Boveda 65%RH made my Humidor JUMP to 76% overnight WTF?

[cgraunke]

Way to go, Charlie! :thumbsup:

 

[davewittwer]

Hygrometer has been calibrated and sat next to a calibrated digital hygrometer and they read the same I am going to trust that the hygrometer is solid as a rock, for now. I have been using the Foam that came with the humidor and the Glycol solution. It has been solid at 68% +- 1% since I seasoned it. It is a 100 ct humidor and it has about 65 sticks in it right now.

I am really at a loss. I pulled the 65% Boveda packs and left my humidor open for several hours and the hygrometer is now reading the 68% it was before I put the packs in there. I am going to put my foam pillow back in there until the package from Boveda gets here.

Is there a place in the humidor they NEED to be placed? I would think anywhere would be OK as its an emit and receive kind of thing, right?

Thanks for the feedback guys..

Cheers
Jay

You can lay them directly on the cigars. I imagine you removed the puck before adding the boveda?

Hey Jay, I'm the Business Development Director at Boveda, I thought I'd help you out. 95+% of our customer service calls are solved by calibrating your hygrometer. "But I just did that!", you say. There are a number of subtle ways it won't be reliable. The only 100% sure way is to use our Calibration Kit (which I'm going to send you for free). In 24 hours, you'll know how accurate your hygros are to 75.5% RH. Once that's done, the hygro in your humidor for a couple days will tell you what really going on. There's a 0% chance that Boveda can humidify beyond the RH on the pack, with the one exception of "recharging" them beyond the max they can absorb (about 15% of their starting weight), throwing the water/salt ratio off. In that case though, they just need to give up moisture to bring the ratio back in line and then it'll be 65% (+/-1%) again.

So my hunch is that your humidor has actually been running low with the PG solution and now that the Boveda have brought the RH up where it needs to be, your hygros are saying it's too high. We'll get you all squared away by sending a free calibration kit, if you'd fire a link to this message and your shipping address to info at bovedainc dot com. Thank you very much for your business, let me know if I can be more help. Cheers! Charlie

This right here!!! I run KL in my wineador but i always keep a few full Bovedas and a few dried up ones to help regulate top to bottom. Never had any issues. Through the Hydro out, trust the product, it's spot on. i have 2 digitals in my wineador, one is off like 8% and the other lik 4% one is a very respected brand as well. I'm a believer in Boveda, if the pack is squishy, and your sticks smoke good don't sweat it.

 

[THEMISCHMAN]

I was having some problems when I set up my tuppedor (40 Cup, largest one I could find on Amazon). I had three 65% Bovedas in a cedar holder and a Xikar temp/hygro. I calibrated the hygro and it was good for a few days and then the RH shot up past 70%. I recalibrated the hygro and found it was off by about +5%. I just decided that I would trust that the Bovedas worked and didn't get all wrapped up in what the hygrometer said. It has been smooth sailing ever since.

@CPRSquared, great job taking care of a customer. I have been really pleased with the results I get from Boveda.

 

[StogieNinja]

I understand a the clock analogy but come on. When you salt test a hygrometer and its good. You set the hygrometer next to a known calibrated and good working digital hygrometer AND the hygrometer seems to act as it should with all other media. Even coming from an industrial electrical and IT career I am not doubting the hygrometer at this point.

Jay,

What kind of humidor are you using, and what kind of hygrometer are you relying on? As I said, if you're using the analog hygrometer that came with the humidor, it's going to work like a broken clock. At one measurement it's going to be spot on, but the further you get from that point, the further off it's going to read. There isn't a BOTL here that would trust a wire analog hygrometer that comes with the Chinese humidors, and that's from collected experience.

Where is your digital hygrometer, and have you compared results? Not just at one rH, but in your actual humidor, by putting both of them in there together and letting it sit for 24hrs? If not try that after you've calibrated with Boveda's calibration kit.

The problem with the salt method is that over- or under-saturating the salt can result in the wrong mix.

