New Humidor from Cuban Crafter's

newbiesmoker24

Hey Guys - it has been a while since I posted last.
I am coming for a question on a Cuban Crafter's humidor I got for Christmas. The "executive" humidor 150 ct. that has a pretty analog hygrometer on the outside... but it is just that.. pretty. The dial is stuck between 40 and 50%rh even though the digital on the inside is showing correct (I tried two separate digitals, they both worked). The manufacturer says I need to A) take it out and calibrate it using salt test.

But, there are two problems - I can't get it out (I think it is glued) and I don't think I can move the dial to adjust it to proper humidity. Has anyone had any luck/problems with these? I really want to be able to check my humidity without having to open up the humidor. That was one of the big selling points for this specific humidor!
Thanks!

PsychoSJG

newbiesmoker24:

Hey Guys - it has been a while since I posted last.
I am coming for a question on a Cuban Crafter's humidor I got for Christmas. The "executive" humidor 150 ct. that has a pretty analog hygrometer on the outside... but it is just that.. pretty. The dial is stuck between 40 and 50%rh even though the digital on the inside is showing correct (I tried two separate digitals, they both worked). The manufacturer says I need to A) take it out and calibrate it using salt test.

But, there are two problems - I can't get it out (I think it is glued) and I don't think I can move the dial to adjust it to proper humidity. Has anyone had any luck/problems with these? I really want to be able to check my humidity without having to open up the humidor. That was one of the big selling points for this specific humidor!
Thanks!

IMO, the best thing for you to do, is leave it alone. Analogs are crap. Leave the analog alone for looks, but keep a digital inside for actual usage.

crzydimnd68

Opening your humidor once in a while to check isn't going to hurt anything.Matter of fact it's recommended for air circulation.It won't drop much and it will come back.

xmacro

crzydimnd68:

Matter of fact it's recommended for air circulation.It won't drop much and it will come back.

That's only really for coolerdors, which are airtight - in a normal humi, the air circulates on its own.

But yeah, just leave the analog alone - if you pry it out, you may mess with the humidor sealing and then you'll really be screwed. But hey, your humidor will be overflowing soon enough and you'll have to buy another, and now you know which kind not to get

fla-gypsy

If it passes all the way through from the outside pop it out from the inside. Otherwise just leave it alone. I bought a humidor from CC also and replaced the analog first thing with a xikar digital

dennisking

I have a Cuban Crafters humidor and my analog hygrometer is all over the place. right now it says i'm at 55% but it's seasoned, sealed well, and has a humi-puck of beads as well as some humi-pillows so I am pretty sure I am at the right humidity. guess I need a digital hygro as well.

JY001

Be sure do get a digital that you can calibrate, and do the salt test. Fill a bottle cap with table salt. Add a bit of water, just enough to moisten the salt. Add this and your hygrometer to a sealed bag and wait 24 hours. In this time it will be 75% RH in the bag. Adjust the hygrometer accordingly and you'll be good to go.

lilwing88

What I do now, that I will do for the rest of my days is this:

Whenever I get a new humidor, I season it with BOVEDA packs, get a digital hygrometer and calibrate with a BOVEDA kit and use beads from heartfelt and distilled water for humidification.

Until I get a big 'ol cabinet like the one Alex was selling, I'll keep this method.

newbiesmoker24

I don't know, the whole thing seems really annoying. I may send it back to cuban crafter's if they will take it. I have tried seasoning with distilled water and conserva gel beads for 3 days, it stuck at 80% for a day; then I removed the water for two days and it dropped back down to 55%rh and falling.. It seems like the humidor isn't maintaining humidity either. I am going to season with distilled water for 7 days and see if the rh will hold for me. If not, then I am sending the humidor back for two reasons, hygrometer not working AND poor seal.

In the meantime I have been using clear tupperware and although I have to monitor it every other day, I can see the digital display and it stays extremely consistent with a little little hole on the top to circulate air. I might just give up on cedar humidors all together soon!!! They are not worth their aesthetic appeal if they don't work properly!

cocoadave

I just got a new humidor from Cuban Crafters too, The "Bravo" 120ct. it came with a small plastic tool to adjust the analog hygrometer... you should be able to just calibrate it to your digitals display (if the humidor has stabillized) that's what i did, and it is still in sync with my digital now... also my analog did come out, but I didn't have to remove it to make the adjustments.

newbiesmoker24

cocoadave:

I just got a new humidor from Cuban Crafters too, The "Bravo" 120ct. it came with a small plastic tool to adjust the analog hygrometer... you should be able to just calibrate it to your digitals display (if the humidor has stabillized) that's what i did, and it is still in sync with my digital now... also my analog did come out, but I didn't have to remove it to make the adjustments.

Does the one on yours display the analog on the outside front and have three port holes on the inside of the humidor? That is the way mine is set up. I never received a tool with mine. I just finished seasoning for a WEEK and now I am going to let it settle for 2 days and see if it keeps the humidity. If not, I am returning it.

cocoadave

no, sorry, mine must be a little different.
http://www.cubancrafters.com/products.php/item_id/2891

newbiesmoker24

Update... So after dealing with terrible customer service, I was finally able to return my humidor. Then I had to remind them to send me the replacement after two weeks of hearing nothing. I got the replacement. They are all very nice looking humidors and appear to have good construction.

Maybe I am just not used to having a larger humidor but it feels like I have to monitor it closely to make sure it stays at proper humidity. The first unit DEF. was leaky as it couldn't stay above 50%rh but this unit is still not easy to keep at 70%. It likes to hover in the 65% range and I have beads and some humipacks in it. Maybe the beads are not fully charged yet as this is the first time I am trying to use them.

Either way I am not satisfied with Cuban Crafters and will never order from them again. If you do order from them; just hope everything works the FIRST time because customer service was TERRIBLE for me!!!

xmacro

Full or nearly full humidors hold their RH better than depleted ones. Time to put in some orders and find out what the real capacity of that sucker is

Heavy

I got my humi from the same place and it has worked out just fine. It did take some trial and error to figure out that the analog hygrometer is purely ornamental. Ironically, as I turn and look at it now, it is right on the money (66 rh, exactly where my digital is reading). But I guess it's like the old saying: even a broken clock is right twice a day.

Seriously though, the two things I've discovered that will seriously affect your humi's ability to hold a steady rh is climate/outside weather influences, and whether or not it is filled. Fill it up and you'll be amazed how much it will help stabilize your humidity.

Also, forget the little puck humidifier. Get beads. Use the search function and you'll find a wealth of knowledge here.

Rhamlin

This is something else I didn't know. My humi is usually only half full 6 months out of the year. While I'm gone to work. I usually order new sticks a few weeks before I return home so they'll have a chance to rest before I get back. I never knew about that either till I started reading the forums.