I have a small 25ct and larger 50ct humidor. I seasoned both. I use 72h packs in each one. I’ve had both less than a year. Both are filled almost to the top. I can’t for the life of me get the humidity above 64 in either of them. I use 3 in each one which I know is a lot but I can’t seem to get the humidity where it was before. As a last ditch effort, I even put scotch tape around the seam all the way around. I still can’t get the humidity up. In the smaller one the other day I put a damp piece of paper towel (using distilled water) on top of one of the packs which used to raise the humidity level, but after a few days it still won’t go up. I really can’t figure it out and am ready to spring for a bigger 100ct but I don’t want the same thing to happen. Any thoughts that I may be overlooking?
How is this scientifically possible in a humidor?
- Thread starter linusstick
- Start date
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- May 23, 2016
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How are you measuring humidity? Have you verified the hygrometer is accurate? How are you humidifying(boveda I assume based on your 72 statement)? How did you season them? How full are they? How old are the sticks and how were they packaged? Where do you live? How warm is the house/room?
ChuckMejia
The General
When did you calibrate your hygro?
Rupe
Suburban robot that monitors reality -BOM Feb.'13
Chuck just asked the question that I was going to ask.
I have gone through this same frustration in the past, only to realize that my hygrometer was off.
Oops I edited that post a couple times and left out that yes, I’m using Boveda packs. The hygro is a decent digital one (I’m not near it right now). The humidors were seasoned with 84h Boveda packs for a week until they were holding high 70s humidity steady. Both humidors are close to full. The sticks are at most a few months old. All were shipped in cello and I keep them that way in the humidor. I live in Pittsburgh, the room temperature is in the low 70s. The bigger one was holding steady around 69 and started dropping. The smaller one I’ve always had trouble with. I use more Boveda packs than suggested for the amount I am storing but it doesn’t help. The fact that I am putting scotch tape all around the humidor and it’s not helping
Is really perplexing me. When the small one would get really low before using the tape I would wet a piece of paper towel and put it in there that would shoot it up for a day or two. The humidors are less than a year old and when I do the drop test it sounds like a good seal. The tape is just an experiment that obviously is to working
Nacho Daddy
Irrepressibly Irreverent Inveterate Ignominy
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- Jul 17, 2009
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- 3,486
" humidors were seasoned with 84h Boveda packs for a week until they were holding high 70s humidity steady. Both humidors are close to full. "
at first your humi would hold moisture.
then you filled it with cigars in cello, nearly full.
therefore you are only trying to humidify a small area. take the Hygro out and monitor the ambient % in the room.
the sticks ,in cello, are not helping to hold humidity, so the whole inside of your humi is basically losing humidity.
take all the cigars out and see if the Bovedas will let the humi come back up to 70%.
if not,you may need to season again and reduce the volume in the humi. or lose the cello.
your cigars will be just fine in a ziplock for a few days.
by the way, mold will grow at 70 degrees 70%,so be careful..
let me know what happens.......
at first your humi would hold moisture.
then you filled it with cigars in cello, nearly full.
therefore you are only trying to humidify a small area. take the Hygro out and monitor the ambient % in the room.
the sticks ,in cello, are not helping to hold humidity, so the whole inside of your humi is basically losing humidity.
take all the cigars out and see if the Bovedas will let the humi come back up to 70%.
if not,you may need to season again and reduce the volume in the humi. or lose the cello.
your cigars will be just fine in a ziplock for a few days.
by the way, mold will grow at 70 degrees 70%,so be careful..
let me know what happens.......
icehog3
Outlaw Hockey Biker
If your hygrometers turn out to be accurate (a big if), you can try the flashlight test in your humidors and see how the seal looks from that perspective. Turn on the flashlight, stick it in the empty humi, close it and turn off the lights.
Questions that come to mind: How often are you opening/checking? Each time you do, it affects what you're trying to accomplish.
What is the ambient rh in the room?
What condition were the cigars before you put them in there? If they were dry, then things might be functioning correctly... The wet paper towel make me nervous though.
Also, you mention "humidors" <- plural, but "hygrometer" <- singular. Are you just switching one hygro, back and forth? If so, good luck with that. The money you save on a second hygro can go towards your eventual therapist bill.
It can be frustrating... I had a nice digital that was calibrated and working fine for months, then one day my rh started dropping. I added bovedas, spritzed my KL, tested the battery on the hygro, and rearranged sticks before finally figuring out the hygro just went bad. Pain in the ass. Now I have 3, but they're one step removed from just being decoration; I'll assume all three are bad and check them twice before I mess with anything else.
So basically, the tuperware as described by others above, and eliminate things one variable at a time.
What is the ambient rh in the room?
What condition were the cigars before you put them in there? If they were dry, then things might be functioning correctly... The wet paper towel make me nervous though.
Also, you mention "humidors" <- plural, but "hygrometer" <- singular. Are you just switching one hygro, back and forth? If so, good luck with that. The money you save on a second hygro can go towards your eventual therapist bill.
It can be frustrating... I had a nice digital that was calibrated and working fine for months, then one day my rh started dropping. I added bovedas, spritzed my KL, tested the battery on the hygro, and rearranged sticks before finally figuring out the hygro just went bad. Pain in the ass. Now I have 3, but they're one step removed from just being decoration; I'll assume all three are bad and check them twice before I mess with anything else.
So basically, the tuperware as described by others above, and eliminate things one variable at a time.
Glassman
Glass Gars Guns Garden
Another vote for the hygros.
Also, if they're inexpensive cedar veneer humis , they could be losing humidity out the bottom. And your heat source could be creating some really dry air in the house.
But probably the hygros. BTW,
Damp paper towels are an express lane to mold.
Also, if they're inexpensive cedar veneer humis , they could be losing humidity out the bottom. And your heat source could be creating some really dry air in the house.
But probably the hygros. BTW,
Damp paper towels are an express lane to mold.
Also, check the construction of the humidor floor. Many are a thin sheet of veneer over particle board. If that is your situation, you can either:
1. Seal the joints with clear silicon aquarium sealant (remove all the sticks and allow the sealant to cure COMPLETELY before returning them, unless you like sealant flavored cigars)
OR
2. Friction fit a layer of 1/4" Spanish cedar to the bottom of the humidor.
I chose to do the latter on my wood humi.
1. Seal the joints with clear silicon aquarium sealant (remove all the sticks and allow the sealant to cure COMPLETELY before returning them, unless you like sealant flavored cigars)
OR
2. Friction fit a layer of 1/4" Spanish cedar to the bottom of the humidor.
I chose to do the latter on my wood humi.
Glassman
Glass Gars Guns Garden
This is a good idea!
So will it (mold) happen every time? My wineador is around 67% @ 66 F but my desktop is 72% @ 70-72 at the highest. It used to hover around 68 or so using 4-5 72% boveda packs. I put a cigar oasis ultra in the lid and now it is solid 72%. I have the Cigar oasis set to 70 just to bounce back the humidity. Is it just a matter of time? Room ambient is 30% or so.
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