Variable Humidity

[Paul3]

I hate asking rookie questions and I think I may have answered this one through the search function but none the less I thought it might make an interesting topic.

1. I bought an Edgestar28 winecooler,
2. added drawers from GolfNut (beautiful work)
3. two computer fans on a timer
4. an electronic temperature control unit set at 67degrees
5. 1.5lbs of 65% Heartfelt RH beads, and 8 oz. of Shilala HCM beads
6. let the whole thing season for three weeks.
7. Put new batteries in 3 hygrometers and calibrated all three using Boveda 75% humidity packs. Hygrometers sit top, middle, and bottom of the wineador.
8. tested the door seal with the 'dollar bill' method

My issue is this. After 3 weeks I notice the temp sits at a solid 67 degrees. RH, however, falls down to 61%. I have the fans set to turn on for 15 min/hour and as soon as they come on RH jumps to 68% within 3 minutes. 10-15 minutes after they shut down RH falls back to 61% and sits solid.

I'm in NC and the RH is approx 75% and the room sits at 74 degrees. If I open the humi door RH will jump up to 69-70% within a minute so between that and the dollar bill test I do not think I've got a seal problem.

The RH beads seem to be sitting solid at 75% of them being clear and I do not have much condensation build up, so I'm lost as to why the variable RH and why it jumps when the fans come on and drop when they turn off. More importantly what, if any, problems might this make for the cigars currently residing in those great Spanish cedar drawers?

Ideas?

Paul

 

[Tobacco Giant]

I'm in practically the same boat with my new air. Personally, I think most people have some variability in RH. I've also found that a daily preemptive spritz of distilled water along the bottom of the unit helps maintain more of a 64-66% when the RH would normally drop down.

I'm still toying a lot with mine, though. I'd also like to see any suggestions.

 

[GoingPostal]

First off no expert, had a winedor but stopped because of condensation issues. First of all. 61% Rh is not going to hurt your cigars.
First question is what was the Rh holding at after you seasoned it? Second may have something to do how your fans or the beads are positioned? remeber the more surface of beads that are exposed the better they work. Lastly, how are your cigars smoking? If your enjoying them why worry. Think many newbies are anal about maintaing a certain Rh I was the same way. If your cigars are smoking fine then enjoy and don't stress.

 

[Paul3]

During those first three weeks of seasoning I didn't check RH that often just figuring it wouldn't be too accurate while the seasoning process went on. The first couple of days after the seasoning I'd notice RH at 61%, I'd add a small bowl of distilled water thinking the seasoning may not have completed its process. I'd get home from work and notice RH at 68%, so out came the water. I did this for about a week until I just though it odd that the humidity bounced around that quick, from a small bowl of distilled H2O, and yet there was no measurable reduction of distilled water in the bowl. The RH beads still held at about 75% of the total being clear, so I decided not to add the bowl of water back into the mix. It was only a few days after that that I realized the fans were making the difference...which is where I am now.

The fans are just off the bottom of the wineador, approx 1.5 in. off the bottom, facing up. 1lb of RH beads spread on a plate at the bottom of the humidor. .5 lb in a mesh bag on the top shelf of the humi along with the Shilala beads.

Reading through RH threads it seems the general conclusion is that the RH fluctuations, in the 61-68% range I'm experiencing, are not so much that it will be detrimental to the sticks, it's more of an irritant to me (read: newbie being anal about RH).

Sticks smoke fine, just thought somebody may have worked this issue before.

 

[Tobacco Giant]

As a newb it's tough to accept a fluctuating RH when you read so many statements of people saying their RH stays "rock steady" at 65%. That being said, I'm sure cigar shops have some fluctuations as well with people walking in and out all day, and all the sticks I get from the stores seem fine to me so I'm sure it's no big deal.

 

[funkejj]

Ok well is the unit totally sealed? All holes plugged? Do you use it for temp control if so is it thermal electric and not compressor? I do not use a wine fridge but I have a fan that runs 24/7 in my humi and that was the solution to my humidity issue.

 

[GoingPostal]

you read so many statements of people saying their RH stays "rock steady" at 65%.

Yes both my humidors are "rock steady" at 68% and my igloodor "rock steady" at 65%. of course this is after months and months of trial and experimentation with different humidification devices, where and how to place them, location of the humidor in home.
yes I was and still sort of am anal about my RH, newbies read the statements of rock steady and don't realize how long it took to get there.

even in this situation his Rh is "rock steady" at 61% he just would like it at 65%. a little tweeking here and there you'll get it to where you want it. one idea if you want it to sit higher is maybe go up to 70% beads, or buy a couple of 65% boveda packs to stick in the drawers for peace of mind.