Bordeaux Wine Enthusiasts

Lucie and I finally decided how to increase our wine storage. We have a 2 by 9 foot closed that we will convert. It should hold about 500 bottles. We would like to install a quiet AC unit that we can vent into the attic. Does anyone have suggestions about that or other aspects of our conversion? We have a good contractor who has installed wine cellars, but he has not converted a closet into one. We intend to keep this storage area between 50F and 55F, which is somewhat cooler than our other storage. (Being 70, we do not want our too-young-to-drink wines to age slowly.) The closet is located in our TV room, so we want the unit to operate as quietly as possible.

I would look at the CellarPro line of cooling units. I don't have one but after researching them this is what I'll buy when my Breezaire dies. The website contains quite a bit of information to help you choose a system to fit your requirements.

Thanks, David.

I have a cellarpro unit for my wine fridge. The first one died prematurely but I think that it was my fault. The back end sucks in a lot of room dust and I was told after the fact that it needs to be cleaned regularly or the life will be shortenned significantly from unit not having enough airflow and overheating?? New one has been in over 5 years and no issues. I have stuck a cut out piece of furnace filter on the back of the unit to try and cut down on work to keep air intake clean. Happy with function. When it runs you hear it for sure but not overly obtrusive. Mine is not designed to be vented outside and I'd be concerned about venting it to the attic and how you'd get to the back end to clean the air intake.

Danny

What model do you have, Danny? The 1800QT looks right for a closet. I do have some worries about venting into the attic but I definitely want to do that. There is a duct option that requires an extra fan. Thanks for the tip about cleaning. That could be a problem, but I think I can do a through the wall installation that will allow for proper cleaning.

Excuse me I have a Koolspace c-series cooler and not the cellarpro. The 1800qt looks very similar size wise to my unit and a closet would approximate the double wide/double deep unit that I have.

Danny

Ok; thanks, Danny.

Real quiet will require a split system, but that's waaaay more $$$$ than a through the wall.

Yes, Tom, but not out of sight for a small space. I am not sure that a split system will work and I have not found someone locally who has experience with them. Do you have one?

Is the closet and the location of the cooling unit going to be next to your bedroom, or on the other side of the house? The noise may be an issue if the unit is next to the bedroom. Maybe not so much if it is on the other side of the house in a closet off of a room that's used for a study.

The closet is in our TV room, David. That is why noise is an issue. Our large wine room (my former study) is next to our bedroom. It is cooled by a free standing (portable) AC unit. The small noise from it is acceptable to us.

It's too bad there's just no way to see these units in action to judge the noise before buying. I think the smallest CellarPro unit is fairly quiet, but maybe still noisy enough to be a distraction.

I have the CellarPro 1800xts in my former root cellar outside, and liked how well it works and apparent solid construction enough that when my Vinotemp refer failed, upgraded to a Le Cache cabinet with the CellarPro 1800qtl. The qtl is near a sleeping area, and while you can hear it when it's cooling, it is about as loud as someone whispering.

Thanks for the info.

I hope that venting the CellarPro into the attic is OK. It is recommended not to do that.

Their customer service was knowledgeable and helpful on my install.

On the 1800qtl they offerred both a top and back exhaust configuration, so if not the exhaust direction it may be an issue of the fan's power. If the ducting isn't too long, it should work but perhaps the exhaust fan life might be shortened?

Jon, more and more it looks like the 1800qt is right for us. The 1800qtl probably is a bit too small. I am still trying to work out how to vent the exhaust. I would like to avoid the fan & duct option they offer since that adds some noise.