84% seasoning packets

I was wondering, for those that have used these... Did you wait for the humidor to hit a comfortable RH and then load cigars and operate in normal mode? Or did you wait for it to actually hit 84% RH and then dialed back?

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dutyje

I haven't used them, but I honestly think that the right thing to do is get the humidity comfortably above your target and let it sit there for a period (say 24-48 hrs). The reason I say this is that the wood will take a while longer to reach equilibrium, and you'll want to be sure it soaks up some moisture. If you don't wait long enough, the wood will just soak up all the humidity and you'll dry out your beads in a hurry. Of course, if you wait too long, you'll have the opposite problem. It just seems to me that bringing down the humidity would be an easier/quicker process than slowly trying to inch it upwards. In another thread here, I mentioned that you shouldn't just leave the bowl of distilled water in there until the ambient humidity just hits 70% (or whatever your target is). Again, the reason for this is that the air will have a greater humidity than the wood, and the wood is what you're trying to season to the 65-70% range.

All just my theory.. I'm a business analyst

Vidarien

Makes sense to me. I always can hypothesize what will happen based on science background, but with things like this, sometimes the best thing is to find out from tried and true experience from those that have done it many times before.

Lasabar

I used the 84% humidity packets and they work just fine, Leave 'em in for like a week and see where you are at. Should be just fine

Nice thing about the packs is that you can move your humi (Let's say you accidentally put it in front of an air duct in your home, or you notice that the sunset hit it) and no water will spill.

madurofan

I've used them before as well. Good product.

dutyje

Why am I, the only one who hasn't used the packets, also the only one to take a stab at answering his questions?

madurofan

Well I'll answer it then. The packet comes with directions, saying to let it sit for 7-10 days, correct? Well let it sit for 7 days, then go check it. After 7 days when the RH is above 70% you're good but I'd let it sit another 24 hours and then put in your humidification device and let it sit until it stabilizes, then add cigars. I'd say to add no more than 5 cigars or so at a time, as to not shock the humidor and drop the RH too quickly.

Vidarien

Its been 6 days now, and the RH has been hovering around 73% for the last two days. I'm wondering if it'll ever hit that 84%, despite it being an 84% RH packet.

madurofan

Probably not.

Vidarien

I take it then you're saying im probably good to go

madurofan

Yea I mean as long as its stabilized at that 73%. You're going to want to eventually have it somewhere between 64 and 72. So you're good.

dtrdwngs

I am a newbie cigar smoker and a first time poster here on the board but thought I would relate my experience with the 84% packet. I tried one with a new humidor recently. I waited about 48 hours and then opened it up. I checked the humidty and it was 84%. I left the humi closed for another 24 hours and then put the cigars in. For over a month the humidity stayed in the 80's without any humidification whatsoever. I had to take the stogies out and put them in tupperware. I left the humi open for 48 hours and then closed it. I checked the humidity and it was 70%. I put the smokes back in and added the humidor solution. It now stays at 70%. I guess I had over-humidifiied my humi by leaving the packet in so long. Next time, I will just do it the old fashioned way.