A standard wine cellar cooling unit should be robust enough to meet the requirements of most applications. Even when a wine storage room has unique parameters—complex ductwork, a need to install fan and cooling coils in unexpected places, or limited options to exhaust air—that seem complicated enough to require a custom solution, an experienced contractor coupled with versatile cooling technology should be enough to deliver an efficient, elegant solution. However, there are a handful of scenarios where a more advanced, custom approach will be needed to maintain a pristine environment to cool and age the wine.
Custom Controls
Wine Guardian custom wine cellar cooling units are mass-produced and designed to serve a variety of applications, as each standard system is highly configurable. For any number of reasons, some applications have one-of-its-kind specifications that require customized controls. Our vast knowledge of climate control technology enables us to design and integrate control features within a standard unit to serve those unique circumstances.
For instance, one Wine Guardian client had an enormous commercial space that needed two, two-ton cooling systems. Yet, to maintain the precise conditions of the space and to preserve the longevity of the units, three units were installed but only two of them would be running at any given time. Wine Guardian experts were able to engineer a control system to rotate the usage of the units. In many ways, we are partners to our customers as much as technology providers. If an engineering firm or mechanical contractor has stringent specifications they must meet on behalf of a client, we have the breadth and depth of experience to design and integrate custom controls that augment our standard units.
Wine Guardian Pro systems incorporate low-ambient (cold-weather) protection in all ducted and ducted split units and high ambient protection in a handful of smaller units. What makes the Pro systems customizable is that instead of using our proprietary control system, these solutions use a 24-volt control. This allows the homeowner or contractor to use the controller of their choosing to regulate their wine cooling system. The Pro units can also tie into a building’s off-the-shelf or smart thermostat to be managed and controlled remotely. In other words, Wine Guardian is able to create a customized solution utilizing existing standard components.
Custom Components
Wine Guardian also has a variety of custom wine cellar cooling components to meet the demands brought about by extreme environments. These specialized parts can also be modified and integrated into our standard cooling units.
For clients installing wine cellars along with coastal communities, E-coated coils will protect against corrosion caused by salty air. These custom coils are installed at the time of ordering the unit. Similarly, there are a number of applications when Cupro-nickel water-cooled coils, which are impervious to chlorine, are installed. For instance, if your swimming pool is the source of a water-cooled system, these custom coils will not degrade from chlorine exposure. This custom solution has the added benefit of returning water warmed from the wine cooling system back to heat the pool at a consistent temperature.
Wine Guardian also offers several al-a-carte-type custom components, including low ambient protection on most ducted systems, as well as heaters, and high ambient protection on a handful of smaller units. For areas consistently experiencing temperatures below 20℉, our “Xtreme” low ambiance protection packages maintain the operation of the condensing unit to -20℉. All custom components are designed to anticipate and counter extreme environments, and, ultimately, protect your wine collection from them.
Vast Wine Storage Facilities
Large wine storage spaces generally require one- to two-ton wine cooling systems. However—particularly in commercial applications—some business owners need even more than the 14,100 BTUs/hour (4.13 Kilowatts) found in our standard large-capacity units. Our engineers are able to draw upon their expertise in industries beyond wine storage and aging, such as aerospace, to execute custom cooling in one extra-large wine storage facility or one that comprises several rooms. Again, multiple units can be configured to a custom control panel and can maintain precise humidity and temperature conditions in the largest of commercial or residential wine cellars.
Wine Storage On Yachts
Wine Guardian also has extensive experience with wine storage solutions for yachts and boats. Since yachts are synonymous with water, water-cooled units configured with cupro-nickel coils (resistant to salt-water corrosion) make the most sense. These systems can also be custom equipped with E-coated coils to guard against corrosion caused by salt air. In addition, boats may have custom voltage parameters to operate the cooling unit, and those controls can be customized by our engineers to the exact needs of the owner and crew.
Wine Guardian manufactures hundreds of iterations of standard wine-cooling units in self-contained or split and in ducted or ductless versions. However, we understand some applications simply require a custom or semi-custom approach. So whether you need fully customized controls or a new type of system, or if you require a semi-custom solution for a yacht, commercial wine room, or beach home, you can trust the environmental control experts at Wine Guardian to help navigate these many decisions.