I need help. I purchased a Humidor (milano) from Tampa Humidor in August. I used the hygrometer and the small round humidification element that came with it for a while. I couldn't get the humidity to stabilize so I bought the 4 oz. 65% tube of beads from Heartfelt and put that in there. The 4 oz. is way more than I really need for the size of the humidor, but I would rather have too much than not enough. Any way I had wiped it down with distilled water and also bought a digital hygrometer about the same time the beads arrived. The humidity will hold at a 64% reading on the digital hygrometer for about 2 to 3 weeks and then fall down into the mid to high 50s over the course of a couple of days. I make sure the beads are charged with distilled water, so I'm not letting them dry out. The humidor is about 80 to 90% full of smokes. I have salt tested the digital hygrometer and it is reading 1% low. I called and talked to someone at Tampa Humidor and told them every thign you see here, and he told me that I needed some extra help, possibly more beads. Now I have the 4 oz. tube which for the dimension of my humidor is way enough. I am in Northeast Florida, but it still doesn't seem like I need any more humidification with the beads. Any help would be appreciated
Not holding humidity
- Thread starter ggainey
- Start date
Wasch_24
2005 BoY
Sounds like the seal is faulty.
If you close the lid on a dollar bill can you easily pull it out?
Does it make a "whoosh" sound when you drop the lid shut or a "thunk"?
As long as it is not a glass top place a flashlight inside and close the lid. Can you see light coming from the seams of the lid?
If you close the lid on a dollar bill can you easily pull it out?
Does it make a "whoosh" sound when you drop the lid shut or a "thunk"?
As long as it is not a glass top place a flashlight inside and close the lid. Can you see light coming from the seams of the lid?
Ratbert
BoM Oct '07
I agree with Todd, that it sounds as though the seal is faulty. The dollar bill test is one that always works...try it all the way around the edge, not just in one place. It should be difficult to pull out, or not pull out at all.
Let us know what happens.
Let us know what happens.
Wasch_24
2005 BoY
Hmmm, when you bought it all you did was wipe it down, which most would recommend against, and place the humidification device in it...and then later, beads?
Usually you want to place a container of distilled water inside and leave it for several days...if not a week or more, until the hygrometer reads around 70-75%.
Maybe the cedar inside is still actively absorbing the humidity from the air.
Usually you want to place a container of distilled water inside and leave it for several days...if not a week or more, until the hygrometer reads around 70-75%.
Maybe the cedar inside is still actively absorbing the humidity from the air.
That is all I can think of. I would try to re-season the humi. Put you smokes in a tupperware and let you humi season for a few days.
indyrob
BoM Feb '06 & Sept. '08
I would just use the beads as a good measure of humidity loss. If they are going opaque relatively fast, you have a problem.
You might also want to go down to the hardware store and buy the 1/8" weatherstripping and just lay down a line across the perimeter of the lid (like a refrigerator door) and see if that helps.
You might also want to go down to the hardware store and buy the 1/8" weatherstripping and just lay down a line across the perimeter of the lid (like a refrigerator door) and see if that helps.
did you calibrate your hygrometer?
Are your cigars smoking ok?
Are your cigars smoking ok?
rick12string
Caught in the Crossfire
Ggainey, your post has me concerned. I also have a Milano humidor from Tampa that was purchased in 5/06. I had changed out the wood frame on the lid and put a large rectangular green foam humidifier like the one in the Tuscany when I purchased it. My cigars are in good condition but I have been trying to maintain 70% RH with Tampa’s PG solution and distilled water. I have had some inconsistency in the RH from time to time. I got tired of trying to figure out when to add more PG solution or just distilled water and how much. After reading a lot of positive postings about the Heartfelt 65% beads I decided to give them a try and ordered the 65% beads from Heartfelt hoping to make things easier. Also, it seems like a good majority tend to lean towards 65% RH for better smoking. Two ounces of beads is overkill for that size humidor according to the calculator on the heartfelt site and the trouble you’re having with four ounces is, like I said a big concern. It sounds like you seasoned the humidor adequately and the seal fine. With that many beads you should not have to add water as often according to Heartfelt and the SUDDEN drop in RH over only a couple of days is disturbing. Unfortunately, I don’t have an answer for you but I hope I made the right decision in ordering these beads to replace the foam in my rectangular humidifier. After ordering the beads I found a posting on the Club Stogie forum tiled “Ditched my Beads”. The posting mentioned things like wrappers loosing their sheen, looking dry and a change in taste while some of the same cigars (Padron Aniv) were moved to another humidor with the foam type humidifier and those kept their sheen and tasted fine. I was looking for a more consistent RH with less maintenance but now not sure if that will be the case and above all I don’t want to ruin my cigars. Has anyone had and similar problems with the beads?
I have a wide selection of cigars from Padron 1964 Aniv. Maduros, Rocky Patel, HDM, CAO and more all having a nice sheen and some showing slight plume. Has anyone used the 65% beads for a year or more and have their cigars look this good or will mine end up dry and loosing their nice appearance?
I have a wide selection of cigars from Padron 1964 Aniv. Maduros, Rocky Patel, HDM, CAO and more all having a nice sheen and some showing slight plume. Has anyone used the 65% beads for a year or more and have their cigars look this good or will mine end up dry and loosing their nice appearance?
There is a thread in top of the storage forum that can answer many questions regarding the beads. There are guys here who store hundreds if not thousands of cigars using the beads. I have them in several desktop humidors and all the guys at the office are using them with nothing but good things to say. My cigars haver never smoked as good as they do now. I Use 65% and about twice as much as I am supoposed to need. I probably store about 50 smokes in the beads and about 100 in a fridgea dor using a cigar Oasis XL. I don't notice any difference in the way they smoke. If I didn't already have the Cigar Oasis, i would be using beads for it as well.
I have been using the 65% beads in a humi with over 40 boxes of extreme quality cigars for more than a year. My cigars are very fine. No problems no issues. Not sure where you are getting your information but I for one am very happy. The green foam is basically what florists put flowers in. It holds and releases water, moisture. The beads hold and absorb maintaining a standard. Add water to the green foam and the humidity goes up and you have to balance. If the beads get a little dry a light spray and your good to go. I have changed all my humis large and small to beads because it is so much easier to maintain a balance. Cigars hate change. Rapid change of humidity, moisture, heat etc affect how they draw, smoke, taste. The better balanced your humi is, the better your cigars age and mature. My 2 cents.
I concur with Chuck.
4 desktops and 2 large cabinets here, been running on 65% beads for aprox. 5 years with no problems. I was running my humis on beads when they were hard to get. I'm sure more than a few of the board members will attest to the quality and condition of cigars they have recieved from my humi.
and that's all I have to say about that! :noemotion
I'll second that....Thanks again