 

[Jaybird]

Hygrometer has been calibrated and sat next to a calibrated digital hygrometer and they read the same I am going to trust that the hygrometer is solid as a rock, for now. I have been using the Foam that came with the humidor and the Glycol solution. It has been solid at 68% +- 1% since I seasoned it. It is a 100 ct humidor and it has about 65 sticks in it right now.

I am really at a loss. I pulled the 65% Boveda packs and left my humidor open for several hours and the hygrometer is now reading the 68% it was before I put the packs in there. I am going to put my foam pillow back in there until the package from Boveda gets here.

Is there a place in the humidor they NEED to be placed? I would think anywhere would be OK as its an emit and receive kind of thing, right?

Thanks for the feedback guys..

Cheers
Jay

You can lay them directly on the cigars. I imagine you removed the puck before adding the boveda?

Hey Jay, I'm the Business Development Director at Boveda, I thought I'd help you out. 95+% of our customer service calls are solved by calibrating your hygrometer. "But I just did that!", you say. There are a number of subtle ways it won't be reliable. The only 100% sure way is to use our Calibration Kit (which I'm going to send you for free). In 24 hours, you'll know how accurate your hygros are to 75.5% RH. Once that's done, the hygro in your humidor for a couple days will tell you what really going on. There's a 0% chance that Boveda can humidify beyond the RH on the pack, with the one exception of "recharging" them beyond the max they can absorb (about 15% of their starting weight), throwing the water/salt ratio off. In that case though, they just need to give up moisture to bring the ratio back in line and then it'll be 65% (+/-1%) again.

So my hunch is that your humidor has actually been running low with the PG solution and now that the Boveda have brought the RH up where it needs to be, your hygros are saying it's too high. We'll get you all squared away by sending a free calibration kit, if you'd fire a link to this message and your shipping address to info at bovedainc dot com. Thank you very much for your business, let me know if I can be more help. Cheers! Charlie

Charlie
Thank you for the reply! I did talk with Lauren yesterday and in my OP I did mention that she is already sending me a calibration kit free of charge, along with some replacement packs, so we are good there. As stated above I am REALLY REALLY impressed with your customer service team! From a time where getting good customer service is very difficult your team is a notch above the rest!
Cheers
Jay

 

[Jaybird]

I understand a the clock analogy but come on. When you salt test a hygrometer and its good. You set the hygrometer next to a known calibrated and good working digital hygrometer AND the hygrometer seems to act as it should with all other media. Even coming from an industrial electrical and IT career I am not doubting the hygrometer at this point.

Jay,

What kind of humidor are you using, and what kind of hygrometer are you relying on? As I said, if you're using the analog hygrometer that came with the humidor, it's going to work like a broken clock. At one measurement it's going to be spot on, but the further you get from that point, the further off it's going to read. There isn't a BOTL here that would trust a wire analog hygrometer that comes with the Chinese humidors, and that's from collected experience.

Where is your digital hygrometer, and have you compared results? Not just at one rH, but in your actual humidor, by putting both of them in there together and letting it sit for 24hrs? If not try that after you've calibrated with Boveda's calibration kit.

The problem with the salt method is that over- or under-saturating the salt can result in the wrong mix.

The humidor I am using for my long term storage is this one http://www.cigarsinternational.com/humidors/38299/tuscany-cherry-humidor/#p-32316 . Nothing fancy.
I did do a salt test last night and I know it can be off but just for the "idea" of it my hygrometer was spot on ( I understand this really means basically nothing). I am using the hygrometer that came with it and as I do know they are crap and because of the great advise I have received here, I do trust your guys experience I am going to go buy a good one today. Spending some $$ at my local B&M always makes me feel good!

Cheers
Jay

 

[SFerrojr]

I understand a the clock analogy but come on. When you salt test a hygrometer and its good. You set the hygrometer next to a known calibrated and good working digital hygrometer AND the hygrometer seems to act as it should with all other media. Even coming from an industrial electrical and IT career I am not doubting the hygrometer at this point.

Jay,

What kind of humidor are you using, and what kind of hygrometer are you relying on? As I said, if you're using the analog hygrometer that came with the humidor, it's going to work like a broken clock. At one measurement it's going to be spot on, but the further you get from that point, the further off it's going to read. There isn't a BOTL here that would trust a wire analog hygrometer that comes with the Chinese humidors, and that's from collected experience.

