Lots of opinions in this thread. It seems obvious that they all work well. The main difference seems to be price. My contribution to this conversation is to say "more is better". The more humidity control media you have then the more stable it will be. I therefore, use KL since it is CHEAP !
Wineador Owners, KL or Beads?
- Thread starter klovett
- Start date
Bringing this thread back from the dead. Been running KL in my cooler for 5 years now I think, maybe more, so I'm not touching that. I'm in kinda deep on HF beads at this point in the wino. 1 pound in there now and recently ordered another half pound of 65% since I'm spraying so much in the winter. Would mixing 4-5 of the big boveda's (not 300g) into the trays themselves be an issue if there is already HF beads in there? Both 'calibrated' to the same RH. Figure instead of spraying once a week, I can let the boveda's recharge the beads as needed.
Or is this just a horrible idea?
Or is this just a horrible idea?
AlohaStyle
BoM Sept '12 & Aug '13
If you're spraying that much, is your humidor sealed okay? That seems like excessive spraying.
Regarding any kinds of beads vs boveda... it takes a minute to spray beads every so often vs needing to spend days recharging boveda packs.
Regarding any kinds of beads vs boveda... it takes a minute to spray beads every so often vs needing to spend days recharging boveda packs.
Wont be an issue, I have KL and bovedas in mine.
I use KL in my cooler and Boveda in my snap on container. For my large end table humidor it has active humidification in it with a reservoir in the bottom. It works great.
I would say go the route of Boveda (you can get a large pack for less than $4 on ebay) and just purchase 5-6 of them. The only thing with KL is you have to buy the big container and media bags so I think it's almost cheaper to get the Boveda in the end. Also, the KL media bags turn a gross yellow after time...or at least mine have.
I would say go the route of Boveda (you can get a large pack for less than $4 on ebay) and just purchase 5-6 of them. The only thing with KL is you have to buy the big container and media bags so I think it's almost cheaper to get the Boveda in the end. Also, the KL media bags turn a gross yellow after time...or at least mine have.
I've been using about 2# of HF beads and just for ease and stability added a Hydra sm active humidifier to the bottom. At dialing it in, which really was just letting it stabilize, I haven't touched it in 6 months. Holds rock solid at 65%
My HF beads turned yellow in less than 6 months!
I have the following "hybrid" setup - Haier "tower" 18x winador
2 HFC bead containers (4oz?)
2 small KL bean bags
staggered in alternate trays
Maintenance - None
I have occasionally refreshed the KL , and once an a while add a sponge soaked with distilled to replace humidity. Basically seasonal adjustments a few times a year.
Bovedas only go to 65 rh. No lower. HF beads sell at both 60 rh and 65 rh. So if you want to keep your humidor lower than 65 the beads may be the way to go. I prefer 63 rh to smoke and 65 rh for long term storage. But I'm a bit ocd.
It looks like the fact is that if your cooler or wineador seal well KL, HF Beads or Boveda do the job. I use Boveda 65's in my CC humidor and they work well. In my wineador I use beads and KL and they work well. I am sold on using KL for ease of use and price. Just check the Rh in a Baggie and see what the Rh is when you buy it. Mine was 55 if I remember correctly. Put it in the containers you want to use and spritz it a few times with distilled, put in the wineador and check it a few days later. If it then reads 59 then spritz it a few more times and check it again after a couple of days. If it is then 63 and your target is 65, then a few more sprays of distilled. You should then be at or very near your target Rh. Down the road if you noticed Rh has dropped to 63, just a few sprays and you are back to 65. It really couldn't be much easier and at about $1 a lb it is hard to beat. I have to spritz 3-4 times a year and it takes 2-3 minutes. It's fine to use what works for you, but those that bash KL and have never even tried them just seems inappropriate.
Maybe KL won't work well in your climate, but in mine I couldn't be more satisfied. But at least try it before you bash it. It's about a $3 investment to speak from experience rather than out your !!!
Maybe KL won't work well in your climate, but in mine I couldn't be more satisfied. But at least try it before you bash it. It's about a $3 investment to speak from experience rather than out your !!!
I do a mix of KL and Bovedas, I'm in a rh mitral area so things are easy for me
Thanks for the post. Seems a lot of people are running "hybrid" style setups. I'm gonna hold off until that other 1/2 pound gets here. I'm thinking that other 1/2 pound will fix the weekly spraying issues.
I do it that way because the KL just "locks" the RH at 65%. The beads replenish when it drops under that.
When it goes high, I know to replace the KL or simply microwave it, then toss it, to release the water as steam.
Wifey made me a couple of bean bag style bags for the KL. Works better than the nylon sock.
Well I just got the 1/2 pound in, bagged it up, and sprayed with rubbing alcohol instead of DW. Cuz I wasn't thinking and I have a bottle of rubbing alcohol I spray on my hockey pads. Did I just ruin $30 worth of beads?
I'm assuming you Jack Daniel'd the beads .. and not the KL..
When I first got mine, I sat the container in a tupperware bowl with a hygrometer overnight. They didn't need moistening.
My second one was a few RH higher, like 73% ( I had ordered two 70% RH) It was stamped 73 as well. But rather than play the exchange game, I use them both. My RH average is 70% anyway.
I guess if the alcohol dries up , all will be OK. Rather see that, than tap water. You may wish to test what RH the beads are at, ( once they dry) before you water them up.
Note, I am using HCM beads, not heartfelt beads. Your prep may differ.. I dunno.
When I first got mine, I sat the container in a tupperware bowl with a hygrometer overnight. They didn't need moistening.
My second one was a few RH higher, like 73% ( I had ordered two 70% RH) It was stamped 73 as well. But rather than play the exchange game, I use them both. My RH average is 70% anyway.
I guess if the alcohol dries up , all will be OK. Rather see that, than tap water. You may wish to test what RH the beads are at, ( once they dry) before you water them up.
Note, I am using HCM beads, not heartfelt beads. Your prep may differ.. I dunno.
Yea I'm a complete moron. Can't believe I did that. I wonder if it did anything to the salt solution or whatever is in those beads. Shouldn't have even sprayed them in the first place, I usually throw them in for a day or two to see where everything evens out to. Just dumb AF all around and I'm still pissed at myself. Not sure I want to put these in my humi. Sucks ass being out 27 bucks or whatever, but would suck even harder if my expensive collection smelled like rubbing alcohol in 2 weeks. It was just two spritzes but I'm pretty sure that shit is embedded in the beads now. I've had them out on a plate to dry up, so they will def throw low humidity with a hygro/tupperware, it's very dry out here.
Part of me just wants to bite the bullet and order another half pound. That part of me also hates me.
The beads will probably be fine. Don't sweat it.
If not, everytime you smoke a cigar put a dime in a jar. By the end of the year you'll have your $27 back.
http://www.cigarbeads.com/usinghcmbeads.aspx
Note, mine you never spray directly, you rehydrate them in a sealed container with ambient RH ( a shot glass of DW )