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humidor ice packs for temp. ?

kos22uskos22us Posts: 47 ✭
in Cigar 101
i cant get my humidors temp. below 75-78 F
i read somewhere you can throw an ice pack in there to bring down the temp., has anyone done this ? or does anyone think this is a bad idea ? any particular ice pack used for better results ? any insight helps thanks ... Jack in PA

Comments

  • Smoke=FireSmoke=Fire Posts: 692 ✭✭✭
    I have never heard of it, and thinking about it, I could not recommend it. What you want to do is maintain a consistent temp and rh. A cooler pack (blue ice, et al) would have too great a fluctuation in both of those respects. Also iin all likelihood it would add humidity as it condensates out, dripping directly onto your cigars; not good.

    If you live in a hot weather climate and don't have central air, I would recommend getting a wine fridge to use for those months where the temp in your place climbs too high for cigars.

    Anyone else know more about cooling, please chime in.
  • vegassparkyvegassparky Posts: 365 ✭
    dont put ice packs in your humi. get a small floor fan if its hot. just aim the fan so it blows on the humi should knock the temp in the humi down 3 to 5 degrees. and wont hurt your sticks.
  • Joeyjoe21_8Joeyjoe21_8 Posts: 2,048
    GUILTY! lol....what i did for my winador or coolador I would put a blue ice pack in there to help bring downt the temp...i would put it in a zip lock back so no water drips out...and it will work...just not a permanent fix
  • jship079jship079 Posts: 621 ✭
    My humi has been going between 75 and 78 for years and it has never been a problem! You just dont want it to get any higher than that. It may make a slight difference that I keep my RH between 65 and 68 but I dont know.
  • xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    If you wanna, you can google around for smaller humidor cooling units, or gerryrig your own like this guy did: http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=4676.

    Or you could just get a Vinotemp or similar device http://www.puff.com/forums/vb/cigar-accessory-questions/10894-cabinet-style-humidor-cooling.html (check Craigslist for a used one) and stick your sticks in there (bonus points if you line it with spanish cedar and put some shelves in it)
  • MrMokeMrMoke Posts: 321 ✭✭
    Guys, don't freak out. Living in the Houston area, it's hard at this time of year to get ambient temp down below 80. you can but you're gonna pay for it on your light bill!

    Humidity, is MUCH more importantant than temp. I have been keeping cigars since 2003 and have never had an issue with beetles, which is why we are all freaking out, yes?

    I try to maintain a consistent humidity around 70%RH, I keep my humi's in the coolest shadiest (darkest) part of the house, during the day my thermosatat is set to 84 when I am out, 78 while I am in, even if I set lower is doesn't seem to get any lower, just make s the bills go higher, I have NOT had any problems, my sticks smoke good.

    Here's a good question to ask yourself, when tobacco is being cured or fermented it is stacked in piles and basically decomposition produces the desired result, along with a lot of heat, which actually helps the process, so how come beetles don't come out and ravage the crop?????

    The answer is, you need both the temp and humidity to activate beetles, as long as you control one you should be okay.

    Now don't get me wrong, I am not saying you can keep gars at 110F, but small shifts in temp should not be a problem. the theoretical ideal is 70/70


  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    kos22us:
    i cant get my humidors temp. below 75-78 F i read somewhere you can throw an ice pack in there to bring down the temp., has anyone done this ? or does anyone think this is a bad idea ? any particular ice pack used for better results ? any insight helps thanks ... Jack in PA
    I've done this for a whole summer once... It's a great way to bring temp down, but make sure you have a humidifier that TAKES IN humidity for the ice packs seem to spike the humidity % a little bit... It works just got to keep an eye on it!
  • gaberoxgaberox Posts: 824 ✭
    How big is your humi? I use a small 30ct tupperdor. What works perfect is putting the humi inside a cooler than placing the ice pack wrapped in a towell inside the cooler at oppisite ends. Couldnt imagine putting ice packs directly in a humi.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    Lasabar:
    kos22us:
    i cant get my humidors temp. below 75-78 F i read somewhere you can throw an ice pack in there to bring down the temp., has anyone done this ? or does anyone think this is a bad idea ? any particular ice pack used for better results ? any insight helps thanks ... Jack in PA
    I've done this for a whole summer once... It's a great way to bring temp down, but make sure you have a humidifier that TAKES IN humidity for the ice packs seem to spike the humidity % a little bit... It works just got to keep an eye on it!
    i just dont see how this wouldnt cause serious condensing issues.

    i guess thats why the RH spiked.

    iduno... as long as the humi is under 80*F ice is not needed.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • laker1963laker1963 Posts: 5,046
    You don't add enough of an ice pack to cuase condensation problems.Like Lassy I have used this method for two summers now. If you are using beads and the beads are not full when you start (they never should be) then this method works great. This has been discussed here before and there were others who had done similar things as well.

  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    kuzi16:
    Lasabar:
    kos22us:
    i cant get my humidors temp. below 75-78 F i read somewhere you can throw an ice pack in there to bring down the temp., has anyone done this ? or does anyone think this is a bad idea ? any particular ice pack used for better results ? any insight helps thanks ... Jack in PA
    I've done this for a whole summer once... It's a great way to bring temp down, but make sure you have a humidifier that TAKES IN humidity for the ice packs seem to spike the humidity % a little bit... It works just got to keep an eye on it!
    i just dont see how this wouldnt cause serious condensing issues.

    i guess thats why the RH spiked.

    iduno... as long as the humi is under 80*F ice is not needed.
    It does condense... I wrap the ice pack in a clean towel and the towel does have some dampness to it, but like Lake said, have uncharged beads in there (you'll have them mostly dry anyway during the summer anyway) and it evens itself out

    Not the best method, but if you prepare it right you can make it work
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