Heartfelt beads and me (or is that I ?)

Tumbler

I purchased another Humi probably a month ago. I seasoned it by using a Tupperware container with distilled water (probably a 1/4 cup), wiped the humi down, and drenched the sponge that came with the humi. After 3 days I put the cigars in. The humidity just kept going up. My analog said it was almost raining and the digital got to about 86%. I assumed both hydrometers were off. I finally took a moment and tried the salt test to calibrate - it was a perfect 75%. I took the sponge out and ordered 2 cylindrical vials and a square magnetic bead box for the lid. A little overkill for 100 cigars, but I assumed it would compensate quicker. Anyway by the time I got them - the humidor had settled down to 75%. I put the two cylinders in the center of each side - one row up from the bottom, and stuck the square box of beads to the lid. It's been a week and it's still 75% in there. Did the cigars and the wood absorb so much moisture that the beads are having trouble stabilizing the environment? I did take the beads out though and watched it drop to 68% - I put them back in and it goes to 75%. The beads are suppose to be 65%. Has anyone had this problem or ideas for this proletariat? I was going to send a note to heartfelt, but thought I would try you guys first... I am smoking a RP sungrown at the moment that's been in there a week. It's burning perfectly and tastes great... My ghurka centennials that have been in there since the beginning - not so much. I also have a couple of padron 64s that have been in there 2 weeks - should I smoke them both as soon as I am done with the RP?

kuzi16

de-charge your beads. make it so about 10% of them are clear. then put em back in. it should help. I never charge my beads more than about 40-50%. they seem to hold fairly good at 65%.
ive also noticed that if they are too charged they will let the RH go up because there are not enough beads to compensate for it.

Tumbler

Thanks, I will give that a shot. They appear about 40% clear, but I will leave them out - and then give it another try...

urbino

Depends on whether you and your Heartfelt beads are the subject, or the object.

Tumbler

Heartfelt beads are the subject and the object. I guess it's me and I... Thanks for the clarification - I think now I need interpretation or another lager...

phobicsquirrel

anyone know what size heartfelt bead case would be the same size as the typical rectangle sponge black plastic trays that come with humis would be?

dutyje

kuzi16:

de-charge your beads. make it so about 10% of them are clear. then put em back in. it should help. I never charge my beads more than about 40-50%. they seem to hold fairly good at 65%.
ive also noticed that if they are too charged they will let the RH go up because there are not enough beads to compensate for it.

Kuzi, you seem to be the only person with any luck on this whole business of having the beads absorb excess humidity. In the recent process of re-seasoning my humi, I conducted the following experiment:

1. I placed a dish of distilled water in the humi
2. I placed a tube of mostly de-charged beads in the humi
3. I placed my hygrometer in the humi

Within about 6 hours, the hygrometer read "--" signifying the humidity had spiked beyond its 2-digit threshold. After that, I took out the hygrometer (to re-calibrate it) and let the humi, beads, and water sit for 4 days without opening the humidor. After this time, I opened the humidor to find that the beads were still completely opaque white. I put sticks in, and the humi ran high (72-75%) for the next week or so. The beads never absorbed any excess moisture.

kuzi16

i dont know what to tell you guys. I just re-salt tested my hygrometer. its still -4. my beads are 65%. my hygrometer reads 61%. I dont know what else to say. maybe i AM doing something different but i dont know what it is so i cant help you. I do have WAY to many beads in there though. iduno. I wish i could help on this one but i just havent figured out why its workin for me and not you guys.

btmisles

The beads have been working great for me. I have been using the 65% and have only had a slight drop in RH (1%-2%) since turning the heat on in the house. Once I charged the beads alittle more, it corrected itself. I have also had very good luck with the beads absorbing humidity. When I seasoned my most recent hunidor, after 3 days with the bowl of water in the box the rh was around 79%. I threw mt dry beads in there (with the bowl) and the beads charged themselves and dropped the humidity to 72%. Once I pulled the bowl the humidity slowly dropped to the 67%. Not sure why but they seem to work the way they are intended.

kuzi16

btmisles:

