Seasoning Humidor

[Mr. McSquirelly]

I'm seasoning my 125-count humi right now. I filled a container with distilled water and put it in the humi. I also have my humidification device filled with 50/50 PG solution in the humi as well. I plan on letting it sit for a week before I check RH levels. Will keeping the humidifier in there with 50/50 solution have an adverse effect on the seasoning process, or should I just take it out of the humi? Also, I had seasoned this humi about a week and a half ago using the instructions that came in the box. It said 1) Wipe down cedar wood with a sponge dampened with distilled water, place sponge in humidor, close and let sit for 24 hours. 2) After 24 hours, wipe down box again with damp sponge, take sponge out, close lid, let sit for another 24 hours; 3) Your humidor is now ready to use. So I did all this. After reading forums here--a week and a half too late--I realized that wiping down might not have been the best method to season. So I have decided to start all over again by putting a container full of distilled water in the humi and letting it sit for a week. Could this damage the already seasoned humidor, will it throw off Rh levels, should I keep humidifier in there during this reseasoning period, or just take it out and start all over when the process is finished in two weeks? Advice would be greatly appreciated.

 

[Master Shake]

People say not to wipe down the wood because too often it gets saturated which can lead to mold issues and/or warping the wood. If it was already seasoned then its probably fine to store cigars in. If you take out the glass of water and it holds 65% humidity according to a properly calibrated hygrometer then you are good to go. I don't think it will take 2 weeks to season either. Just keep checking your hygrometer until its in the range you want.

 

[Mr. McSquirelly]

Thanks, man.

 

[Xombie_King]

I didn't wipe mine down and it came out just find. For the same reasons Master Shake posted. Mold issues, clog the pours in the cedar was another one I heard as well as possibly lifting any splinters from possible rough surfaces.

There's much debate about weather to wipe down or not. I go with not. I haven't had a problem and so far a lot of the people I've come across at a lounge I go to haven't either.

 

[s1nist3r]

OK, so i seasoned my 75-100 ct. humi with 4 boveda seasoning packs. Left them in for 14 days as recommended, the humidity was at 65% at the end of the 14 days with bone dry boveda packs. I put in my smokes, 3 72% boveda packs and a xikar crystal jar, and my RH will not go over 61%. Does it take time to adjust or is the humidor still not seasoned enough??

 

[sofc]

Your hygro is likely not correct. Or you have a hike somewhere. That is a great deal of humi products for a 75 count.

 

[Wolf4birdie]

Your hygro is likely not correct. Or you have a hike somewhere. That is a great deal of humi products for a 75 count.

This is correct IMO

 

[s1nist3r]

Thanks, I'll re calibrate again!!

 

[ColdSmoke]

Sometimes that cedar can be really thirsty too. Just keep working at it. The most important thing is to have an accurate hygrometer.

 

[StogieNinja]

OK, so i seasoned my 75-100 ct. humi with 4 boveda seasoning packs. Left them in for 14 days as recommended, the humidity was at 65% at the end of the 14 days with bone dry boveda packs. I put in my smokes, 3 72% boveda packs and a xikar crystal jar, and my RH will not go over 61%. Does it take time to adjust or is the humidor still not seasoned enough??

Three possibilities:
1. Your humidor wasn't fully seasoned and the wood is still thirsty
2. The hygrometer is off and your humidor is actually at a much higher rH
3. The humidor is cheap and leaking rH like crazy, so no matter what your Bovedas and jar do, they can't keep up.

How long have the 72% Bovedas been in there, and are they staying moist, or are they bone dry as well?

 

[s1nist3r]

OK, so i seasoned my 75-100 ct. humi with 4 boveda seasoning packs. Left them in for 14 days as recommended, the humidity was at 65% at the end of the 14 days with bone dry boveda packs. I put in my smokes, 3 72% boveda packs and a xikar crystal jar, and my RH will not go over 61%. Does it take time to adjust or is the humidor still not seasoned enough??

Three possibilities:
1. Your humidor wasn't fully seasoned and the wood is still thirsty
2. The hygrometer is off and your humidor is actually at a much higher rH
3. The humidor is cheap and leaking rH like crazy, so no matter what your Bovedas and jar do, they can't keep up.

