Wine Cooling Systems:Split System Vs. Self-Contained Unit
- By Bill Bridges
- Published 12/8/2011
- Wine and Spirits
- Unrated
There is a need to maintain the temperature and humidity levels in your custom wine cellar within the ideal range so that your wine matures well. In order to ensure this, you first must have constructed a properly insulated wine storage room. Second, you need to have installed an efficient wine refrigeration system.
A wine refrigeration unit is a piece of equipment that treats and controls the air temperature and humidity inside your wine storage area. It functions by transferring heat and humidity from one space to another. The central component of all cooling units is the compressor which circulates the refrigerant throughout the cooling system. The refrigerant is the substance that extracts heat from one space and dissipates it into another.
Choose a wine cooling unit that is able to maintain your cellar temperature at the ideal of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The unit should also be able to remove excess humidity and heat from the storage room. Humidity should be within the ideal range of 50% to 70%.
Basically, there are 2 types of wine cooling units and these are the self-contained unit and the split system. A lot of people do not completely understand the difference between these two. They both have the same major components that all cooling systems have but they vary in many other things.
Self-contained cooling units are the most cost-efficient as well as the easiest
to install. You do not need a licensed HVAC/R installation technician to install this kind of unit. The self-contained cooling unit has all the major components (compressor, condenser, evaporator coil and metering device) housed in one cabinet. This cabinet is simply mounted through the wall just as you would install a regular window air conditioner. One end of the unit blows cool air into the wine room while the other end absorbs heat from inside and exhausts it outside. A disadvantage with this kind of system is the noise it produces.
The second type is the split system. This is usually the most efficient means to cool a wine storage room. Although it costs more than the self-contained unit, it is a lot cheaper to repair. As its name suggests, this system has 2 parts. The major components are divided into two parts or sections . The first part contains the compressor and the condenser, and these are collectively called the condenser unit. This part is placed outside the wine cellar in a place where the noise and heat coming off it are no problem.
The metering device and the evaporator coil are contained in the second part, and this is placed inside the wine cellar where it can cool the inside of the room. Since the condenser unit or the first part is located outside the cellar, the noise and the heat are kept in that area alone. Moreover, since only the second part is inside the custom wine cellar, you get to save a lot of space. With this type of cooling unit, you need a licensed HVAC/R technician to install it.
A wine refrigeration unit is a piece of equipment that treats and controls the air temperature and humidity inside your wine storage area. It functions by transferring heat and humidity from one space to another. The central component of all cooling units is the compressor which circulates the refrigerant throughout the cooling system. The refrigerant is the substance that extracts heat from one space and dissipates it into another.
Choose a wine cooling unit that is able to maintain your cellar temperature at the ideal of 55 degrees Fahrenheit. The unit should also be able to remove excess humidity and heat from the storage room. Humidity should be within the ideal range of 50% to 70%.
Basically, there are 2 types of wine cooling units and these are the self-contained unit and the split system. A lot of people do not completely understand the difference between these two. They both have the same major components that all cooling systems have but they vary in many other things.
Self-contained cooling units are the most cost-efficient as well as the easiest
The second type is the split system. This is usually the most efficient means to cool a wine storage room. Although it costs more than the self-contained unit, it is a lot cheaper to repair. As its name suggests, this system has 2 parts. The major components are divided into two parts or sections . The first part contains the compressor and the condenser, and these are collectively called the condenser unit. This part is placed outside the wine cellar in a place where the noise and heat coming off it are no problem.
The metering device and the evaporator coil are contained in the second part, and this is placed inside the wine cellar where it can cool the inside of the room. Since the condenser unit or the first part is located outside the cellar, the noise and the heat are kept in that area alone. Moreover, since only the second part is inside the custom wine cellar, you get to save a lot of space. With this type of cooling unit, you need a licensed HVAC/R technician to install it.
Bill Bridges
Bill Bridges got advice on what wine cabinets cooling units are the best to have in her custom wine cellar. Get tips on selecting the most appropriate wine cellar refrigeration for your wine room by visiting http://www.WineCellarRefrigerationSystems.com.
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