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65% or 70% beads??

JKTexJKTex Posts: 92
in Cigar 101
I'd like to hear some comments on when each is more appropriate.  I've looked and without a search feature, I'm not finding anything discussing benefits of each one.

I'm thinking (scary I know) that 70% beads will make managing RH down to the 65% to 68% range easier where 65% beads would/might be harder to keep up to the 65%-68% range.

I have a smaller, 25-30ct humidor with the glass top that I'm having hard time now, keeping much above low 60% range, and my big 100 ct that I can't keep down below 72%-73% on top and 67%-68% on bottom.  I figure, adding a tube on top and bottom charged accordingly will allow me to balance the RH in that one and keep a tube or 2 in the small one will allow me to manage the RH up, in the smaller one.

What say you?  Big Smile [:D]
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Comments

  • vankleekkwvankleekkw Posts: 404 ✭
    65% - If used properly you will only have variation for less than one day. The day they need to be re-charged. I only have to re-charge once a week and I have a wine-a-dor that get's opened daily.
  • JKTexJKTex Posts: 92
    I guess I'm thinking that if I want to keep it at 65% to 68% it would be easier to lightly charge and keep the RH down a little below 70% using 70% beads yet harder to heavily charge or add something else to keep it up at or over 65%.

    I just know I need to add to my small one and manage/balance the large one.

    This is a lot of work!  I need good smokes to relax from all the stress of taking good care of them.  Big Smile [:D]
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    lol.. I don't charge my beads very much and it stays about 68-70. Maybe I should charge them more and see if it stays closer to 65.. btw I have 65 beads
  • rmccloudrmccloud Posts: 160 ✭✭
    The beads should keep the RH within a percent either way of what they are designed to do. So keeping your humi between 65% and 68% with 70% beads would mean that your beads would not have any water left in them based on my understanding.
  • dutyjedutyje Posts: 2,263 ✭
    My 65% beads had a hard time keeping 65% in my small humi, but that is almost certainly due to a poor seal. I moved to 70% beads (with some 65%) and it keeps 65% pretty nicely. I have significantly more than it suggests.

    My new humidor seems to have a much better seal. I'm using triple (!!) the amount of recommended beads. I haven't had it set up for very long, so it's too early to say for certain, but the humidity just doesn't seem to fluctuate. Within 30 minutes of opening to rummage around, it's right back at 65% and doesn't seem to budge.

    In the warmer months, the 65% beads seemed to have an easier time maintaining humidity.
  • phobicsquirrelphobicsquirrel Posts: 7,347 ✭✭✭
    That's some good info duty, I'm pretty sure that my humi has a good seal. I guess I just need to charge more beads in it. I have a tuppador that is staying about 72 but it doesn't have many beads, mostly just a humi pack.
  • Garen BGaren B Posts: 977
    I'm using 65% beads and because of where my humi is located, it bounces between 64% and 67%, usually not a problem, only dips to 64% about a day or 2 before I have to recharge. Can't say I have had a problem with them ever.
  • leonardleonard Posts: 359
    I use 65% beads and both my humi's stay at 66%.
  • JKTexJKTex Posts: 92
    I went ahead and ordered a bag/box of 65% beads.  As I thought about it, I could easily bring RH up but keeping it down may not be as easy.

    I ordered enough tubes to put way more than I need in either one so I should be golden!
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    JKTex:
    I went ahead and ordered a bag/box of 65% beads.  As I thought about it, I could easily bring RH up but keeping it down may not be as easy.

    I ordered enough tubes to put way more than I need in either one so I should be golden!
    The beads maintain the humidity level, they will absorb excess humidity if you don't keep them fully "charged". which is the beauty of this product.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    I am thinking about ordering some beads soon, and it seems most people use the 65% beads. Can you tell me why you prefer the 65% over the 70%? thx

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • leonardleonard Posts: 359
    I like the way my cigars burn at 65%. They taste better and have fewer burn issues.
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    leonard:
    I like the way my cigars burn at 65%. They taste better and have fewer burn issues.
    And as all tastes are different, I have always enjoyed the results of keeping my humidors at 70%
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    kaspera79:
    leonard:
    I like the way my cigars burn at 65%. They taste better and have fewer burn issues.
    And as all tastes are different, I have always enjoyed the results of keeping my humidors at 70%
    Do you have any burn issues when keeping them at 70?

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • dutyjedutyje Posts: 2,263 ✭
    This winter, I used some 70% beads, and they were great. Last summer, I used 65% beads and they were perfect. I've loaded up he new humi with 65% beads and it's been awesome. If low humidity is an issue next winter, I'll pick up more 70%, and switch between the two seasonally.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    sounds like a good idea, i just can't seem to make up my mind between the 65 or 70.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    I just bought the 70% beads, I needed to get something quick, because I added 32 new cigars and I have had trouble getting my humi up to target RH. I hope they get here before my cigars dry out.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Krieg:
    kaspera79:
    leonard:
    I like the way my cigars burn at 65%. They taste better and have fewer burn issues.
    And as all tastes are different, I have always enjoyed the results of keeping my humidors at 70%
    Do you have any burn issues when keeping them at 70?
    None that I ever noted, I think what I like best is a cigar that is a little softer(spongy). I don't get this when they are stored at 65. Actually my humidors right now are 68, 68 70 and 71. I need to rotate some of those sticks in the 71.
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    Well, I got my beads yesterday and tried to follow the directions on charging it, but for whatever the reason I could not pull off the two plugs on the side of the humidifier. I could have tried pulling them off with some pliers, but I didn't feel like breaking something. So I decided to get plate and fill it with some distilled water and set it down and charge it that way. Has anyone else had a hard time pulling the tabs off the heartfelt aluminum case? My humidor has gone up from 60% to 67% over night, which is great. Hopefully by tomorrow it will be in the 68-70 range.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • VidarienVidarien Posts: 246

    I just wanted to add my two cents here about RHs.

