Ideal Relative Humidity

docbp87

So I just bought my first digital hygrometer today, and stuck it in the humidor I "inherited" from my father. I've been seasoning it with a shot glass of distilled water, the hockey puck in it, and a water pillow from a ccom shipping bag for a few days now. I put the hygro in tonight, and after about an hour I checked it. Temperature was in the low 60F range. Humidity was at 68%. I feel that I have seen people talk about their RH being anywhere from 65% to 75%. Is there a magic number? Is it safe to take my glass out, and start stocking if this is still the reading I get in the morning?

stephen_hannibal

Try to get the RH an little higher before you remove the excess humidification.
The minute you add cigars they're going to soak up some of the humidity causing the RH to appear as if it's in decline.
This is just what I've noticed with my humis anyway.

mrpillow

Before you do ANYTHING with the humidor you need to calibrate your hygro.

docbp87

The shop I bought it from calibrated it.

mrpillow

Double check it anyways, it's not worth skipping and ending up a sad panda =(

kuzi16

mrpillow:

Double check it anyways, it's not worth skipping and ending up a sad panda =(

amen.
i would stay lower than 70 but not below 60. i like 65%. 75% will bring on many burn issues and there is very little room for error before you are in the range for MOLD.

docbp87

mrpillow:

Double check it anyways, it's not worth skipping and ending up a sad panda =(

How exactly do I do that?

kuzi16

docbp87:

mrpillow:

Double check it anyways, it's not worth skipping and ending up a sad panda =(

How exactly do I do that?

salt test or boveda packs. iv ehad great success with the salt test.
the salt test is where you mix 4 parts salt to one part distilled water to make a bit of salt paste. you then put this paste in a bottle cap or some other small container. this then goes in a ZIPLOC with your hygrometer in the dark for 24 to 36 hours. at this point your hygro should read EXACTLY 75%.

KCW

I like 68%

xmacro

The preferred range for cigars is between 65% and 70%; both because it gives a nice burn, and it's low enough that beetles aren't much of a risk - once you're in that range, it really becomes personal preference as to what % you like (that said, there are some people who like tobacco kept at 73% or so - it's just preference). Tobacco beetles typically hatch above 75%, but have been known to hatch around 72% (never seen it myself, so this is second-hand hearsay)

cabinetmaker

I keep the bottom storage compartment at 68%, and the top shelves at 65%. IMO, they smoke better at 65%.

xmacro

cabinetmaker:

I keep the bottom storage compartment at 68%, and the top shelves at 65%. IMO, they smoke better at 65%.

How'd you manage that?! My top shelves are always higher than my bottom ones, and it kinda drives me nuts

docbp87

Thanks for the insight guys. I went back to my b&m this morning and asked how they calibrated the hygro they sold me... SALT TEST! This morning I woke up, and checked my humidity... 73% and 68 degrees F. I went ahead and took my extra humidification out, and put my 30 or so sticks in (50 capacity box). Five hours later, my RH is at 68%, and still 68 degrees F. I'm really excited, and glad that I let it season for a full five days.

Hugemoose

It does take a few days for everything to settle. Even after I seasoned my humi and put all my sticks in the humidity had to work its way around those new sticks. The salt test worked perfectly for me. Mine read 74% after about 24 and 36 hours. So I then knew it was reading 1 percentage point low. Since mine can't be re-calibrated I just know to factor in that 1 percent.

jlmarta

For me, the ideal relative humidity is 62%. I have 65% beads in both my humi and my coolidor and it's kinda hard to hit 62% because of that. But 62% seems to produce a better burn and more enjoyment for me.

To each his own........

Marty

coachjamie

xmacro:

The preferred range for cigars is between 65% and 70%; both because it gives a nice burn, and it's low enough that beetles aren't much of a risk - once you're in that range, it really becomes personal preference as to what % you like (that said, there are some people who like tobacco kept at 73% or so - it's just preference). Tobacco beetles typically hatch above 75%, but have been known to hatch around 72% (never seen it myself, so this is second-hand hearsay)

Is it only the RH that effects when the beetles hatch? Or does temperature have to do with it also? I cannot keep my humidor below 73 deg right now. I have put it everywhere in my house. I would have to keep my house cooler than 73 deg to get the humi down.

laker1963

coachjamie:

xmacro:

The preferred range for cigars is between 65% and 70%; both because it gives a nice burn, and it's low enough that beetles aren't much of a risk - once you're in that range, it really becomes personal preference as to what % you like (that said, there are some people who like tobacco kept at 73% or so - it's just preference). Tobacco beetles typically hatch above 75%, but have been known to hatch around 72% (never seen it myself, so this is second-hand hearsay)

Is it only the RH that effects when the beetles hatch? Or does temperature have to do with it also? I cannot keep my humidor below 73 deg right now. I have put it everywhere in my house. I would have to keep my house cooler than 73 deg to get the humi down.

Temps. above 75 are NOT good but as long as you can keep the RH below 75% you should be fine.

jlmarta

laker1963:

coachjamie:

xmacro:

The preferred range for cigars is between 65% and 70%; both because it gives a nice burn, and it's low enough that beetles aren't much of a risk - once you're in that range, it really becomes personal preference as to what % you like (that said, there are some people who like tobacco kept at 73% or so - it's just preference). Tobacco beetles typically hatch above 75%, but have been known to hatch around 72% (never seen it myself, so this is second-hand hearsay)

Is it only the RH that effects when the beetles hatch? Or does temperature have to do with it also? I cannot keep my humidor below 73 deg right now. I have put it everywhere in my house. I would have to keep my house cooler than 73 deg to get the humi down.

Temps. above 75 are NOT good but as long as you can keep the RH below 75% you should be fine.

Beetles aren't formed or caused by the humidity. It's just that they are able to move around looking for a mate, etc., at 71 degrees or warmer. If you keep your temp below 71 degrees, they can't multiply.

If they're there, whether or not they can move around, they came with a shipment of cigars from somewhere - they didn't just materialize from nothing in your humi because of heat or humidity.

Marty

laker1963

jlmarta:

laker1963:

coachjamie:

xmacro:

The preferred range for cigars is between 65% and 70%; both because it gives a nice burn, and it's low enough that beetles aren't much of a risk - once you're in that range, it really becomes personal preference as to what % you like (that said, there are some people who like tobacco kept at 73% or so - it's just preference). Tobacco beetles typically hatch above 75%, but have been known to hatch around 72% (never seen it myself, so this is second-hand hearsay)

Is it only the RH that effects when the beetles hatch? Or does temperature have to do with it also? I cannot keep my humidor below 73 deg right now. I have put it everywhere in my house. I would have to keep my house cooler than 73 deg to get the humi down.

Temps. above 75 are NOT good but as long as you can keep the RH below 75% you should be fine.

Beetles aren't formed or caused by the humidity. It's just that they are able to move around looking for a mate, etc., at 71 degrees or warmer. If you keep your temp below 71 degrees, they can't multiply.

If they're there, whether or not they can move around, they came with a shipment of cigars from somewhere - they didn't just materialize from nothing in your humi because of heat or humidity.

Marty

You are right marty, they don't just occurr. The eggs are present in the tobacco and temps above 75 is what causes them to hatch, if they are viable eggs to begin with. 75 / 75 is the reported danger numbers.

docbp87

Well, I checked today, and everything seems to have settled perfectly. I have a little over 30 sticks in what seems to be a 60 or so count humi, and my humidity is standing firm at 66%, with a temperature of 66F! Very happy about this.