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Humidity Level?

ScottUScottU Posts: 194
in Cigar 101
Hi everyone - this is my first post - I've been smoking for about 6 months now and would definitely consider myself addicted to the hobby. I have a humidor that currently houses 26 cigars (with 5more on the way) just a selection of different brands sizes, etc.

I've got ICE Gel Crystals in my case for humidification but am finding myself constantly having to wipe down the inside of my humidor to keep it at 70. I can drop the lid from a fully open position and it will stay open about a 1/4" so I don't think it's a seal issue (but what do I know!)

I currently house my humidor inside of  my liquor cabinet so there shouldn't be a heat issue, but I'm at a loss and desperately need suggestions.

Thanks for any help :)

Smokin' Scott

Comments

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    did you ever do a true season to the humidor and did you calibrate your (digital) hygrometer?
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • ScottUScottU Posts: 194
    I followed the instructions that the cigar shop gave me which included wiping the interior down with distilled water, and leaving a glass full of distilled water in for 24 hours...

    Thanks for the reply
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Perhaps you do not have enough humidity being put off by your humidification device.
  • Garen BGaren B Posts: 977
    What did the humidity stay at once your were finished seasoning and before you put your cigars in the humi? You might need to re-season the humi for a few days before sticking your stogies back in.

    If all else fails say its the humidity gremlins messing with your gel.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    The thing with that Garen is that even if he had an incomplete seasoning the first time, by keeping a humidification device in there he would be completing the seasoning process. I've had a problem similar to this in the past, and it was caused by not having a sufficient amount of my humidification device, beads in my case.
  • Garen BGaren B Posts: 977
    Well you learn something new everyday. Think I might celebrate this newfound knowledge with a stogie :)
  • ScottUScottU Posts: 194
    I am starting to wonder if perhaps my analog meter is not properly calibrated as it is the one that came with the humi... It's stays pretty steady at 64 with the ICE humidifier....

    Should i just buy a new digi meter? Any suggestions on a good one?
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Personally, I like Hygroset hygrometers as they are adjustable to give a perfect reading. And they are reasonably priced as well. If you follow this link you will be taken to the item I'm referring to. I've got four of them, and they all work great
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    ScottU:
    my analog meter
    There is the problem. Go a buy a digital, analogs are pretty worthless. Xikar makes a nice adjustable that is very easy to calibrate, less than $20.
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    j0z3r:
    Personally, I like Hygroset hygrometers as they are adjustable to give a perfect reading. And they are reasonably priced as well. If you follow this link you will be taken to the item I'm referring to. I've got four of them, and they all work great
    Joe, I have a hygroset II the round one. I hate it, won't use it bc that round knob is impossible to work for me. If you like them I'll send it to you.
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    I'm not a big fan of the round one actually. I like the rectangle one, but the one round one I have I had a hell of a time getting set.
  • urbinourbino Posts: 4,517 ✭
    I've got 2 of the round ones, and I don't even know what you guys are talking about. What was the problem setting it?
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    urbino:
    I've got 2 of the round ones, and I don't even know what you guys are talking about. What was the problem setting it?
    The dial on mine was a sonofabitch, to be frank. It would not adjust to the proper setting, it either went to high or too low when I attempted to adjust it. Could be the luck of the draw and I just got a good one. :)
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    j0z3r:
    urbino:
    I've got 2 of the round ones, and I don't even know what you guys are talking about. What was the problem setting it?
    The dial on mine was a sonofabitch, to be frank. It would not adjust to the proper setting, it either went to high or too low when I attempted to adjust it. Could be the luck of the draw and I just got a good one. :)
    Thats the same issue I have ... I've never been able to get it set. I haven't used it in quite some time, if any one wants it I'd be happy to send it to them.

    I have Xikars now I like them bc all you do is hold down the button and it automatically sets it to 75
  • j0z3rj0z3r Posts: 9,403 ✭✭
    Huh...that's pretty cool that it auto sets.
  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    madurofan:
    I have Xikars now I like them bc all you do is hold down the button and it automatically sets it to 75
    Yeah, about that...
    I bought one of those a week ago, filled a soda cap 3/4 with salt and saturated the salt, no standing water, put in zip lock waited 4 hours and held down the button, viola calibrated. I started getting some funky reading out of it ( 40 cigars in a 60 humidor and it reads 76% with one jar of xikar beads) so for schitzengiggles i do the whole process again...it reads 79 after 4 hours? Did i get a bad one?
  • dutyjedutyje Posts: 2,263 ✭
    I believe you're supposed to wait 24-48 hrs.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    Well I just got a new hygrometer, a Little Havana Hygrometer, and boy it's small and narrow, fit right on the lip under the glass of my glass top, and it read at 75 RH from the kit, and seems to be working very well in the humi. I'm going to have to get another one for sure.. Just thought I'd share..
  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    Jetmech_63:
    madurofan:
    I have Xikars now I like them bc all you do is hold down the button and it automatically sets it to 75
    Yeah, about that...
    I bought one of those a week ago, filled a soda cap 3/4 with salt and saturated the salt, no standing water, put in zip lock waited 4 hours and held down the button, viola calibrated. I started getting some funky reading out of it ( 40 cigars in a 60 humidor and it reads 76% with one jar of xikar beads) so for schitzengiggles i do the whole process again...it reads 79 after 4 hours? Did i get a bad one?
    Sounds like you got a bad one, I calibrate mine every 3-4 months and have never even been 1% off.
  • Jetmech_63Jetmech_63 Posts: 3,451 ✭✭✭
    Hope this isnt thread busting but i'm up in Fallon Nevada for a few weeks worth of work. The air up here is uber-dry and i cant gey my humidor(with xicar 70% gel-crystals) past 58. You can open it up and literally watch the needle fall.. At home it maintains 67-70 extremely consistent. Anyone else run into this? Do yo just compensate with more beads or give the top a wipe ith distilled water. Again this is a properly seasoned humi that has been consistent for bout 4 months until i bought it up here.
  • rusiriusrusirius Posts: 565 ✭✭
    madurofan:
    j0z3r:
    urbino:
    I've got 2 of the round ones, and I don't even know what you guys are talking about. What was the problem setting it?
    The dial on mine was a sonofabitch, to be frank. It would not adjust to the proper setting, it either went to high or too low when I attempted to adjust it. Could be the luck of the draw and I just got a good one. :)
    Thats the same issue I have ... I've never been able to get it set. I haven't used it in quite some time, if any one wants it I'd be happy to send it to them.

