Using dry beads to even out my RH?

[Coolhand]

I dropped about 150 new sticks into the humidor the other day, and, while I was at it, re-watered my beads, as they were about 90% white (though my RH was rock-steady at 65%).

Dunno if I added too much water (have 8 oz. of beads on two levels, in two bags), or if some of the cigars I added were really damp, but now the RH is kicking around 73%.

I have 4 more oz. of beads in a bag. I'm thinking, rather than trying to dry the moistened beads out, that I can just put that bag, dry, in the humidor, let it soak up some of that excess moisture, and take it back out when it evens out at 65%. Thoughts?

 

[dpricenator]

sounds like a plan.

 

[Jwrussell]

I don't see why that wouldn't work.

 

[Coolhand]

OK, I cracked the lid of the humi and took a look - 74%.

Dropped the beads in it, on the bottom opposite side from the lower bag (well far away from the digital hygro). I'll check it tomorrow and report back.

 

[Angry Bill]

Should work, as the extra beads will take the extra moisture and hold it to make it more consistent. Let us know!!!

 

[dpricenator]

maybe take one of the bags of wet beads out of the humi for a bit.

 

[Coolhand]

Yeah, I can't see why wouldn't work. I'm super-enthusiastic about the beads since I got them. That old glasstop humidor is what brought me here - I could not keep the humidity in it constant at all. I thought I had a leaky seal. The beads keep it rock-solid at 65%. It's in a slightly cooler spot (keeping it well away from sunlight), and it requires watering a little more often than the Vault (from cigarmony) does, but it works, and damn well I might add.

It actually evened out much quicker than the Vault did - I put some of the new cigars in it, and it spiked too, but is at 66% right now.

I just ordered another hygro and a Puck-50 from Mark to refurbish a jar humi I have had lying around for want of good humidification/hygro - will take it to work. Hopefully I can keep the employees out of the damn thing.

 

[RigilKent]

that should work just fine you could always just crack the lid for a while

 

[daniyal]

How did it work out for you? did the extra dry beads lower the humidity?

 

[Jwrussell]

How did it work out for you? did the extra dry beads lower the humidity?

Hehe, Beads work fast, but not necessarily that fast, give him 24 hours. :wink:

 

[daniyal]

Hehe, Beads work fast, but not necessarily that fast, give him 24 hours. :wink:

I tried lowering humidity in a small cooler I have using beads and they seem to be ineffective at best. Granted I was trying to lower the humidity by a modest 3% but the dry beads haven't worked for me and they've been in there for a good month.

 

[Jwrussell]

Hmmm...how large of a cooler and how many (in lbs) of beads? They are really meant to even things out more than anything.

Also, what is the humdity level and what level are you trying to get to?

 

[daniyal]

Hmmm...how large of a cooler and how many (in lbs) of beads? They are really meant to even things out more than anything.

Also, what is the humdity level and what level are you trying to get to?

I'm using a Puck-ifier 100 with 65% beads its a very small cooler around 12quarts (holds four boxes or four cans with ice) the humidity started to hover around 73% so I tossed in some cedar sheets hoping it would even out but that didn't seem to help much then I added a half ounce tube of 70% beads figuring that I'd be happy if it stabilises around 70% but its been holding 73% pretty well. Using a digital hygro and have recalibrated it four or five times now and short of being paranoid its as accurate as can be.

 

[Coolhand]

I popped it open this morning and it was at 66%, which is close enough for government work.

Granted I have propped it open for a couple minutes a time or two since putting the beads in. The dry ones are still in there but I figure I'll be taking them out tonight. I think I just had some overly damp stogies from CI -- they don't know, after all, how long the sticks will be in transit, so they probably ship them pretty moist.

 

[Volusianator]

Glad it worked out for you. My cabinet is a little moist for my taste on the bottom so I put 2lbs of dry beads on the floor of the cabinet (in containers of course) and it did nothing to change the RH.

 

[Jwrussell]

I'm using a Puck-ifier 100 with 65% beads its a very small cooler around 12quarts (holds four boxes or four cans with ice) the humidity started to hover around 73% so I tossed in some cedar sheets hoping it would even out but that didn't seem to help much then I added a half ounce tube of 70% beads figuring that I'd be happy if it stabilises around 70% but its been holding 73% pretty well. Using a digital hygro and have recalibrated it four or five times now and short of being paranoid its as accurate as can be.

Interesting. Can you tell if the beads are saturated? With coolers, for the most part, there is no where for any excess humidity to go as they have such incredible seals and no cedar to help. So if your beads are saturated, they can't do the job of sucking up any more RH. As to combining 65 and 70% beads, I don't recommend it.

 

[daniyal]

Less than half the beads are saturated in the puck-ifier none of the beads in the half ounce tube are saturated. I tossed in the 70% (dry) beads so they would absorb the excess humidity and hopefully bring it down to 70%RH but no such luck. I have also propped open the cooler to lower the humidity

 

[Jwrussell]

Hmmmm...something doesn't seem right...but you seem to have covered most of the normal problem areas...I'm afraid I'm at a loss.

 

[CWS]

I popped it open this morning and it was at 66%, which is close enough for government work.

Granted I have propped it open for a couple minutes a time or two since putting the beads in. The dry ones are still in there but I figure I'll be taking them out tonight. I think I just had some overly damp stogies from CI -- they don't know, after all, how long the sticks will be in transit, so they probably ship them pretty moist.

If it leveled out, why not just leave them there?

 

[Jwrussell]

What he said. No reason to take them out if it's where you want it. Better to have a few extra beads than too few.