Where is your digital hygrometer, and have you compared results? Not just at one rH, but in your actual humidor, by putting both of them in there together and letting it sit for 24hrs? If not try that after you've calibrated with Boveda's calibration kit.

The problem with the salt method is that over- or under-saturating the salt can result in the wrong mix.

The humidor I am using for my long term storage is this one http://www.cigarsinternational.com/humidors/38299/tuscany-cherry-humidor/#p-32316 . Nothing fancy.
I did do a salt test last night and I know it can be off but just for the "idea" of it my hygrometer was spot on ( I understand this really means basically nothing). I am using the hygrometer that came with it and as I do know they are crap and because of the great advise I have received here, I do trust your guys experience I am going to go buy a good one today. Spending some $$ at my local B&M always makes me feel good!

Cheers
Jay

I strongly recommend the Caliber IV. Simple calibration at any RH. Just drop it in the bag with the calibration lot, leave it overnight and tweak it overnight. Easy push button adjustment, No fuss no miss. The Hygrosets have also treatd me well once they are set, but the calibration dials are a bitch. The "clicks" are so small it took me almost a weak to get it dialed in just right. Always turning it too high or too low with my clumsy stubby fingers.

 

[cgraunke]

I understand a the clock analogy but come on. When you salt test a hygrometer and its good. You set the hygrometer next to a known calibrated and good working digital hygrometer AND the hygrometer seems to act as it should with all other media. Even coming from an industrial electrical and IT career I am not doubting the hygrometer at this point.

Jay,

What kind of humidor are you using, and what kind of hygrometer are you relying on? As I said, if you're using the analog hygrometer that came with the humidor, it's going to work like a broken clock. At one measurement it's going to be spot on, but the further you get from that point, the further off it's going to read. There isn't a BOTL here that would trust a wire analog hygrometer that comes with the Chinese humidors, and that's from collected experience.

Where is your digital hygrometer, and have you compared results? Not just at one rH, but in your actual humidor, by putting both of them in there together and letting it sit for 24hrs? If not try that after you've calibrated with Boveda's calibration kit.

The problem with the salt method is that over- or under-saturating the salt can result in the wrong mix.

The humidor I am using for my long term storage is this one http://www.cigarsinternational.com/humidors/38299/tuscany-cherry-humidor/#p-32316 . Nothing fancy.
I did do a salt test last night and I know it can be off but just for the "idea" of it my hygrometer was spot on ( I understand this really means basically nothing). I am using the hygrometer that came with it and as I do know they are crap and because of the great advise I have received here, I do trust your guys experience I am going to go buy a good one today. Spending some $$ at my local B&M always makes me feel good!

Cheers
Jay

I strongly recommend the Caliber IV. Simple calibration at any RH. Just drop it in the bag with the calibration lot, leave it overnight and tweak it overnight. Easy push button adjustment, No fuss no miss. The Hygrosets have also treatd me well once they are set, but the calibration dials are a bitch. The "clicks" are so small it took me almost a weak to get it dialed in just right. Always turning it too high or too low with my clumsy stubby fingers.

Also, check in the storage section for a number of threads about best low cost hygrometers. There are a number of weather stations and other non-cigar units that give you better accuracy, more options and easier calibration at a significantly lower cost. No sense in paying double for something just because it's marketed as "for cigars".
Many of us, myself included, use the Ambient Weather line and love them.
I'm all about being able to check multiple humidor or multiple zones without ever having to open one of them up!

 

[Jesse]

Yeah that, I have Ambient and Zederkoff and have no problems with them at all.

 

[Jaybird]

Yeah that, I have Ambient and Zederkoff and have no problems with them at all.

I went up to my B&M but they didn't have any small digital hygrometers that were adjustable. Soooooo I bought this little kit.


Ambient Weather WS-07-X2 WS-07-X2

It should be fun to have real time readout without even opening the Humidor.... My wife, that poor woman.... She will just have to understand..LOL

Cheers
Jay