    I have Xikars now I like them bc all you do is hold down the button and it automatically sets it to 75
    Interesting... I have two of these, one Humi-Care branded the other Hygrostat... Never had any problems with either. The calibration know is one click per one percent RH. Clockwise is higher, counter-clockwise is lower. So it sounds like the knobs on yours aren't 1 click per 1 percent? I wonder if they are just defect?
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    Well my humi seems to be a little high right now, about 72/71. It was staying steady at 67 for some time. And my other one, with one puck with mostly charged beads and 2 other trays filled with dry beads and it's about 74.. I don't get it, I'm wondering if it's that my house is just more humid.. though we haven't put the heat on..
  • d_nowelld_nowell Posts: 57
    Hey guys I just got my new humidor in and I am just curious about charging my humidifier its the rectangle one. I know if you put too much 50/50 in it, it will not have enough room to soak up the extra humidity in the humidor, so my question is how do you know how much is enough???? any response would be appreciated
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    i hate the foam humidification devices.

    but thats me...

    the first time you use those if you are using with 50/50 i would recommend that the first time you fill it you use only water. the next time you use only 50/50
    from there i wouldnt put in 50/50 more than once every 6 months.



    or just switch to beads.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
  • d_nowelld_nowell Posts: 57
    Thanks for the help... The more Ive been researching tonight the more it sounds like the beads is the easiest and most care free way to go. ill probably just charge my foam for now untill i can get me some beads.
  • VidarienVidarien Posts: 246

    phobicsquirrel:
    Well my humi seems to be a little high right now, about 72/71. It was staying steady at 67 for some time. And my other one, with one puck with mostly charged beads and 2 other trays filled with dry beads and it's about 74.. I don't get it, I'm wondering if it's that my house is just more humid.. though we haven't put the heat on..

     

    I hate when it gets that high.  The connecticuts and natural wrappers are kinda ok, but the maduros... they just tunnel again and again on me if the RH is too high.

     

    As to the other poster talking about dryness and having trouble holding the humi RH, i have something of a similar problem in my house.  I use beads now, and up in my bedroom, it dances between 61-63% RH, whereas down in my utility room, i can keep it a constant 65%.  I know its more humid down there, but...theres something to be said about the ambient enviornment a humidor sits in and the effect it has within.

     

    Its my opinion that if you can keep them above 61% RH, they're still ok..a few % lower and the wrapper starts flaking and such.  This is just my taste but im happiest when theyve been soaking at 65%, no flaking, no bitterness, no tunneling, no lighting issues, a just right porridge...

     

    Id love to hear if others agree with me on that one.

  • madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    rusirius:
    madurofan:
    j0z3r:
    urbino:
    I've got 2 of the round ones, and I don't even know what you guys are talking about. What was the problem setting it?
    The dial on mine was a sonofabitch, to be frank. It would not adjust to the proper setting, it either went to high or too low when I attempted to adjust it. Could be the luck of the draw and I just got a good one. :)
    Thats the same issue I have ... I've never been able to get it set. I haven't used it in quite some time, if any one wants it I'd be happy to send it to them.

    I have Xikars now I like them bc all you do is hold down the button and it automatically sets it to 75
    Interesting... I have two of these, one Humi-Care branded the other Hygrostat... Never had any problems with either. The calibration know is one click per one percent RH. Clockwise is higher, counter-clockwise is lower. So it sounds like the knobs on yours aren't 1 click per 1 percent? I wonder if they are just defect?
    No it is one click for one degree, the issue is I can't get my fat finger to turn that knob just one click.
  • wrobowrobo Posts: 9
    Hey Folks, I went through the seasoning of my humidor. I filled up the humidifiers with a 50/50 as well as put in 2 shot glasses with distilled water and let it stand for a week (then removed the shot glasses). I calibrated my digital hygrometer to 75% (36 hours with a calibration kit). My humidor (with the 2 humidifiers) is now reading 76%. I live in Michigan (just stating that the ambient is dry here right now). Is it possible that the 2 humidifiers are putting out too much humidity? What steps do I want to take to bring the humidity down to the 70% figure? I have my cigars in there now - is it hurting them being in for a bit in this 76% atmosphere (~2 days now). Help is appreciated.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    I say get some beads, the 50/50 with the foam is just not doing it.
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