How long have the 72% Bovedas been in there, and are they staying moist, or are they bone dry as well?

They have been in there almost a week I think.

 

[s1nist3r]

OK, so i seasoned my 75-100 ct. humi with 4 boveda seasoning packs. Left them in for 14 days as recommended, the humidity was at 65% at the end of the 14 days with bone dry boveda packs. I put in my smokes, 3 72% boveda packs and a xikar crystal jar, and my RH will not go over 61%. Does it take time to adjust or is the humidor still not seasoned enough??

Three possibilities:
1. Your humidor wasn't fully seasoned and the wood is still thirsty
2. The hygrometer is off and your humidor is actually at a much higher rH
3. The humidor is cheap and leaking rH like crazy, so no matter what your Bovedas and jar do, they can't keep up.

How long have the 72% Bovedas been in there, and are they staying moist, or are they bone dry as well?

They have been in there almost a week I think.

And no they no where near dry.

 

[StogieNinja]

Then I'd assume your hygro is way off. If the humidity was 61%, those bovedas would be working overtime trying to get the rH back up to 72%. Since they're staying soft, I'll assume they're not working that hard... which means the rH is actually much higher than the hygro is stating.

Recalibrate the hygrometer. Put one of the 72% bags in a freezer ziplock with your hygro. Give it 48hrs and check it. If it reads anything different than 72%, note the difference, and that's how far your hygrometer is off. If you can adjust it, do so. If not, just note the difference and add/subtract it from whatever it reads.

 

[s1nist3r]

Then I'd assume your hygro is way off. If the humidity was 61%, those bovedas would be working overtime trying to get the rH back up to 72%. Since they're staying soft, I'll assume they're not working that hard... which means the rH is actually much higher than the hygro is stating.

Recalibrate the hygrometer. Put one of the 72% bags in a freezer ziplock with your hygro. Give it 48hrs and check it. If it reads anything different than 72%, note the difference, and that's how far your hygrometer is off. If you can adjust it, do so. If not, just note the difference and add/subtract it from whatever it reads.

Ok, cool. I have a 75% pack as well so i'll use that and re calibrate tonight and hopefully that's all it is. Thanks again for all your input.

 

[s1nist3r]

Then I'd assume your hygro is way off. If the humidity was 61%, those bovedas would be working overtime trying to get the rH back up to 72%. Since they're staying soft, I'll assume they're not working that hard... which means the rH is actually much higher than the hygro is stating.

Recalibrate the hygrometer. Put one of the 72% bags in a freezer ziplock with your hygro. Give it 48hrs and check it. If it reads anything different than 72%, note the difference, and that's how far your hygrometer is off. If you can adjust it, do so. If not, just note the difference and add/subtract it from whatever it reads.

Ok, cool. I have a 75% pack as well so i'll use that and re calibrate tonight and hopefully that's all it is. Thanks again for all your input.

Ok stogie, I let the hydrometers sit for 48 hours and it looks like they are spot on except for the xikar. Also here's some pics of the hydrometers and a look inside my humi. Any other suggestions would be great!

 

[StogieNinja]

Ok put everything back in and leave the humi closed for 48 hrs and see what it reads. It may be that it's just leaky (possible through what is likely a razor-thin bottom) or it might be that it just hasn't had time to re-acclimate between frequent readings.

Also... do I see weather stripping? Did you do that yourself?

 

[s1nist3r]

Ok put everything back in and leave the humi closed for 48 hrs and see what it reads. It may be that it's just leaky (possible through what is likely a razor-thin bottom) or it might be that it just hasn't had time to re-acclimate between frequent readings.

Also... do I see weather stripping? Did you do that yourself?

Yes that is weather stripping, and yes I did that myself! I have been trying to get my RH correct since January, and I read somewhere on here I think that this worked for another one of the brothers so I tried it. Also I took out the crystals and bought 1 more boveda 72% Friday checked the rH today and it's at 68%. So I'll check it again in another 2 to 3 days just to make sure it's good.