensation and a precipitous drop in RH. I’ve read that some keep their fridge connected to a power supply to keep it running continuously. If you are fairly handy with electronics you can install a switch and relay to keep the fridge from turning back on after a power outage, so that you can turn the fridge back on and adjust the thermostat at your convenience. Always make sure that you double-check the circuit and all connections so you don’t release the magic smoke.

Parts:

• 120VAC, Single Pole Single Throw (SPST), Normally Open (NO) Relay (for my fridge rated to at least 1A)
• Momentary, SPST, NO Switch
• Crimper (I got my crimper and stripper at Harbor Freight)
• Wire Stripper
• 16/14 AWG Female Quick-Disconnect Terminals (Make sure you get the right size for your male terminals, some are 0.250” while others can be 0.187” or smaller; I purchased my terminals at Harbor Freight as well)
• 18 AWG Wire (You want at least 18AWG; 16AWG and 14AWG would work as well; I pulled mine from an old extension cord)
• Industrial Double-Sided Tape (I recommend the Scotch Outdoor or Extreme Mounting Tape)
• Drill with Step Bit and/or Dremel with Cut-off Discs

The principle here is that you use the switch to close the relay and send power to the fridge. The relay is then self-powering. In the case of a power outage the relay will open, and the only way to close it again is to manually hit the switch. Compared to a power supply this is an inexpensive modification that can be done in less than an hour. Fortunately I already had all the parts on hand, but they shouldn’t be difficult or expensive to procure.



Relay Wiring Diagram: