Beads or not to Beads

[Hendy]

Gents

OK, I know you've probably gone thru this b4. So if you can tell me there is a post somewhere I can look it up.

Anyhow, I have a new 300 humi and I see a lot of you boys with the socks full-o-beads packed in yours.

Can you (1) tell me if they are the whip or not and (B) where I can get my hands on them if they decent.

I have used pretty much everything else.

Your seasoned knowledge is appreciated.

Hendy

 

[dpricenator]

check the sponnsors, heartfelt in particular

They are the best, bar none

 

[jmatkins]

http://www.botl.org/community/forums/showthread.php?t=1663&highlight=beads

Here is a start, but ask your questions and they will be answred.

 

[TexaSmoke]

I use beads in my cabinet humidor along with the Accumonitor (I know this is way too much for your setup) and they work great. I also got my father the puck from Cigarmony and it works well.

 

[Hendy]

Thank you boys.
:grin:

 

[RigilKent]

yep what they said heartfelt beads

 

[acrispy1]

Using heartfelt beads, no problems here.

 

[Angry Bill]

Beads are the bomb! Heartfelt and Cigarmony are both the bombs!

 

[MichiganM]

Beads work great in almost any application..except extremely large cabinets.

 

[Rich K]

Definitely go with the beads, and the vendors the guys have listed can't be beat.

 

[Fidel]

Yeah... what they all said!

 

[Asher]

I was using foam with 50/50 PG in my tupperdor before I discovered this forum, and I had a hard time keeping the humidity below 70%. Then I read about the beads here, and last week I set up a 48 qt cooler with a half-pound of 65% beads from Heartfelt Industries. Since setting it up, my hygrometer has been locked at a constant 65%. The beads definitely live up to the hype.


-Asher

 

[Boppa-Wasch]

Go with the beads!!!! They work great.....

 

[Volusianator]

OK, I'm gonna go out on a limb here and not be the most popular kid in school. I'm not sold on the fact that the beads are as accurate as I'd thought.

I calibrated three hygrometers last week, for 48 hours all in the same glass jar with a rubber seal lid. I had a Boveda 69% pack in there which was brand new and all three hygrometers had fresh batteries put in moments before they went into the test jar. After 48 hours I took the readings and placed a label with variances on each hygrometer. I then put the hygrometers back in the humidor for two days, and then repeated the calibration in the same jar with the same Boveda pack again. Yes, I tested the units twice in one week and the results were exactly the same

Western Digital Caliper III - reads 1% high
Oregon Scientific Remote #1 - reads 1% high
Oregon Scientific Remote #2 - reads 3% high

With that information, I took all three hygrometers and placed them on the bottom of my new cabinet, about 6" off the floor of the humidor. After 48 hours they all read the same, 69% RH. Now, the part that gets me to believe that the beads are not as accurate as I'd thought, is that I have two pounds of 65% beads in a tray on the floor of the humidor, and they're still all white, none of them are soaking up any RH to bring things closer to 65% on the bottom of the cabinet.

Thoughts?

 

[Hendy]

Boys

Beads in transit. Thanks for the info.

Volus-

Will take your comments into concideration and run a test of my own when the beads arrive. I will let you know what I find out.

Thanks Bros

 

[dpricenator]

Wade, I just saw Headbanger post the maybe the beads should be higher in the cabinet, as the humidity would rise. So if the beads are the lowest point in your cabinet and your hygros were above that then there might be the issue.

 

[Hendy]

Nice response. Sounds like you might be feeling better.

Makes sence.

 

[dpricenator]

eh---soso, It ussually doesn't last too long with me (knock on wood)... still stuffy.

 

[Volusianator]

Wade, I just saw Headbanger post the maybe the beads should be higher in the cabinet, as the humidity would rise. So if the beads are the lowest point in your cabinet and your hygros were above that then there might be the issue.

In what thread? Actually my RH is usually 63% on the top shelf and 69% on the bottom. I'm trying things daily to level it out, thought the beads may help, but not yet.

Don't get me wrong, I'm still an advocate of the beads, hell, I have a business card at the lounge with Vipers web address to give to people who ask that question. Used properly, even if off a bit, they're going to give a stable environment for your cigars, I'm just wondering if they're as accurate as we think.

 

[dpricenator]

. The hydra should be on the bottom since RH rises and the beads should be in the middle and top to absorb the extra RH. The extra fans might be overkill when your vinotemp should distribute the RH and stir the air enough.

Here are his thoughts