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Condensation and Water Damage Help!!!

acc05R1

acc05R1

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I'm in desperate need of a little help and guidance here. First, a little background. I had a NewAir CC-300 with about 1.75 lbs of 65% heartfelt beads, and a humicare active Humidification device (similar to a cigar oasis). The wineador has been running right along at 65* and 65-68% humidity. No issues until it started reaching maximum capacity. At this point, I ordered a NewAir 281E to remedy my storage problems. While setting up the new wineador, I noticed a little bit of condensation accumulation in the bottom where I placed tape over the drain hole. No problem I assumed, as I had just plugged the unit in to run with some activated carbon and baking soda to finish removing the new plastic smell. I assumed the condensation was from not having anything in the wineador to help control humidity (ie, kitty litter or humidity beads). So, I simply wiped out the little bit of accumulation, and began seasoning the wineador in order to use it since I had inbound orders. Today, a few things arrived early and I decided to start putting cigars and boxes in the new wineador that has about 2 pounds of kitty litter in it. As I reach into the bottom of my CC-300 to pull out a fairly new box of Tat Noella Reservas to put in the new wineador, I immediately noticed that the box was wet. This wineador had quite a bit more condensation accumulation in the bottom. The water soaked through the box. I immediately removed the cigars from the box, and the cigars on the bottom were soaked (visible water on the wrappers). I immediately threw 7 of them away, and am trying to salvage what's left of this new box. Here is where all you guy's expertise comes in! Is is possible to salvage the remaining cigars from this box? They were a little damp feeling, but not wet from what I could see or tell. Is it possible that they will dry out and be fine, or would it be best to count my loses and trash the entire box? Any and all help/suggestions/recommendations would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm in a bit of a panic over here, and feeling a little sick to my stomach that I let this happen. Lesson learned going forward, NOTHING else will ever be stored on the bottom of the wineador except beads/kitty litter. Additionally, I will be checking both of the wineadors weekly for condensation accumulation. The active humidification device has been unplugged too. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and any guidance that you may be able to provide.
 
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herfdog

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I've had overhumidified cigars before. The consus here seemed to be that it takes a while to bring to an OK state but isn't dramatic. As long as there is no mold.
Drybox them one day and place them in a controlled rh for a month or two and they'll be fine. At least, mine were.

The water damage however is not recuperable and you did good throwing the other ones away imho.
 
Mr. McSquirelly

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Fill the bottom of a tupperware container with white rice. Put the cigars on top of the rice and seal. The rice will soak up all the moisture. Or try covering and burying the cigars in the rice too. Then re-humidify.
 
AlohaStyle

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Cigars should be fine, just dry box them a bit then throw them back in. Watch for mold in the coming months though.

And that is why I never sealed the drain plug hole when I had wine fridges. You should consider letting the drain plug do what it's supposed to do.
 
broadleaf

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My buddy got some of his padron 1926's wet. He was using the foam to humidify them and it dumped water on his good sticks. I helped him save them best we could, he smoked them all still haha. He dry boxed for almost a week, they were dry then. Then we did a zip block bag with a shot glass and a boveda covering the shot glass. Over the next 1 and a half weeks he'd rotate the sticks and make sure there was a little water in the shot glass. Then they were good. It was extreme rigging to get them back but he didn't want to loose them. I didn't have one but i examined them and they were just the right amount of squishy, and burned well. Wrappers looked a bit water damaged but they still smoked.
 
broadleaf

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But being a box, the tupperador suggestion might be better.....
Mr. McSquirelly said:
Fill the bottom of a tupperware container with white rice. Put the cigars on top of the rice and seal. The rice will soak up all the moisture. Or try covering and burying the cigars in the rice too. Then re-humidify.
Click to expand...
 
IMABEAST

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So it was the cc-300 that had the condensation?:nailbiting:

I too, decided that the bottom is strictly for beads. Of course I don't have a problem with space either though.

