I built a temperature/humidity controlled cellar in our new home with the consultation of wine enthusiast magazine. I purchased a Breeazaire unit sized according to the room size (700 cubic feet) with Wine Enthusiast designing the racking and supplying the cooling unit. The unit never reaches temp set at 55 degrees. It runs constantly and gets only as low as 64 degrees. The room is well insulated and designed according to spec. I called the tech support at Wine Enthusiast and they said until the room is full of wine, it will not get to the set temp. The room is racked for about 600 bottles but that only occupies about one tenth of the room space. It presently has about 200 bottles and has not had more to date. It seems to me that the set temp should be possible if the design and unit are correct, and that filling the room should only affect how often the unit has to come on to keep it at the set temp. Am I getting the run around from Wine Enthusiast? I realize the concept of the bottles acting as a cold sink, but never reaching temp seems to me to be another problem. Help!!!!!

dwestmaui

It took ours a few days to reach 55. There needs to be a difference in the incoming and outgoing temperature in the compressor. You should call breezaire to help you with the adjustments. When we ours was installed last year during the summer, it ran constantly. They helped me with some programing. I also have mine set for 57, because it stops running at 2 degrees lower. One thing I still need to check on is that mine still puts out a bunch of water. good luck. tz

If you're unhappy with the advice you're getting from the folks at Wine Enthusiasts, ask to speak to another consultant. They have a vested interest in making you happy, and it sounds like you've already spent several thousand dollars with them. I've dealth with them, and I think they're straight shooters.

"The world needs ditch-diggers, too, Danny!"

I'm no refrigeration specialist, but it sounds like you're getting the run around. If properly sized (BTUs) and insulated your cellar should reach its set temp empty, full, whatever. Your unit and/or thermistat may be defective. I would start by having them send a new thermistat, if it's a part you can change yourself. If not tell them you want a new unit. They owe you, good luck.

Also try talking to a PHYSICS PROFESSOR! More wine in the cellar isn't going to make it colder unless you add wine bottles that are ALREADY colder. I'm teasing the store you spoke with, not you, btw.

Wine won't "sink" temperature... once it reaches the temperature of the air around the bottle, it won't affect the air temperature anymore. Your continued cooling is making up for what the cellar loses to the outside environment.

[Whatever slight amount of temperature that may be generated by fermentation or aging of the wine is nothing compared to the outside environment.]