     

    I use the 65% beads, but...my house is pretty darn dry, our humidifer hasnt worked in years, and its the middle of winter (sorta).  Anyways, with the 65% beads on a lucky day i could get as high as 63%, but average is about 58%.  So, i ordered a large 70% tube to overcompensate to get to a better range, and ill just use the 65% in the summer when i move my humidor back downstairs for temperature reasons.

     

    Now, in regards to what people say about what RH is right for what...

     

    I have found that RH and quality of smoke is generally related based on the type and filler of cigar.

     

    Light Connecticuts i have found are at the high end of RH in terms of quality, nearer to 70.

    Mediums...generally Natural wrappers...fit well in the mid range...65-67.

    Stronger cigars, specifically ones with maduro wrappers..tend to be best at 65 or a point or two less.

     

    Now, with regards to the lighter ones, if you have them at a lower RH, you probably wont notice much of a difference, the taste might be ever so slightly different.  However, with the maduros...like a padilla black or vegas A or whatnot...when you keep those at 70ish or definately higher, it makes a big difference, they're a pain to smoke and they tunnel again and again, happens to me all the time in the summer if im not careful with my settings.

     

    Id love to hear if anyone agrees with my RH/quality critque from their own personal experiences.

  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Hey Vidarien, I keep my humidors near 70 all the time and maybe one out of a hundred have tunneled on me. My house is always about 68-70 degrees so I have an easy time keeping a 70/70 in my humidors. I maybe missing something with cigars at a lower humidity level, since I sure enjoy them the way I have them for many years,
  • VidarienVidarien Posts: 246
    Hmm, well, im just speaking from my personal experience, maybe there was a different factor at play in my situation but i can only say what i tend to see.  Interesting to know though.
  • kaspera79kaspera79 Posts: 7,257 ✭✭✭
    Vidarien:
    Hmm, well, im just speaking from my personal experience, maybe there was a different factor at play in my situation but i can only say what i tend to see.  Interesting to know though.
    Or maybe I have just been lucky, I always age my cigars for months before I get to them.. Built a bigger collection and give them some rest time. I have a humidor with over a hundred cigars that have a year or more on them. Never a problem with any of those guys. It seems the fresh ones are the ones that burn oddly if it ever happens.
  • brsmith21brsmith21 Posts: 207
    I have a hard time keeping my temperature below 74 in the house, (South Carolina summers) so I try to stay at 65% in both my humis as I'm paranoid about mold/beetles. Maybe not ideal, but they smoke fine.
  • tankbonniestankbonnies Posts: 191 ✭
    I'm having big problems right now with my humi. I just received my heartfelt beads the other day, and humi still is reading between 48-50%. I ahve about 40 stix in there and I'm nervous after time they will dry up. Its been about 4 days. And yes, I did wet the beads and just recalibrated my digital hygrometer.
  • dutyjedutyje Posts: 2,263 ✭
    How much did you get? I have found that using 2-3 times as many beads as recommended works really well. Perhaps you don't have enough beads in your humi. The calculator on the Heartfelt site comes out really low, IMO.
  • tankbonniestankbonnies Posts: 191 ✭
    I bought a half pound and used half of that....I filled up one of those rectangular humi devices...the problem is..I take a cigar out every other day to smoke..I should probably just not open it for a week
  • KriegKrieg Posts: 5,188 ✭✭✭
    dutyje:
    How much did you get? I have found that using 2-3 times as many beads as recommended works really well. Perhaps you don't have enough beads in your humi. The calculator on the Heartfelt site comes out really low, IMO.
    That's exactly what I did. Instead of 2oz I bought 4 and it only took my humi 24hrs to go from 60% to it's current RH of 70-71%. Those beads work awesome, I wish I bought them sooner.

    "Long ashes my friends."

  • bbc020bbc020 Posts: 1,422 ✭
    The beads do work awesome....but has anyone used the humidified sheets from Heartfelt. I'm wondering how well they work?
  • JKTexJKTex Posts: 92
    I bought 1/2 lb od beads and 2 each, 1 and 2 ounce tubes.

    In my 50ish ct small humi that I've had a hard time keeping the RH up in, I put 1 each of the tubes.  It's snapped up to about 72%.  The analog even shows up about 10% which surprised me.

    I left it open for a couple hours (not on purpose) and it snapped right back to >70%.  I dried the 1 ounce pretty good, and the 2 ounce fairly well but also replaced the beads in the Puck and got them about 50% charged.  I think it'll take a few days for it to settle, but I'm thrilled to have the RH up like it is.

    My big 10ct Humi I put the same thing in and ended up taking the big rectangle humidifier out to see it RH would come down.  It's always been about 72% to 73% on top and about 4-5% less on bottom.  It's down to about 70% now but same thing, I'm hoping it'll settle a little more.

    I think they work great. 

    If you're having a problem getting the RH up, and you know the digital hygometer is calibreated correctly, you probably didn't charge the beads well enough.
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