After my paid work rudely and impolitely interrupted my spare time plans for a while 🙂 I got onwards with the dry aging chamber. Some electronic parts that were still missing finally arrived and I cased and laid the wiring. Not too much, but very fragmented detail work. I hope my basic knowledge of electronics doesn’t leave me completely here. It’s 99% finished now and certainly ready for use. I can’t wait to put it into operation.

→ All parts of the dry aging chamber series: Part I, Part II, Part III

Anyway, eventually I had to cut down on options partly because they simply won’t work the intended way and partly because I just want to finish this thing still in 2020 – not only in half a year or so. I did a lot of pondering and planning, incorporating my previous experiences with the whole topic and so here’s the new, slimmed down version. The LED-band was defective, so a simple pushlight inside will have to do for now and all cutouts to the outside will have covers so they can be shut if necessary. Different appliances will just be plug-in.

That all is because I want that box to support three operating modes:

Dry Aging:

My tests have shown that, concerning humidity, I will most probably have to raise the numers if anything, so de-humidifiying will be no point at first, all vents are supposed be closed. Thus, the required functions are cooling, humidifying and air circulation. Required equipment:

• Internal fan, 12V, continuous mode
• Humidity sensor controlling a vaporizer
• Temperature sensor controlling the fridge

Dry Curing:

Moderately low temperatures and constant airflow from in to out are required to conduct humidity to the outside and make for slow and even drying. In case of the drying process necessary before smoking I’ll want a “turbo drying” mechanism of some sort. This might be of importance.

• Outside fan, 12V, continuous mode
• Temperature sensor controlling the fridge

Air Drying:

High temperature and a slow but steady airflow are required, e.g. for beef jerky, dried fruit, etc.

• Outside fan, 12V, continuous mode
• Temperature sensor controlling a heating element