Drymistat Crystal Tube

robbyras

I've seen these mentioned here before so I thought I'd give them a try. I have 2 40-50 count desktop humi's so I grabbed 2 of these tubes. The description suggests that one tube can handle a 50 count humi, but I've noticed a few conflicting reports here. So, am I good with one tube per to stay in the 67-68% range? Any other tidbits I should know before I employ these tubes? Thanks!

ironhorse

I doubt it. Depends on the climate and temprature on the outside of the humidor, but I used those before I got beads and it took 3 of them to keep my 50ct humi up to 67%. They are convenient as hell though. Err on the side of caution and put a few more in than you need. The crystals absorb and release humidity so they are almost foolproof.

robbyras

I'm in the SF Bay Area so we don't really have seasons or humidity. It's about 65-70% in my house in the winter. The summer is a different story, but we'll deal with that when it comes. I had a feeling that I'd need 2 per. I'm gonna test them out in one and see how it goes.

Hays

Robby,

If I haven't mentioned it before, welcome to the forum. If you ever make it up to Sacramento, we should get together and have a stick. Other than that, check out the Cigar.com California Mega-Herf thread in the General Discussion section eh?

robbyras

Hays:

Robby,

If I haven't mentioned it before, welcome to the forum. If you ever make it up to Sacramento, we should get together and have a stick. Other than that, check out the Cigar.com California Mega-Herf thread in the General Discussion section eh?

Thanks Hays! I lived up in Sac from 98-03. I went to school at Sac State... anyway, I will let you know if I get up there and I'll check out the Cali Herf

robbyras

So I got my tubes in the mail and I'm ready to put them in place. All I have to do is fill to the waterline with distilled water and lay them in the humi, correct? I can just lay them next to the cigars? For some reason that makes me a little nervous... Thanks for all the replies to my rookie questions

sightunseen

You worried about excess water dripping out? The gel is superabsorbent so you won't have to worry about leaking. Do do a quick wipe-down and maybe turn the tube upside down for a few minutes. I have my tubes sitting next to my cigars and they're doing fine. I would also suggest that you don't put any cigars directly in front of the open end of the tube.

kaspera79

If you have a sleeve of cedar from a cigar for example, I would place it between the tube and cigars. Direct contact MAY cause a wicking of moisture into cigars that the tube comes in contact with. I also place the tube on something ( cedar sheet or plastic) so that the tube does not drip onto the bottom of your humidor also causing a wet area and the possibility of mold developing. Just don't over fill the tube and that too will eliminate any problems.

robbyras

I ended up with one tube in each 50ct humi and they are both at 69%... a FIRM 69% thanks to the new digital hygro's i picked up... each humi is pretty packed too... so yeah, I'm happy with these guys... and I used the ceder wrappers as suggested... great idea...

Hawk55

One suggestion...when you charge them with water...make sure you let them sit upright about 5-10 minutes before you place them in your humidor.

robbyras

That's good advice... I made sure to let the water absorb... I also let them sit upsidedown after the water was absorbed... Just to make sure there was no leakage...

mkski23

I didn't wanna start a new thread since this one is already open for discussion.  Anyway, I too have a 25 to 50ct desktop humi.  I calibrated my analog hygrometer with salt test to 75%.  I put in one drymistat stick and saw that it only settled to 60%.  So I figured I needed another stick and ordered one.  In da meanwhile, I put distilled water in the humidifier in came with.  (Did not have 50/50 solution).  I was able to maintain 70% with the charged humidifier and one drymistat.  I placed the new drymistat stick once I received it and was still able to maintain 70%.  I figured I wouldn't have to recharge for another 2-3 months as advertised, but about a week later, I was back down to 60%.  I rechecked my hygrometer calibration with the salt test and it read exactly 75%.  Seems like these drymistats are garbage unless I'm doing something wrong.  Even with two drymistat sticks, I'm unable to reach the 65-70% ideal range unless I charge my humidifier once a week. 

Any ideas?  Thanks.

doromath

I have about a 50ct, three drawer humidifier that I use the Drymistats in. I went to them straight from the floral foam and tried just one tube at first. Needless to say that didnt cut it, so I went to the other extreme and picked up 3 more. I started getting satisfactory results with 4 in there, but not what I wanted. Found a few gaps in the humi that I sealed up and now it's pretty rock solid at 68%-70%. Also handled the transition from winter to spring pretty well.

I'm still interrested in trying beads as I think they'll be better at regulating the humidity through changes (opening/closing as well as changes in ambient humidity), but I just don't see the need right now. I don't listen to the timing guidelines on the Drymistats, I just listen to my hygrometer. If it dips a percent I'll check the tubes and if the water is a little low I refill them, even if the crystals are above the "fill" line. Pay close attention to how much air pockets there are between the crystals as well, as those will form prior to the crystals shrinking.

asolomon

doromath:

Found a few gaps in the humi that I sealed up and now it's pretty rock solid at 68%-70%. Also handled the transition from winter to spring pretty well.

Slightly off-topic but how did you find the gaps, and how did you seal them?

doromath

asolomon:

doromath:

Found a few gaps in the humi that I sealed up and now it's pretty rock solid at 68%-70%. Also handled the transition from winter to spring pretty well.

Slightly off-topic but how did you find the gaps, and how did you seal them?

My humidor has three drawers on it, and a plexiglass top. When looking at the way the drawers fit closed I noticed I could see light coming through when I put a flashlight on top of the plexiglas in a dark room.

I sealed those gaps up by getting some self adhesive felt from the craft store, and adhering it to the bottoms of the drawer fronts. When the drawers are fully closed the felt closes the gaps, and pushes the drawers together better. I know it's not an airtight seal, but it's significantly better than it was and my humidity level is rock solid now.

When I went to the craft store I picked up 3 different types of felt and ended up using the thinnest one.

gdsim1

robbyras:

I ended up with one tube in each 50ct humi and they are both at 69%... a FIRM 69% thanks to the new digital hygro's i picked up... each humi is pretty packed too... so yeah, I'm happy with these guys... and I used the ceder wrappers as suggested... great idea...

I recently became a believer in these as well. Had a couple humi's that I tried everything on in order to get them that last couple notches in RH, nothing worked. Ordered up a couple of these tubes, threw them in the humi's and VOILA! Both of them 70% on the nose rock solid!

aron325

As you guys who read my previous posts know I just started up my new 75-100 ct desktop humi and put the humi-gel in it. I will tell you I have been reading a solid 69% for the past 5 days. I only started about a week ago. I have heard go and bad things about the drymistat tubes. If i end up scrapping the gel I will definetly go beads or the other stuf that is in my post about weird burns. From what I have read, that stuff is almost 100% full-proof.