Salt Test - Am I Doing it Right?

[danthebugman]

So I have a 50 count humi I have been waiting to get my cigars into, but before I did I wanted to get a digital hygrometer in it to monitor the RH levels. I finally remembered to get one from Wal-Mart on Sunday and last night I performed my first salt test. All the how-to articles I've read on the net used a cap from a 2 liter bottle, but I didn't have one so I used the cap from an empty Ibuprofen bottle (it's roughly two, maybe three times the size). I filled it about 3/4 full with salt. I put enough water to barely cover the salt, then wicked the excess up with a paper towel. I let it sit about 4 hours in a zip lock bag. The highest humidity I got was 45% so I let it go overnight. This morning before I left for work it was reading 50%. :frown: At this point I was a little frazzled, thought I'd be an easy/quick thing to do. So I decided to try it out with a small glad lock container. When I got home from work this afternoon (been setting in the glad lock for about 6 hours) the humidity was reading 60% which is the highest it's been thus far, but not the 75% (or around that, I have no delusions that the $7.00 hygrometer is going to be dead on) I was expecting.

So now I ask the question, have I effed up the seemingly simple salt test or is the hygrometer I bought just that off??

Advice is greatly appreciated, I really want to get my sticks into their new home :thumbsup:.

Dan

 

[jwyatt55]

Sounds like you used a bit too much water. Use just enough to moisten the salt. I would also put the hygrometer I side 2 ziplock bags to make sure it's sealed. After the bags are sealed up let the rh stabilize for 24 hours and you should be good. Adjust and recheck if possible or if your hygro is not adjustable mark the difference so you don't forget!

 

[danthebugman]

Right on, I'll try it again. Thanks :thumbsup:.

Dan

 

[RonC]

salt is for steak.

Boveda products are your answer

 

[Danilo]

salt is for steak.

Boveda products are your answer

:yes:

 

[dpricenator]

salt is for steak.

Boveda products are your answer

Ron is exactly right here. While the salt test will work you are talking abut an exact science, and you don't have a lab a vailable

So PM me your addy, and I'll send you a clibration kit.

 

[SkinsFanLarry]

salt is for steak.

Boveda products are your answer

I really support RonC's advice on calibrating your digital hygrometers using the Boveda Kit!


Boveda's One-Step Calibration Kit is a simple and surefire method to accurately calibrate any digital or analog hygrometer.

The One-Step Calibration kit utilizes Boveda's 75.5% relative humidity standard. Widely used and accepted by chemists and lab professionals to determine the accuracy of any hygrometer (also known as the salt test). Humidipaks One-Step Calibration kit is used by some of the top museums in the world to calibrate their instruments.

The test kit can be used more than once.

Humidipak One-Step Calibration Kit

 

[RonC]

not trying to be a wiseass, or trying to sell anything, but this thread is typical. someone tries the salt test based on what he has read on a cigar board. then he quetions the results because his hygro is way off. so he has doubts on the test itself. then a bunch of answers start coming up. 1 answer is too much water. Then next answer is too little water. next answer is he didnt do the test long enough. Next answer will be maybe his container is leaking.

now i am not making fun of anyone who answers the question, its just that I rarely see somebody who knows all the ins and outs of the salt test, and can give EXACT instructions so that the same result is duplicated.

when you buy a calibration kit, all is premeasured and predetermined.

Having somebody say "make a salt slurry" or "just get the salt a little damp" leaves a lot of opening for mistakes.

 

[TreeFrog Frank]

I'm still miffed at myself about forgetting my calibration kit when I ordered my new hygro's. I did the salt test, and it worked, fairly well. However, I am still needing to get a kit, to make sure I get them calibrated correctly.

 

[RonC]

heres why the calibration kit works so well.

the Humidipak itself has a specific amount and type of salt and water mixed to produce the 75.5% result. Next, that size humidipak is matched to a certain size bag. Its that certain size bag, matched with a certain size Humidipack that provides you with the time needed to complete the calibration.

I have seen guys just give a blanket statement that it takes "X" amount of hours to do a salt test. Thats 100% wrong. Again, length of test depends on amount of salt and water, and how big the container is.

The chamber that I use now is a humidor jar along with a Boveda. The Humidiapk company advised me to do a 48 hour test in the humidor jar. That advice was based on the size of the Boveda, and the size of the jar.

 

[danthebugman]

Thanks for the replies/suggestions. I have seen the Boveda calibration kits, I just didn't want to wait for it to arrive when I have salt and distilled water on hand. The salt test seemed simple enough, but you're right RonC one person's slightly damp is another person's slurry. Guess I'll play around with the salt test until a calibration kit arrives.

Dan

 

[cornhusker85]

great advice guys i just did the salt but now im gonna redo my test with the kit

 

[dpricenator]

I dropped that kit in the mail today. The boveda inthere will still be good once you are done, so feel free to PIF it someone here who maybe looking for one.

 

[okia42]

I have used both. Boveda works with no guessing.

 

[danthebugman]

I dropped that kit in the mail today. The boveda inthere will still be good once you are done, so feel free to PIF it someone here who maybe looking for one.

Thanks a million, will do.

Dan

 

[TreeFrog Frank]

Hey, uh... Dan.. I know someone around the Joplin area who may be interested in borrowing that Boveda when you are done... uh...

:waving:

 

[mcroom]

So I have a 50 count humi I have been waiting to get my cigars into, but before I did I wanted to get a digital hygrometer in it to monitor the RH levels. I finally remembered to get one from Wal-Mart on Sunday and last night I performed my first salt test. All the how-to articles I've read on the net used a cap from a 2 liter bottle, but I didn't have one so I used the cap from an empty Ibuprofen bottle (it's roughly two, maybe three times the size). I filled it about 3/4 full with salt. I put enough water to barely cover the salt, then wicked the excess up with a paper towel. I let it sit about 4 hours in a zip lock bag. The highest humidity I got was 45% so I let it go overnight. This morning before I left for work it was reading 50%. :frown: At this point I was a little frazzled, thought I'd be an easy/quick thing to do. So I decided to try it out with a small glad lock container. When I got home from work this afternoon (been setting in the glad lock for about 6 hours) the humidity was reading 60% which is the highest it's been thus far, but not the 75% (or around that, I have no delusions that the $7.00 hygrometer is going to be dead on) I was expecting.

So now I ask the question, have I effed up the seemingly simple salt test or is the hygrometer I bought just that off??

Advice is greatly appreciated, I really want to get my sticks into their new home :thumbsup:.

Dan

Order some beads too! You will not regret it.

 

[danthebugman]

Hey, uh... Dan.. I know someone around the Joplin area who may be interested in borrowing that Boveda when you are done... uh...

:waving:

That should give us a reason to get together for a :cbig:.

Dan

 

[TreeFrog Frank]

I hear that...

 

[danthebugman]

dpricenator sent me a Boveda calibration kit in the mail (thanks man, you rock :thumbsup. After 48 hours the digital I tested with the salt test reads 60%. I was hoping it would be a little more accurate, but hey it was $6 :dunno:. I tossed the analog hygrometer I have been using in the bag just to see how accurate it is. I'll check it tomorrow, but so far it's looking pretty good :grin: and I may just end up sticking with it.

Dan