Product Features Archives - CellarCool®

Extending Cooling System Longevity: Unit Runtime

admin — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 11:18:05 +0000

Selecting the proper system based on the recommended BTU rating for runtime will have by far the most significant effect on your cooling system’s longevity. Unlike any other appliance you may own, your cellar cooling system will operate regularly throughout the day. These cooling cycles are necessary to keep your wine at the optimal storage temperature.

Putting It Into Perspective.

Your Cellar Is Like A Walk-In Fridge –

When you build a wine cellar, it is like building a walk-in refrigerator. The cooling unit will operate as needed based on the amount of heat that leaks into the cellar’s surroundings. Unlike your home’s fridge, the area required to cool your wine cellar has a much higher volume and is often not appropriately insulated or sealed.

Operates More Than Typical Appliance –

Typical household appliances, such as microwaves and water heaters, are used for a fraction of an hour or minute per day and only operate a few hours in total a week. In comparison, wine cooling units continuously operate to cool and monitor cellar conditions. Like an industrial walk-in refrigerator, each time a door opens, a cooling cycle will start to compensate for the hot air seeping into the cellar. Therefore, while a typical household appliance would not require much, if any, maintenance. A wine cooling unit, on the other hand, that operates for a more extended period would require some level of maintenance down the line to ensure optimal performance.

Operates More Than Typical Appliance –

Sizing Your System For Desired Runtime.

Before the purchase, to ensure the longevity of your cooling system, you must choose the appropriate system BTU runtime rating for your unique cellar environment. For example, by selecting a system with a 25% runtime rating in your environment, you can expect your unit to last 300% longer than if you were to choose a system with a 75% rating.

Think of your unit like a car.

Instead of comparing your wine cooling system to a typical household appliance think of it like a car. Much like a car, a wine cellar cooling system operates on a daily basis and should follow a maintenance schedule. After such consistent use, parts maintenance is often required to keep the car (or cooling unit) running in top shape. For example, after a vehicle reaches the 3,000 miles, it will require an oil change. At the 60,000-mile mark, parts maintenance is often necessary to inspect and sometimes replace the car’s brake pads, or air filters. Like a car, after a cooling unit consistently operates for 20,000 hours (about five years), parts maintenance is also often required to inspect and sometimes replace some system components. Make sure your system is set up for success. Oversizing your cooling system will put less stress on the unit and, therefore, reduce the need for system maintenance.

What Else Can I Do?

Understanding all of the various components that factor into the performance of a cooling system will help you make an informed decision when selecting the proper cooling system for your cellar environment. Learn more about these factors and building an efficient cellar environment by watching our “How to build a wine cellar” video on youtube. You can also check out our website for more great wine cellar resources.

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Advantages Of A Liquid-Sensing Bottle Probe

admin — Fri, 01 Oct 2021 09:15:44 +0000

The question is often asked: is it better to use an air temperature sensor in your wine cellar? Or is it better to use a bottle probe, which measures liquid temperature in the cellar?

What is a bottle probe?

The CellarCool bottle probe is a slim metal rod that fits into a wine bottle filled with water. Inside this metal rod is a temperature sensor. The sensor is connected by a cord to your CellarCool unit. The sensor detects the temperature of the water in the wine bottle and relays it to the controller in your CellarCool unit. When the water in the wine bottle reaches a certain temperature above the setpoint, the controller will then call for cooling and the unit will turn on and cool the room.

The bottle probe differs from an air temperature sensor in one key respect: it measures the liquid temperature in your wine cellar rather than the air temperature.

Disadvantages of air temperature sensors

The simple truth is that air temperature sensors do not give a clear picture of the temperature of the wine. Since they measure air temperature instead of liquid temperature, the unit will turn on or turn off based on the air temperature of the cellar and not the actual temperature of the wine. Moreover, air temperature changes faster than liquid temperature. This can result in your cooling unit turning off and on more frequently than it needs to, which shortens its operational lifespan.

Advantages of bottle probes

The bottle probe, as we’ve seen, measures liquid temperature, not air temperature. By measuring liquid temperature instead of air temperature, the bottle probe provides a more accurate reading of the temperature of the wines in your cellar. It also tells the unit to turn on only when it needs to. With a bottle probe, the unit is actually cooling the wine and not the cellar air. Overall, this causes your unit to run less and last longer.

Using a CellarCool controller vs. a 24-volt Thermostat

Fortunately, you don’t have to limit yourself in regards to the type of thermostat you’d like to use in your wine cellar.CellarCool offers you a choice. You can use our standard thermostat with our bottle probe, or you can opt for a 24-volt thermostat conversion kit. This allows you to buy a 24-volt thermostat conversion kit as an add-on to your purchase. (Recently, we began offering the 24-volt thermostat conversion kit as an aftermarket upgrade for select units as well.)

