Placement Requirements for Le Cache Wine Cabinets
Power Requirement
The cooling unit plugs into a standard wall outlet, and the outlet should be on a dedicated circuit. The components of the cooling unit draw 3 amps, and the electric outlet on the side of the cooling unit also is rated for 3 amps. The cord extends 6 1/2 feet from the back of the cabinet. If an extension cord is used, it should be 14-gauge wire or thicker, grounded, and as short as possible. We recommend using a surge protector rated at 15 amps or more. Under no circumstances should the wine cabinet share a circuit with another motor or compressor-based appliance, like a wine cooler, fridge or air conditioner.
Floor Surface / Carpet Board
Because of the significant weight of your wine cabinet, it is important that it be placed on a hard surface, otherwise the cabinet may become skewed if the doors settle unevenly over time. If you will be placing your cabinet on thick carpeting, consider placing a carpet board underneath the wine cabinet. You can purchase a carpet board from Le Cache, or you can have your local hardware store cut a 3/4 inch plywood board to the following dimensions (inches):
MODEL # | LENGTH | WIDTH |
1400 | 26.5 | 25 |
2400 | 35 | 25 |
3100 | 45 | 25 |
3800 | 54 | 25 |
5200 | 69.5 | 25 |
Euro Credenza | 63 | 25 |
Contemporary Credenza | 61 | 17 |
Door Swing Clearance
The doors of our wine cabinets swing "wide" by approximately 1 inch when open at 90 degrees. The additional width should be accounted for when purchasing cabinets that do not have moldings, because the stated widths of our wine cabinets do not account for the door swing. Please note that the additional width is required in front of the cabinet.
Weight Load Factor
After loading your wine cabinet with wine bottles, it will be extremely heavy. When selecting a location for your cabinet, make sure that the floor underneath is strong enough to support the weight of the cabinet.
Approximate Weight (lbs):
MODEL | EMPTY CABINET | BOTTLES | TOTAL FULL CABINET |
1400 | 320 | 516 | 836 |
2400 | 385 | 858 | 1,243 |
3800 | 475 | 1,374 | 1,849 |
5200 | 510 | 1,866 | 2,375 |
Credenza | 300 | 345 | 645 |
1400 | 345 | 516 | 861 |
2400 | 415 | 858 | 1,273 |
3800 | 510 | 1,374 | 1,884 |
5200 | 550 | 1,866 | 2,416 |
Credenza | 350 | 540 | 890 |
1400 | 330 | 516 | 846 |
2400 | 395 | 858 | 1,253 |
Credenza | 350 | 540 | 890 |
3100 | 385 | 1,104 | 1,489 |
Temperature Requirements
CellarPro cooling units are designed to handle temperatures ranging from 50 to 95F.
Ventilation Requirements
The cooling unit generates hot air that must be exhausted in such a way that it won't be recirculated by the cooling unit. If the hot air cannot be dissipated or channeled properly, and the cooling unit is forced to recycle its own hot air, the cooling unit will be unable to maintain cold temperatures inside the wine cabinet and/or will overheat and/or will run all the time. Proper ventilation can be achieved in one of three ways:
Proper ventilation can be achieved in one of three ways:
1. UPRIGHT CABINETS WITH TOP-VENT CONFIGURATIONS
Our upright wine cabinets have been engineered top-vent cooling units and SB/0TM Technology so that they can be placed right up against the wall. In this configuration, the hot air generated by the cooling unit is ventilated through the top of the wine cabinet, and the return air comes from above the wine cabinet, so there must be sufficient clearance above the cabinets for the hot air to dissipate, as follows:
- Contemporary wine cabinets, Loft wine cabinets and Vault wine cabinets require 18 inches of clearance above the wine cabinet.
- European Country wine cabinets and Mission wine cabinets require 12 inches of clearance above the wine cabinet.
- The sides always need to be open - in other words, placement in an enclosed space, alcove or closet will not work without our front-vent hood (see Configuration 3 below).
2. UPRIGHT CABINETS WITH REAR-VENT CONFIGURATIONS
Our upright wine cabinets can be configured so that the return air comes from behind the wine cabinet. This configuration is useful in situations where sufficient clearance above the wine cabinet doesn't exist. In this configuration:
- If the rear of the wine cabinet is not accessible, a minimum clearance of 7 1/2 inches above the wine cabinet is required for removal and replacement of the cooling unit air filter.
- If the rear of the wine cabinet is accessible, a minimum clearance of 3 inches above the wine cabinet is required for proper airflow, and we recommend using our air deflector to direct the hot air exhaust to the left of the wine cabinet.
- In all cases, the wine cabinet must be placed 3-4" away from the rear wall.
- The sides always need to be open - in other words, placement in an enclosed space, alcove or closet will not work without our front-vent hood (see Configuration 3 below).
3. UPRIGHT CABINETS WITH FRONT-VENT HOODS
If you want to place the wine cabinet flush against the wall but you don't have the required clearance (as outlined in Configuration 1 above), or you want to place the wine cabinet in an enclosed space, closet or alcove, our front-vent hood (placed on top of the wine cabinet) can be used with 7 1/2 inches of clearance above the wine cabinet for removal of the hood and the air filter. Please note:
- Contemporary wine cabinets, Loft wine cabinets and Vault wine cabinets can use our front vent hood with OR without the decorative grill.
- European Country wine cabinets and Mission wine cabinets can use our front vent hood without the decorative grill (the grill will not fit with crown moldings).
4. CREDENZA WINE CABINETS
Credenza wine cabinets don't require any clearance above the wine cabinet; however, all credenzas require 3-4" of space behind the wine cabinet because all the ventilation (intake and exhaust) occurs behind the cabinet.
Contact Us
Questions about our cabinets?
Let us help you with selecting, sizing, and configuring your wine cabinet.
1.877.532.2243
What makes Le Cache wine cabinets different?
Unlike most wine coolers, our cabinets protect your wine collection for long-term storage and aging.