Your thread makes me nervous lol
 
acc05R1

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Thanks for all of the replies and great suggestions. I have them dry-boxing now, for the next couple of days. Then i will place the box back in the wineador. Just to be clear, they are in a new box, and not the one that got wet. Just a quick note though, the CC-300 already comes setup as a wineador for cigars and I believe the drain hole is filled/plugged. I will remove the tape from the drain hole on the 281 though, and see what happens. Thanks again everyone.
 
IMABEAST

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acc05R1 said:
Thanks for all of the replies and great suggestions. I have them dry-boxing now, for the next couple of days. Then i will place the box back in the wineador. Just to be clear, they are in a new box, and not the one that got wet. Just a quick note though, the CC-300 already comes setup as a wineador for cigars and I believe the drain hole is filled/plugged. I will remove the tape from the drain hole on the 281 though, and see what happens. Thanks again everyone.
Click to expand...
I'm curious as to how often you open up the CC-300? I remember your thread when you got it. Not much time between now and then.
 
acc05R1

acc05R1

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IMABEAST said:
I'm curious as to how often you open up the CC-300? I remember your thread when you got it. Not much time between now and then.
Click to expand...
I open it when I get new smokes to put away, or when I'm getting something out to smoke. Unfortunately, I can't get the temp below about 74*-75* in my desktops, so there is nothing in them. Ideally, I'd put a handful of smokes in the desktop to smoke throughout the next week or two, but I'm not risking any issues with those temps. Cranking the AC below 75* is not an option either since I live with the electricity nazi (a.k.a my wife) :D
@jolietilfire, I have removed the active humidifier from my CC wineador, and currently have it in the new one until the humidity levels out at 65%. Then I will take it out and just have an expensive paper weight :D I guess it's true what they say, you live and you learn!
 
boltman

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acc05R1 said:
I'm in desperate need of a little help and guidance here. First, a little background. I had a NewAir CC-300 with about 1.75 lbs of 65% heartfelt beads, and a humicare active Humidification device (similar to a cigar oasis). The wineador has been running right along at 65* and 65-68% humidity. No issues until it started reaching maximum capacity. At this point, I ordered a NewAir 281E to remedy my storage problems. While setting up the new wineador, I noticed a little bit of condensation accumulation in the bottom where I placed tape over the drain hole. No problem I assumed, as I had just plugged the unit in to run with some activated carbon and baking soda to finish removing the new plastic smell. I assumed the condensation was from not having anything in the wineador to help control humidity (ie, kitty litter or humidity beads). So, I simply wiped out the little bit of accumulation, and began seasoning the wineador in order to use it since I had inbound orders. Today, a few things arrived early and I decided to start putting cigars and boxes in the new wineador that has about 2 pounds of kitty litter in it. As I reach into the bottom of my CC-300 to pull out a fairly new box of Tat Noella Reservas to put in the new wineador, I immediately noticed that the box was wet. This wineador had quite a bit more condensation accumulation in the bottom. The water soaked through the box. I immediately removed the cigars from the box, and the cigars on the bottom were soaked (visible water on the wrappers). I immediately threw 7 of them away, and am trying to salvage what's left of this new box. Here is where all you guy's expertise comes in! Is is possible to salvage the remaining cigars from this box? They were a little damp feeling, but not wet from what I could see or tell. Is it possible that they will dry out and be fine, or would it be best to count my loses and trash the entire box? Any and all help/suggestions/recommendations would be GREATLY appreciated. I'm in a bit of a panic over here, and feeling a little sick to my stomach that I let this happen. Lesson learned going forward, NOTHING else will ever be stored on the bottom of the wineador except beads/kitty litter. Additionally, I will be checking both of the wineadors weekly for condensation accumulation. The active humidification device has been unplugged too. Thanks for taking the time to read this, and any guidance that you may be able to provide.
Click to expand...
Aaron, It has been approx a month since your condensation problem. What is the status of your wineador and your wet cigars?
 
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