humidity problem

[insnekamkze86]

i have a small humidor that fits up to 60 cigars with a small humidity disk and was never getting a correct reading. I finally got a hydrometer and did the salt test last week so i can get a good reading. Still was only getting 60 percent humidity and not 70%. I got a bag of cigar mechanic crystals and replaced the green foam in the disk with the crystals activated and also activated the whole bag and placed it in the humidor and finally got 70% humidity that i needed.

This morning it read 74 degrees and 70% humidity went to wk and came home it read 64 degrees and 62% which was at 9pm, just checked it at 1135pm and it reads 74 degrees and 65% humidity. I know i got a good seal and the hydrometer is calabrated and i have crystals in the box i dont know what is going wrong because i can not get a consistent 70% reading.
Can anyone help me out solve the problem with my humidor problem. Thanks for all the help.

 

[iCraig]

Hey brother. Give it about 24 hours and see if it starts to stabilize for you.

The green foam is crap. Go with Heartfelt beads and get them in the humidity you want. I like mine at 65%, but that's all personal preference really. Heartfelts stuff is great at keeping a solid humidity.


When and how did you season the humidor? Is it new? Have cigars it in already (if so, how full)?

Some additional info here will help the other more knowledgeable guys out.

Oh and :welcome:

 

[GoingPostal]

Yeah more info would be helpful. was it holding steady with the green foam? More info will help pin down the problem

 

[Burning Man]

First of all welcome to BOTL. Give as much info as possible and the brothers will give you some suggestions. I suggest you post an introduction so we can get to know you a bit better. Hope you enjoy the site.

 

[insnekamkze86]

it was new two months ago i season it by wiping it down with distilled water then once done put a shot glass with distilled water for a week and then it housed 20 cigars. when i got the hydrometer i had 30 cigars in it it kept a reading of 70 to 73 percent humidity. it is currently full with 60 cigars in the humidior. With the green form it kept a decent reading between 65 to 70 percent. after a week of it being full capaticity it went from reading to 70 percent humidity to reading from 70 to 60 percent back up to 65 and ranging back down to 60%.

I replaced the green foam with cigar mechanic crystals and it started to stablize but wasnt getting 70% then i put the whole bag of it in there and finally got a reading of 70% for only a day after that it has been giving a reading between 60 to 65 percent humidity. Its at 60% at 64 degrees.
The hydrometer is currently sitting in the bottom of the humidior so everything can fit. It use to hang on the lid of the box but wouldnt close when i had 60 cigars in there.

I figured the crystals would help out with the problem but guess not.
Does the box need to be reseasoned is that whats causing the problem, is it bc the hydrometer is sitting in the box?

 

[dpricenator]

Several things can cause large swings like this.

Does the temperature change much where your humi is. Like is it on a desk where the sun shines on it for part of the day.

Are you opening your humi 3-4 times a day to check it? If so you are not allowing it to settle. I know this is difficult, because you do not want it getting too wet in there.

Are you using the super absorbent polymer crystals that get bigger when you put water on them? If so, you may as well empty a baby’s diaper in there. Same stuff , and offers nothing for regulation. All they do is evaporate, they do not absorb humidity in the air, they just release humidity. And do not stop until they are empty. In my not so humble opinion, they SUCK.

Solution.

Remove the cigars, and put them in a Tupperware, see where the humidity goes in there, with no ther source for humidity. Leave a hygro where you can see it without opening the humi. If it shoots to 70+% then the cigars are getting over humidified.

Then, place a hygro in your empty humi for a couple of days and see where it lands. You may have over moistened the wood by wiping it down.

Try the dollar bill test around the lid to make sure of a good seal. If the dollar bill slides out too easily, you may need a piece of tape or something to fill the gap.

Last thig, buy som 65% heartfelt beads or some Shalila beads and KNOW you have a product that is scientificly set to maintain the humidity you are looking for.

For most f us 70% is too wet

 

[insnekamkze86]

Thank you for the warm greeting, my name is cory and i started smoking cigars just this past november when i flew out to phoenix for a two week vaction. Been learning alot about cigars and how they are made and constructed and the different types of tobaccos used to make a cigar. My palate has been growing fast two used to only be able to smoke mild cigars now i can smoke some full body ones which i couldnt before.

