RH Next Step Question

[MDSPHOTO]

I seasoned a new humi threw in 2 HF 65% tubes and got a steady reading of 70%. I had to go out of town unexpectedly for a week so could not wait for it to settle down to 65%, so I tossed a recent online order of sticks that I received into the box. When I got home last night the reading was 56%! I recharged both tubes last night and this morning it was still at 56%. Now since I left outside temps had fallen by 30 degrees and humidity has broken. I checked my other humis and they had also fallen, but still within acceptable levels. So if I don't budge from 56% what should my next step be? Additional notes; I turned the heat on in the house for the first time last night. 150 count box only has about 25 sticks in it right now with another online order due in today. Do I throw those sticks in or wait till we get box stabilized?

Thanks in advance for your suggestions

 

[ENV]

Digital or analog hygrometer?

I noticed my RH dropped to 62 when I left it open for minutes the other day and the analog would not read above 57 I put my freshly calibrated digital in there and it reads 64 this morning. I have 2 Bovedas 65 in there and a regular Humidifier until I can get some heartfelt beads. Im guessing it may have a leak if you seasoned well or it is the lack of sticks.

 

[mdwest]

Sounds like your sticks are a little dry and are sucking up the RH... Try to recharge again.. and if you have a couple of bovedas.. pitch those in as well...

RH in Atlanta typically stays above 60% for most of October.. and doesnt drop to the mid 50's until Novemeber (youve got roughtly the same RH patterns there as I do here)... Whats going on outside of your humidor shouldnt be impacting the internal RH all that much yet..

Its possible the next batch of sticks showing up at your door will be moist (many online retailers.. and B&Ms for that matter.. store at 70% RH... some higher...)... and may help bring the overall RH in your box up...

Personally.. I'd throw them in the humidor...

If you leave them out.. the external RH in your house isnt likely much different than whats currently in your box.. youre not protecting the sticks by leaving them out.. and if they are "wet".. youre missing the opportunity to have them help you fix your RH problem..



Something I do in the winter... although Im not sure it does anything for my sticks at all...I really do this for my own personal comfort... is I keep a room humidifier running in my office (same room where my cabinet is located).. that keeps the room RH about 60%.. I figure whenever I open the door to the cabinet (at least once a day.. sometimes a couple of times a day...)... the impact is much less in a room sitting at 60% RH as opposed to the 35-45% RH that we have most days around here during the winter..

With summer RH's staying well above 80% around here.. I dont run the humidifier most of the year.. I normally start running it in late Nov.. and keep it running until March-April or so....

this is the one I use...

http://www.lowes.com/pd_484756-31261-IDU2234-UM_4294620973__?productId=4777912&Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&pl=1&currentURL=?Ns=p_product_qty_sales_dollar|1&facetInfo=

 

[MDSPHOTO]

Using a digital in all my boxes. I don't have a Boveda. but do have a gel jar I can throw in to assist the recharged beads.

 

[StogieNinja]

Just a guess, but I'm guessing the humidor is leaking, or else the humidor wasn't seasoned enough and was still thirsty.

What did you use to season the new humi, and how long did you season it? When you say it was "steady" at 70%, how long was steady before you removed whatever you were using to season it?

Also, where did your order come from? Pretty much any online order is going to be way higher in rH, I would throw them in with the others. Regardless, a week at 56% isn't going to hurt fresh sticks too much. If you ordered them online, I doubt they're even brought down to an acceptable smoking level yet.

First thing to do is determine whether or not the humidor is still thirsty, or just leaking.

 

[MDSPHOTO]

Okay I placed a very wet Gel Jar in the bottom of the humi and placed a second digital hygrometer down with it. The reading at the bottom of the humi is now 77 and the reading at the unit attached to the lid of the box is 59. That's an awful big difference from top to bottom of the box. Assuming the hygros are both accurate what could be causing such a disparity in readings in a box that is only 5.5" deep?