The Auswine Forum

Hi,

I currently use offsite storage in Melbourne. Let's just say I'm not happy. Sure the temperatures here have been above 40, BUT, that is no excuse for the temps I have logged. (See below)

SO: Does anybody know of a good offsite storage place in Melbourne, preferably where you have independently verified that the conditions are OK.
(They kept telling me here that "sure it 13-14")

Here is the chart of the air temperature in my locker, as you can see it got over 25 degrees (25.2 max) and took the best part of a week to come back down. I have asked them for an explanation before I post where it was.

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Whoa. Sorry to read that. I'll PM you a chap who might be able to assist you with this enquiry - he's from a diff. wine distribution co. so I don't want to post details here.

Cheers

DJ

That's ludicrous.

I have a passive cellar here in Hobart. We recently had 3 days at around 33-34 and my under the house cellar only got up to 20.

Even at 40 the storage temp should have only got to 21-22 surely???

ie: Even a passive cellar would have to be poorly set up to get to 25 let alone one that is supposedly professional with temp control.

Ratcatcher

I was thinking the same thing. Although temperatures are pretty mild in hobart.

But I agree, a climate controlled storage facility shoukld be doing a better job than that.

Whilt the focus is on temperature, anyone notice the humidity is low as well.

Keystorage (Now National Storage) in Dawson Street Brunswick are/were refrigerated and were consisitently the most stable/coolest commercial storage facilities I have used.

I would recommend them and use them if I did not live south of the river.

FYI I am currently using offsite storage in South Melbourne (There a number 3?) and have similar concerns as you posted - my thermometer in my locker suggests higher than management quoted - hitting late teens, although generally around 15.5-16.5 when I visit.

I will visit later this week for first time since Christmas and report back highest temp.

cheers
Steve

(Ed Spelling only)

Looking at the graph, it looks like their cooling system failed some time before boxing day and temps slowly rose over the following week.

The kick in RH suggests the time and date the system was fixed.

The disparity between RH and T look more like fluid temp rather than air temp. Or is there an insulated seal between the storage unit as a whole and your space?

Having offsite storage in Melbourne... do I dare ask who it is with?

You're all dead set kidding yourselves.

For a start, to maintain temp below 22 degrees in a storage facility is pretty good when the outside temp is over 40 degrees.

Secondly, most of these places run air-cooled type condensers. NO air-cooled type condensers work effectively in temperatures above 40 degrees C.

You log one day and you want to move your wine??? Hope you have a commercial arrangement with a truck rental company because you're going to be moving that wine every year. By the way, Are you going to hire a refrigerated truck to move the wine?? Because if you don't, chances are your relocation will do more damage than a week of 21 degrees....

craig loves shiraz wrote:You're all dead set kidding yourselves.

For a start, to maintain temp below 22 degrees in a storage facility is pretty good when the outside temp is over 40 degrees.

Secondly, most of these places run air-cooled type condensers. NO air-cooled type condensers work effectively in temperatures above 40 degrees C.

You log one day and you want to move your wine??? Hope you have a commercial arrangement with a truck rental company because you're going to be moving that wine every year. By the way, Are you going to hire a refrigerated truck to move the wine?? Because if you don't, chances are your relocation will do more damage than a week of 21 degrees....

I think you missed the point that the company stated that it didn't happen. That is why the topic was that it was a trust issue.

Oh and to me it looks like a bit more than a day's worth of data

cheers

Carl

griff wrote:
I think you missed the point that the company stated that it didn't happen. That is why the topic was that it was a trust issue.

Oh and to me it looks like a bit more than a day's worth of data

cheers

Carl

It doesn't say that at all!!

But you're right, if they said it didn't but it was, well that's a different story...

And yes, about 48hrs wort of 21 degree temperatures.... OMG!!!! OMG!!! the sky is falling!

craig loves shiraz wrote:

griff wrote:
I think you missed the point that the company stated that it didn't happen. That is why the topic was that it was a trust issue.

Oh and to me it looks like a bit more than a day's worth of data

cheers

Carl

It doesn't say that at all!!

But you're right, if they said it didn't but it was, well that's a different story...

And yes, about 48hrs wort of 21 degree temperatures.... OMG!!!! OMG!!! the sky is falling!

ost subject: Offsite Storage - Major Trust Issues - Recommendations??

as copied from the top.

And at no stage in the measurement period was it "13 to 14". I agree with you that the temperature isn't that bad but it certainly is higher than what they are claiming and that would be the issue for me.

cheers

Carl

griff wrote:
ost subject: Offsite Storage - Major Trust Issues - Recommendations??

as copied from the top.

And at no stage in the measurement period was it "13 to 14". I agree with you that the temperature isn't that bad but it certainly is higher than what they are claiming and that would be the issue for me.

cheers

Carl

My mistake!!

Equipment failure happens and I know that no-one can guarantee 100% that temps will always stay within the preferred bounds.. that said.. you hope they have the systems in place to monitor the situation and deal with issues as and when they arise.

From the look of the graphs.. something had been amiss for several days - probably even before the start of the graph. Metaphorical and/or literal alarm bells should have been going off somewhere in the back of the owner of the facilities' mind.

The thermal ineritia of all that fluid and the protection of the general insulation of the facility should have given them a little bit of a head start on repairs or other ameliorative action.

Breakdowns happen in cooling systems -- especially when they are under the pressure of a string of high temperature days. I have no idea how long it takes to replace and/or repair one of those things -- and no doubt you would have to double or triple it given the christmas - new year period.

DJZany says the readings are from his locker - It would be a sad indictment of the facility if his first indication something wrong had happened was when reviewing is own t/rh logs.

Personally, I'd hope that the first that I knew about it was when I got a phone call from the facility advising me of the fact. ..."Mr DavidG, the cooling system is on the fritz. We have called in the experts and they hope to have things back up and running in the next xx-yy hours. Given the forecasts we expect conditions in the storage unit to rise to zz degrees - we will let you know if the situation changes"

At least then I would be in a position to choose what I wanted to do with my wine - leave it figuring it probably got that warm in the car on the way home - or shift it.

David

OK, let me clear a few things up!

The issue is still under investigation by the company - so I'm waiting to see how it goes before I really pass judgement.

The reason I spent $100 on a data logger in the first place is because my $15 eBay thermometer was giving high readings but I didn't really believe it, because they kept giving me assurances to the contrary. (and because being a bit of a geek, measuring things is good)

I know that 20 degrees is still better than my lounge room, but when you are paying for a service I reckon you deserve to know what you are getting. (As well as this being the law!)

Finally, I have other charts, the one I posted is the worst, but it does seem to drift over 20 quite often in my locker, while the "official" gauge on the wall says always says 13 or 14 (and this is what is quoted to me by the company). Maybe I'm at the hot end...