The strongest ones i have had is a gurkha spec ops and a liga privada number 9. I have had 8 different gurkha cigars, 6 different drew estate cigars, 5 cao cigars, 6 different perdomo cigars, 2 different bahia cigars, a punch habana cuban, 5 different oliva cigars, two different carlos torano cigars.
Just trying to find the right cigar since the one i really like they discontinued its the cao cx2 its only a mild to medium body but i really enjoy the smoke.

everyone i have meet in the cigar community are nice and friendly ones out in az and here in pa. I heard about this site from at a drew estate event at the leaning house cigar shop out in spears pa. The rep was kol and taught me a few things and gave me this site to look up.

 

[insnekamkze86]

i have been opening the humidor two to three times a day because i havent been getting a good reading. they are crystals that are white til you pour water on them till they turn clear once done they are suppose to be able to regulate humidity once they have turn clear from white.

its on a dresser away from the window and heating ducks and i always have both closed so theres no sun light coming in and the temp shouldnt be changing that much at all. Outside we currently have a 100% humidity outside bc of the rain and snow we have been having but doesnt feel like that in the house. it didnt give this many different reading when the box only had 20 to 30 cigars in there only when it became full.

 

[dpricenator]

those crystals are not supposed to be ALL clear. In a case where your humidity is high, maybe only 50% clear and even then you would just spray a mist of water on them, do not just hold them under water. slow and steady wins the race.

they are supposed to work like the Heartfelt Beads, but do not have the RH set like the heartfelt beads. You are basically using the kitty litter type stuff, that will work but takes time to get it trained to where you want it. I used it for years and it would swing up and down a bit, but not like you are seeing. Most likely, you open it in the AM, and place a bit warmer air in the humi because you heater was on all night, warm air may raise humidity. Then you open it when you get home from work, after the heat has been off, and cold air will generally show a lower humidity.

You are obviously sliding down the slope in to this obsession we call cigars. It makes sense for you to get the proper beads for your humi.

Buy some beads and never look back

 

[insnekamkze86]

it said on the back of the bag to activate crystals by pouring in distilled water so thats what i did till they were activated then drain off excess water after that i put them into my humidor.

 

[GoingPostal]

Think dave got this pretty nailed down. your opening the humi so often its not given time for everything to equalize. Get heartfelt or shialia beads and never look back. yes they cost a bit more but peace of mind is worth a fortune. Or as dave said you got to train the beads, give the humi 24 hrs to see if it steadies. Good luck and don't worry this is all part of the learning process.

 

[insnekamkze86]

thanks for the info. i will check the humidor tomorrow after wk it will be 48 hrs since i last checked it to see if it has stablized at all or not wont be able to get any beads for a little bit get paid next thursday. i get beads then in the following months hopefully ill be getting a 500 count end table humidor so i can get more cigars.

 

[insnekamkze86]

after 48 hrs getting a consent reading of 70 degrees 60 percent humidity. i have a HUMI-CARE Crystal Gel Humidification jar in my cart with my next order of cigars hopwfully that will get me the 70 percent humidity thsat i need

 

[GoingPostal]

after 48 hrs getting a consent reading of 70 degrees 60 percent humidity. i have a HUMI-CARE Crystal Gel Humidification jar in my cart with my next order of cigars hopwfully that will get me the 70 percent humidity thsat i need

Those Gel Jars aren't calibrated for exactly 70% Rh can range from 65-70. if you really dead set on maintaining 70 need to invest in heartfelt beads or custom shialia/HCM beads.

 

[sonarman]

Postal is right, it should not take much for your humidor.

 

[CWS]

Hygrometer. Some humis just will not hold. Many of the boxes on the market are cheap chinese made with poor fitting lids and joints. The look pretty but they don't work worth $%^#. Check the seal. If the cigars were dry, they will absorb the moisture and fast. Good luck dude.

 

[Grim]

I know im a noobie and all but first thing I did after getting my humi was get some heartfelt beads and a digital hygrometer.

Got the 70% ones and my humidity is steady at 65-68% and thats good considering how drafty and dry my house is in the winter and the fact that this humidor probably doesnt seal well and my humi isnt even full.

SO yes, please listen to the guys and put everything else away, order some beads, they r cheap.

Hell, the warranty is basically : As long as you dont throw them against the wall, pee on em, let em take a bath with you, they are garunteed for life.

 

[insnekamkze86]

I will check the seal of the humidor but my cigars aren't dried out

 

[insnekamkze86]

I think was having so many problems with the humidity because the box was overfilled it has a better seal now with the top row of cigars gone