new curing chamber build humidity to high need help!!!

king kabanos · Post by **king kabanos** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 22:25

i just made a curing/fermentation chamber i have a 7 cubic ft chest freezer that i converted into a chamber. the equipment i have is a johnson controller to control temp. a green air thc 1 humidity controller. crane 1 gallon ultrasonic humidifer. 2 calibrated acurite hygrometers. i just made some cold smoked kielbasa that i want to dry out and also i hot smoked version . the recipe says to dry it out after its smoked for 5-7 days at 75-80 rh. and my chamber is alwayys at 90-93 rh. i need some help to bring this down. should i put a ceramic bulb in or what. idk what to do but very fustrated

resistbody · Post by **resistbody** » Mon Dec 16, 2013 23:37

Bulb or some other heater inside(quarz maybe)
See this http://borglunds.wordpress.com/2013/01/ ... ng-camber/

Post by **redzed** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 02:08

How many pounds and how long have you had the sausages in the chamber? A huge spike in the humidity in the first few days is nothing to be concerned about. The humidity will drop and stabilize after the third day or so. While a heater will no doubt work, concentrate on ventilation, that is allowing the moisture to leave the chamber. Shut the humidifier off for now. Unlike having a frost-free fridge for a chamber where the air is dried every time the compressor kicks in, your freezer traps the air making it difficult to purge excess humidity. Just monitor the situation and you should be OK.

Cabonaia · Post by **Cabonaia** » Tue Dec 17, 2013 03:14

I use a ceramic bulb on a dimmer switch (no fan), and open the chamber (for me, a converted fridge) a couple times a day and fan some air out by hand. The bulb is in a drop light that has a ceramic receptacle. During the first few days I usually have to sponge out a small amount of water that puddles at the bottom of the fridge. You could just use a fan, or just a bulb, or both, depending on your situation. One way or another you do need to get some air circulation whether your humidity is too high or not. I have to use a bulb because my chamber is in a cold garage and it will never get up to the temp I want without a heat source.

Cheers,
Jeff

king kabanos · Post by **king kabanos** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 19:10

here are some pics of my chamber and kielbasa that i made

i have a fan on low speed that runs constantly and on the ceramic bulb that is on a dimmer its a 60w cermamic bulb for reptiles is on also constant. also i turned to humidifier off like you said but the humidty is still around 85 rh with the bulb on max. i also i have a fan in a project boc where it sucks the air inside the box and goes through a tube and outside the fridge 15 min on every hour for 20 hours on a timer. am i doing something wrong should i not put the fan facing the ceramic bulb or what. red zed the sausage has been there for 4 days. what should i do??

Cabonaia · Post by **Cabonaia** » Wed Dec 18, 2013 19:44

I'm sure Redzed will have excellent advice.

Here are a few thoughts:

85 RH ain't so bad.

Putting the fan on the bulb is cooling the bulb, so you will probably get a better heating/dehumidifying effect from the bulb by facing the fan away from it.

Take the humidifier out of there for now.

Open the door often.

Wipe down the inside if there is condensation.

Seems like you are headed in a good direction.

Jeff