The beads have been working great for me. I have been using the 65% and have only had a slight drop in RH (1%-2%) since turning the heat on in the house. Once I charged the beads alittle more, it corrected itself. I have also had very good luck with the beads absorbing humidity. When I seasoned my most recent hunidor, after 3 days with the bowl of water in the box the rh was around 79%. I threw mt dry beads in there (with the bowl) and the beads charged themselves and dropped the humidity to 72%. Once I pulled the bowl the humidity slowly dropped to the 67%. Not sure why but they seem to work the way they are intended.

finally! i knew that they had to work for SOMEONE. i knew i was crazy but not that crazy.

jlmarta

Yeah, the beads work just fine for me, too.  I may not be doing it according to Hoyle but, in my coolidor, I left the beads completely dry and I just set a small bowl of distilled water in alongside them and let them do what they're supposed to do - -i.e., absorb or release moisture.  After a couple days, the RH is usually where I want it (65%) and I remove the bowl until the RH drops too low.

I do the same thing in my desktop.  I tried charging the beads first but no matter how little moisture was in the beads, after a day or two in the humi, there was always too much RH.  I think my revised method works a lot better for me - - maybe not for everyone, though.  I don't know.

Marty

jihiggs

in my experience, getting the humidity in a humidor to change up or down with beads takes days, even a week to get back to normal. if your beads are dirty or you dont use distilled water the poors can get clogged and not work as intended.

rmccloud

If my beads hold it +/- 3 percent, I am not really worried about it. With the swings in humidity in my house whether the air or heat is on, I can't complain to much. Depending on the time of day that I look at it it might be slightly different.

Tumbler

Mine never did absorb the excess moisture. Perhaps I didn't leave them in long enough, but the humidity was going in the wrong direction. The humidor was becoming more humid. I took the beads out and left them out till yesterday (approx 5 days) when the humidity finally reached 63%. I put back in the two cigar like containers of beads - it is now 68%. They are 65% beads and this is alright, but I haven't put the rectangular bead humidifier box back under the lid. I was of the mind set that overkill would regulate better but... didn't happen so far... I will experiment some more...

somebody asked about the size... 6.5" x 2.5" was the measurement of my humidifier that came with my humidor - and that's one of two sizes that came from heartfelt. They had this size with 2 different thickness' and a square with 2 different thickness'

Happy smokin'

mattshell

Hi all... newbe here.  Do you guys use the 50/50 solution or just distilled water with your beads?  I'm setting mine up tonight!  Thanks!

urbino

Hi, matt. Only use distilled water with the beads.

mattshell

Any problem if I've already used the 50/50 for the initial charging?  Okay if I used distilled water from now on, or have I potentially damaged the beads?

Also, if they get too filled, is it okay to use a hair drying to get rid of some of the water.  Is there a better way, or should I not worry about it?

Sorry for all the questions.  I'm new and a little obsessed. :-)

urbino

I'd check with Heartfelt on whether you've damaged them. I can't imagine it was good for them, but I may very well be wrong.

Hair dryer is a common way of drying them out a bit. No problem there, other than that it can be slow. Kuzi, I think, uses an a/c vent to dry his out.

No problem, dude. Questions are welcome around here. Make yourself at home.

mattshell

So, what's the 50/50 good for?  Is it just for putting in the foam pucks?  Is it okay for putting in a glass and seasoning a humidor?

kuzi16

urbino:

Hair dryer is a common way of drying them out a bit. No problem there, other than that it can be slow. Kuzi, I think, uses an a/c vent to dry his out.

yup.
I find the hair dryer even on low has a tendency to blow em away.

urbino

mattshell:

So, what's the 50/50 good for?  Is it just for putting in the foam pucks?  Is it okay for putting in a glass and seasoning a humidor?

Yup, it's for the green foam humidifiers. It's fine for putting in a glass to season your humi, but you don't need it.

urbino

kuzi16:

yup.
I find the hair dryer even on low has a tendency to blow em away.

I spread mine in the bottom of a long, shallow tupperware container to use the hair dryer on 'em.