After purchasing a 24-volt thermostat conversion kit, customers can then select the 24-volt thermostat of their choice (not sold by CellarCool). Our conversion kit is compatible with 24-volt thermostats from all major sellers: Honeywell, Nest, EcoBee, etc. Customers may choose to use conventional 24-volt thermostats or “smart” 24-volt thermostats that can connect to WiFi networks and which can send updates to mobile devices. The 24-volt thermostat conversion kit uses an air temperature sensor; you will not need the CellarCool bottle probe.

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NEW PRODUCT RELEASE – Ultimate Plus Series

admin — Thu, 30 Sep 2021 06:00:36 +0000

The CellarCool Ultimate Plus –

The Ultimate Plus Series is a large, self-contained, fully ducted unit. A Self-contained system means that the two essential parts of a wine cellar cooling unit—the evaporator unit and the condensing unit—share a single housing. (Split systems, on the other hand, separate the condensing unit and evaporator unit.) Many self-contained units mount through a wall, with the evaporator side venting cool air into the wine cellar and the condenser side venting hot exhaust air into an adjacent room such as a utility room.

The Ultimate Plus, on the other hand, is also fully ducted. Fully ducted units do not mount inside the cellar. They can be mounted anywhere within 25 duct feet of the cellar. The cool evaporator air will be ducted into the cellar, and the hot exhaust air from the condenser will be ducted elsewhere, usually outside via exterior vents.

Features of the CellarCool Ultimate Plus Series

The first and most obvious benefit of a fully ducted self-contained unit is the ducting options. The Ultimate Plus Series is unique, as technicians can run the ducting from the top or side of these units.

Other features of the Ultimate Plus unit includes:

– Remote KDT Plus controller: This flat-panel digital control mounts outside the cellar, allowing you to monitor the temperature of your cellar and control your Ultimate Plus cooling unit without needing to step inside.

– Compatibility with 24-volt thermostat conversion kit: Our 24-volt conversion kit is available as an add-on at the time of purchase with Ultimate Plus units. This kit replaces the Ultimate Plus Series bottle probe and KDT Plus controller. The customer will need to select and purchase a 24-volt thermostat of their choice to control their unit. A smart thermostat such as Nest, Ecobee, or Honeywell may be selected.

– Corrosion-resistant drip tray: Ultimate Plus Series units have stainless steel drip trays that resist corrosion. Pan tabs are also available on select units to prevent the build-up of microbial growth and mold.

Benefits of Fully Ducted Self-Contained Units

The main advantage of fully ducted self-contained wine cellar cooling systems is flexibility. These units offer more flexible installation options than non-ducted self-contained units. If you have limited cellar space and require a powerful cooling unit, the Ultimate Plus is an excellent choice. The Ultimate Plus unit works well when installed in an attic or an adjacent utility room. From there, ducts carry the cool air into the room. Ducts also move the hot exhaust air to a safe location. The Ultimate Plus Series’ blower orientations ensure that your installing technician will have numerous installation options.

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CellarCool Condensate Pumps

admin — Mon, 07 Jun 2021 06:00:50 +0000

The CellarCool condensate pump is a small condensate removal pump that is installed in our Ceiling Mount units. This pump facilitates the removal of condensate from the internal drip tray and routes it away from the unit—preferably via a rigid drain line (PEX or CPVC).

Advantages of a Condensate Pump

CellarCool units can, under certain circumstances, produce moisture in the form of condensate during normal operation. This moisture collects in a tray inside the unit. The water is then routed out of the unit via a gravity-fed internal drain tube.

In humid environments, occasionally, excess condensate may be produced. This can cause the drip tray to overflow. This, in turn, may cause water damage to the cellar, the racking, or the unit itself.

Our condensate pump uses a reservoir that contains a thermistor to sense the condensate produced by the unit. This thermistor determines when the water in the drip tray has risen too high. The thermistor engages the pump, which removes the excess condensate from the drip tray. By means of a rigid drain line, the condensate drains to a safe location.

Premature Pump Failures

Environmental factors can play a role in causing a condensate pump to prematurely fail. Buildup of mold or bacterial growth in the drip tray can clog the condensate pump and cause it to malfunction. Sometimes, also, the timing of the unit’s installation can be a factor. Sometimes CellarCool systems are installed in homes before the home’s construction is complete. During normal operation, the unit will sometimes take in wood and drywall dust and other construction debris. This debris sometimes contaminates the drip tray and clogs the condensate pump’s lines.

Other factors which can lead to premature condensate pump failures include:

– kinks in the drain line
– restrictions or clogs in the drain line
– sagging (when part of the drain line droops or sags, creating an uphill slope in part of the line, prohibiting water from draining naturally)
– freezing (in cold climates, if the drain line is routed out of doors, water freezing in the line can become an issue)
– exceeding specified application parameters during installation (the drain line must have no more than a 15-foot vertical rise and 50-foot horizontal run)

Conclusion

To conclude, condensate pumps—which come standard on Cellar Ceiling Mount units—help prevent leaks and water damage. When paired with a rigid drain line, they remove excess condensate from your unit. Environmental factors and installation oversights can sometimes lead to clogs and pump failure. We advise our customers to have their cooling units inspected regularly to ensure that they’re operating as efficiently as possible.

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