Humidity Problem

[CAO MX2]

I have a 5 vegas humidor that i got about a year ago. when i got it i followed the proper procedure when i got it and it stayed at 70% even when i left for Greece for a month. The hygrometer is analog and i know they are known for being innacurate, but over the past few months it has gone from 70% humidity down to 50%. The cigars look, feel, and smoke fine, i have a jar of humicare beads in there and right now i am at a loss as far as what i should do. i was thinking of getting a digital hygrometer, but i was also contemplating an electronic humidifier. The humidor is a 100-150 capacity that is prolly about 50-70% full of cigars as we speak. any suggestions would be appreciated.
-Derek hurt

 

[Hardcore]

Did you season it properly?

 

[sportsmedjosh]

You can send your cigars to Hardcore to hold onto until you can sort out your problem.

But really I would go digital and if not try getting a humdipak calibration kit.

 

[Craig Mac]

Have you been running the heater in your house more lately, that ends to dry a room out quite a bit here. A digital hygro is always nice, or just calibrate yours to see if that may be a problem. I bought a $20 humidifier at the drugstore and add it to my room which helped stabilze my two humidors. I was wetting my beads weekly where as during the summer I could go a month.

 

[simmons_j_m]

The hygrometer is analog and i know they are known for being innacurate, but over the past few months it has gone from 70% humidity down to 50%. The cigars look, feel, and smoke fine, i have a jar of humicare beads in there and right now i am at a loss as far as what i should do.

I would think that the big difference could be the cold. In the winter, RH typically is harder to sustain. Maybe swing by walmart and pick up a digital for 6 bucks, but they can be just as inacurate as an analog. Salt test either hygrometer to know how far off they are (put in ziplock with soda cap full of dampened salt... wait 8 hours and should read 75%). In my Tupperdor I don't even keep a hygro... I just moisten my beads as they "whiten"... are you using the two oz gel jars? Try bumping up to a couple jars as that might help as well...

Just my .02... hope it all works for you bro...

 

[bohizzle]

I would just get a digital hygrometer either way. I don't think that you need a electronic humidifier for that size humidor. The bigger the humidifier the less room you have for cigars!!! At heartfelt they have a digital and you can add a calibration kit for under 25 dollars and you can't go wrong there!!! Hope you get your problem fixed!!!!

 

[VirginIslander]

Unless there has been a drastic change in the climate in your house, its prolly just a hygro problem. Get a digital, but in the mean time give your analog the salt test. How long as it been since you hygrometer was last calibrated?

 

[CAO MX2]

thanks guys....as far as i know i seasoned it properly. i was told by most people not to actually saturate the wod with water directly so i put a dish of distilled water in it when i first got it. then i did the salt test to calibrate the hygrometer. I live in a dorm room in Northern Iowa and the heat is pretty intense up here but it is in a dark place where i can keep the temp as close to 70 as possible.
So with those huicare beads that doesnt automatically keep your humidor at 70%???

 

[Craig Mac]

So with those huicare beads that doesnt automatically keep your humidor at 70%???

Should keep it close to it, but there are a few things that will give you small changes(seal of the humi, changes in temp, humidity of the room), but it is nothing to worry about if it is +/- 4% swings, but it sounds like you may have a bad reading from your hygro if the sticks feel/smoke fine. Calibrate or go with the digi recomended from Heartfelt, I have 2 of them and they are solid, plus you'll get the calibration bag to use with your analog as well.

 

[CAO MX2]

alright just an update i salt tested the analog and it gave me a reading of 70% after 8 hours....so that leads me to believe it is not the hygrometer, but a problem with the humi...CRAP

 

[daniyal]

I find analogue's are very accurate much more so than digitals.. but that's not an opinion shared by most on here so I guess to each his own. Either way after the salt test your hygrometer should read 75% not 70%.

You should do that dollar bill test with your humi just put a dollar bill between the lid where it closes and try to pull it out.. if you have to use a bit of force that means you have a good seal.. the problem may just be your enviornment being too dry or the humidor not being properly seasoned. Also while you were in Greece was anyone taking care of your humi? this isn't something that you set and forget and needs to be looked into every two weeks or so depending on the humidity and temperature in your area. Might just be that while you were on vacation the humidity dropped and since no one was there to recharge the crystals the cigars drew moisture out of the wood.

 

[CAO MX2]

it was checked once while i was in greece....so two weeks in, then i checked it again. maybe i should store them and then reseason the hunmidor...i dunno.

 

[CAO MX2]

maybe i will go buy a crystal tube for the top shelf and see what that does...thanks for the help guys.

 

[Hardcore]

Analog hygrometers are worthless imo. Get a digital. You can usually get one for under $20 if you shop around. I picked up a xikar one for $17 with tax & it has a lifetime warranty. I'd re-season your humi. Try the hot water method. Also if the heat is blasting all the time take a bowl fill it with water & put it next to the vent. It will put some moisture in the air. Besides all that dry heat isn't good for you.