Problem seasoning with Heartfelt beads

[Jwrussell]

It's been 3 weeks. I Know I should have skipped putting the beads in first and just put in water but after 2 weeks you would think the beads by themselves would have saturated the cedar. The hygro is fine. It reads 62% in my other identical JR humidor which is the highest I can get it because I live up north where my RH hovers around 30%. Very strange as the lid has the same tight seal as the other one. I wonder if the factory lined it with mahogany instead of cedar.

I know this gets annoying to hear, but faulty hygro readings are almost ALWAYS the cause of these kinds of problems. If you've done everything else, if you've checked the seal in a couple of different ways and it is good, and you've had dishes of distilled water in there for 3 weeks...to me, it's GOTTA be the hygro. Just MHO, but if you haven't checked that hygro for accuracy in the last few months, you really need to do so again.

Sorry you having such a headache with this.

 

[seabass]

I know this gets annoying to hear, but faulty hygro readings are almost ALWAYS the cause of these kinds of problems. If you've done everything else, if you've checked the seal in a couple of different ways and it is good, and you've had dishes of distilled water in there for 3 weeks...to me, it's GOTTA be the hygro. Just MHO, but if you haven't checked that hygro for accuracy in the last few months, you really need to do so again.

Sorry you having such a headache with this.

JW,

I appreciate the suggestions but it's not the hygro as it is reading 62% in my other humidor. BTW it was calibrated to a Boveda humidipak a couple of weeks ago.

 

[Jwrussell]

OK, if it was calibrated two weeks ago then we can probably discount that. My next suspicion would be the seal. Have you tried the flashlight test on the new humi? Should work quite well as it is not a glass top...

 

[seabass]

OK, if it was calibrated two weeks ago then we can probably discount that. My next suspicion would be the seal. Have you tried the flashlight test on the new humi? Should work quite well as it is not a glass top...

JW,

Your right. Even though the hygro was dead on a week ago it looks like the batteries must have gone bad. I put another hygro in the humidor and got totally different readings. Case solved...it was driving me crazy.

 

[Angry Bill]

COOL.. Great advice JW>..

 

[Jwrussell]

Glad to hear that things worked out! :thumbsup:

 

[WhiteLightning]

Nice humi! Glad to hear all worked out for you. Looks like you need to load it up and post some pics.

 

[daniyal]

From what I've heard from Viper and Mark its best if you not use the beads to season your humi. Just put a shot glass full of distilled water in there instead.

 

[seabass]

Man, This was driving me crazy. Especially since I put the hygro in the other humidor and got a good reading. This was hard to pinpoint but it looks like this is proof taht batteries can make a hygro go wacky. as far as seasoning with beads...I'm sure it would work the same just would take alot longer. Use fresh batteries people!

 

[seabass]

I hate to beat this to death but I ruled out that the beads are bad because in my coolerdor the rh reads perfectly at 65% but in my humidor I can't break 60% after seasoning. The humidor has a tight seal and strangely the beads are very clear with little signs of drying out. I would think that they would be drying out quicker trying to keep the rh up. I want to believe it's because the rh in my heated house is low...around 30's but if the seal is good this shouldn't make a difference. This really has me at a loss.

 

[Jwrussell]

So the problem wasn't actually solved? Damn. My first question is, are you using the same hygro as before and have you double checked with a different hygro? It is possible that it wasn't the battery and the hygro is just bad.

If the beads are clear, they are saturated. So if you are showing 60% and over time the beads aren't becoming white, something is not right. Either you have 60% beads (these do exist) or your hygro is off. Those are the only two explanations I can come up with.

If your seal was bad, the beads would be putting off humidification which would be drying out the beads and turning them white.

I hate to keep beating this drum, so to speak, but I've got to ask about the hygro. Which Hygro are you using right now? You mentioned the other one being bad. I assume you replaced the batteries, but did you recalibrate it? Or are you just using the other hygro at the moment?

 

[seabass]

JW,

I've been using 2 hygrometers. One was definitely wacky but the other one is right on...I've been using my coolerdor as the "placebo" as it has been showing 65% which it should (in the coolerdor). I'm wondering why more of the beads aren't turning white too, if there is a bad seal the beads should be constantly emitting vapor to compensate and turning white but they are clear. I really am perplexed as I'm not a noob to this...I've had a coolerdor for 15 years.

 

[RigilKent]

hrmm this is odd maybe ..... i dont know are they heart felt of kitty litter? have you tried wiping the inside with a damp sponge ??

 

[cf2112]

This is my 2 cents.

Put a shot glass of water in the humidor and close the lid. Wait 7 days and open the lid take out the shot glass and add the beads (put the beads in the coolerdor for the 7 days to get/keep them at 65&#37 if at this time the humidor will not stay 65% return it for another as it can not have a good seal.

Did you try the flashlight test?

 

[N2Advnture]

Have you tried a different calibrated hygrometer with fresh batteries?

Do you have any cigars in it now?

What's the longest you've kept a bowl of water in it without opening it?

~Mark

 

[seabass]

Thanks everyone for trying to help but this sucker is going back to JR...Too bad as it really is a good looking humidor. Thanks Jason.

 

[Jwrussell]

Good talking with you! I hope end up with a better humidor. :thumbsup:

 

[joshua]

I saw one of these at JR and the lid was heavy, but the seal didn't seem airtight. Like usually on a humidor with a good seal it pushes back a little when you are trying to close it. But that might have been because it was a display model, people are always opening and closing the the ones they have out, and I always see the same ones there.