How accurate are bead RH's?

Ken_Light

I'm looking into finally getting beads for my cabinet, I'm sick of hearing the electric fan turn on all night long to humidify. But I'm torn between 65 and 70 RH beads. I'd prefer somewhere in the middle of that, so...do they run high, low or accurate?

KingoftheCove

1 or 2 point margin of error. I'd definitely go 65 if it were me.
If they run a bit low, easy to increase the RH using other media (pillows, gel, etc.)
But if you get 70s, and they run high.....now you have a humi at 72rh, which is a bit high for my taste, and it will be a continuing pain in the a$$ getting/keeping the rh down.

I bought beads three times - 65s every time.
Two of my humis are rock solid at 67.....one of them is always at 70-72 :-( ..........I'm pretty sure I got 70rh beads by accident on one of my orders

AJGARLETT

my 65% run at a constant 67 (2 lbs)....I have both Heartfelts and Conservagel's and they are the same.

Ken_Light

AJGARLETT:

my 65% run at a constant 67 (2 lbs)....I have both Heartfelts and Conservagel's and they are the same.

Good to hear, I was just afraid they'd run low and I'd end up at 63 or so.

AJGARLETT

Ken Light:

AJGARLETT:

my 65% run at a constant 67 (2 lbs)....I have both Heartfelts and Conservagel's and they are the same.

Good to hear, I was just afraid they'd run low and I'd end up at 63 or so.

Btw my sample is over the last 1yr, they do spike up to around 69 or 70% for a few days during the summer when the humidity up here in the northeast is high....but thats about as high as they have ever gotten. I have NEVER had them go below 65%

CvilleE

KingoftheCove:

....one of them is always at 70-72 :-( ..........I'm pretty sure I got 70rh beads by accident on one of my orders

I think that was the case with my order...69 in the humi, and 70-72 in the cooler....

asianbiker8

If you have a big enough space in a cabinet or cooler, can you run both rh beads? 65 and 70? Will they fight each other? Or kind of balance each other out and stay somewhat in the middle?

Ken_Light

asianbiker8:

If you have a big enough space in a cabinet or cooler, can you run both rh beads? 65 and 70? Will they fight each other? Or kind of balance each other out and stay somewhat in the middle?

That's an interesting idea, but if the 65's tend to run 67-70, I'm happy with that. If it's low, though, maybe I'll just get a pound of 70's and do this.

Krieger

I'd rather it be low. If you ever find it too low, just throw a jar of that glycol and water stuff in there with it, or a shot glass of distilled water.

gio164

I have Conservagel 70% and I am holding between 69%-70%. Very happy with them.

jlmarta

Ken Light:

AJGARLETT:

my 65% run at a constant 67 (2 lbs)....I have both Heartfelts and Conservagel's and they are the same.

Good to hear, I was just afraid they'd run low and I'd end up at 63 or so.

Nothing wrong with 63 or so - I have 65% beads and actually prefer it if the RH happens to drop to 62. My sticks seem to burn better at that RH. I don't force it to 62 but I don't fight it of it happens.

Roberto99

I just picked up some pourous silica sand for my 2 humidors. Since I put it in, both humidors are rock solid right on 70% I also calibrated my hygrometers so I'm confident it's accurate.

jimmyv723

When I do get to the point where I go with beads I'll get the 65% ones. It says 4% range on the site with 2% below to 2% above and that is a perfect range for me. Before I joined here I saw how the optimal point was about 72% and even the analog hygrometers have that marked as ideal on them but after joining here and seeing how most prefer around 63-67% I tried it there and it's much better. They just burn better for me like that.