Why WhisperKOOL Units Use a Bottle Probe
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? There’s a lot of confusion about this topic online. So WhisperKOOL is here to guide you through the confusion and give you a clear-cut answer. In the following blog post, we’ll discuss the pros and cons of air temperature sensors vs. bottle probes. We’ll also explain why WhisperKOOL units use a bottle probe.
To begin:
What is a bottle probe?
The WhisperKOOL bottle probe is a slim metal rod which fits into wine bottle filled with water. Inside this metal rod is a temperature sensor. The sensor is connected by a cord to your WhisperKOOL unit. The sensor detects the temperature of the water in the wine bottle and relays it to the controller in your WhisperKOOL unit. When the water in the wine bottle reaches a certain temperature above the set point, 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 WhisperKOOL 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. WhisperKOOL 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 WhisperKOOL). 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 WhisperKOOL bottle probe.
Conclusion
To conclude, we here at WhisperKOOL prefer bottle probes to air temperature sensors. Bottle probes provide more insight into what’s really happening with the wine’s temperature, and they preserve the longevity of the cooling unit.
For more important product feature information, stay tuned to our WhisperKOOL blog. And check out our website for the latest in wine cooling solutions. Thank you for being a WhisperKOOL customer. If you have any questions or comments, please leave them below.
No Comments