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Humidor problems

newtocigarsnewtocigars Posts: 37
in General Discussion
Ok so I posted earlier that I was having issues with my humi. I looked in it today and low and behold it was at 57%. My cigars are all dry and make a crackle sound when rolled between my fingers. Turns out my room is 65% humidity and 20C. SO I have them  sitting in my closet. I am going to try to reseason the humi. I rubbed the inside down again. I also put more distilled water in. One thing that might be off too is the hygromter. I calibrated it twice, then today ran the salt test again and it was at 79%. Are there other things I can do to make sure it is dead on? I mean this is getting frustrating. Its a hobby your supposed to enjoy and this is making it so it is very unenjoyable. The seals on  the humi are solid, and it is in a closet.

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    brc81brc81 Posts: 249 ✭
    is the seal on your humidor good?

    take a dollar bill and close your lid on it. If you can pull it out your seal isn't good.
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    xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    Use a dollar bill (as was suggested above) - you should be able to almost pull the humidor across a table before the bill comes out. Then there's the whoosh test - drop the lid from 6 inches; if it clacks, it's not secure, since the air pressure should stop the lid from smacking against the box. Then there's the flashlight test - turn off all the lights and put a flashlight in the humidor; if you see light coming out, there's a leak in your humidor. - - - - - Also, how long have you been at this? Humidors can fluctuate wildly during the first few days when you're seasoning them. - - - - Oh, and rubbing the inside down is kinda a 'rush job', which may or may not have adverse effects. If your room is at 65%, that's perfect - just stick a filled humidifier in your humidor, put a dish of distilled water in it, and leave it for a day or 2. Since your smokes are humidified naturally in your room, you really don't need to rush the process. - - - - - Finally, get a digital hygrometer - you can get them for about $15 off amazon.com, and you won't have to worry about calibration for 6mo (I used to have an analog - damn thing needed calibrating every month). When you use the salt test, make sure you wait the FULL 6-24hrs - the hygrometer can fluctuate 2-3% during the first few hours and it takes a while after that for the salt to properly humidify the space it's in.
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    BigginBiggin Posts: 52
    I have a humidor that I was given years and years ago.  I have always used it to keep my smokes in temporarily, but I always get to smoking them fairly quick.  Anyway, I have never set the thing up properly to humidify.  Anyone know what I need to do to get it "seasoned" quickly and properly?  I feel confident that I don't have the instructions anymore.
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    rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    Get distilled water and wipe it down. DO not drench it because the wood could crack. Just wet it enough for the wood to change color. Let it sit for 4 hours. Do it again and let it sit for 24 hours. Then check the rh. Make sure it is at a proper level before putting your smokes in. If you put them in with the rh too high you can get cigar beetles and or mold on the cigars. If it is too low, well I'm sure you know what happens then.
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    xmacroxmacro Posts: 3,402 ✭
    Wiping down a humidor is encouraged by some people, and discouraged by others; but all agree that it speeds up the seasoning process. Do a google search for "Seasoning humidor" and you'll find at least 10 different sites about it. They all agree that you'll need to charge your humidifier and place a bowl of distilled water in the humidor - - - but some sites suggest you wipe the inside down with a new sponge moistened with distilled water, while other sites specifically tell you not to wipe the inside down at all. - - - - I've heard wiping it down causes the spanish cedar to rise slightly, but I dunno if its true or not, or what kind of effect it may have (assuming its true).
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    newtocigarsnewtocigars Posts: 37
    I took all the cigars out of mine and put them in a zip lock bag. Then I put in my humidifier tube thing with the cigars in the bag. Is this ok while I season the humi more?
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    rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    Yes
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    kaelariakaelaria Posts: 572 ✭
    Here's how I do it: http://cigarobsession.com/2009/03/11/all-about-the-humidor/
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    kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭


    when i season a humidor i get a wide flat bowl and fill that with distilled. i get more than one bowl in there if i can. I also put my beads in there 100% charged and in the cedar box they will live in for their life(usually twice the amount recommended by heartfelt). i close the lid and watch a full season of 24 without opening it at all. after the 24 hours is up i see where the humidity is. If it below 72% i close it up and go watch the next season of 24. i continue this till the humidor has reached 72% or above. Once it has reached 72% i take out all of the distilled water and i DISCHARGE about 40% of the beads. i let that sit over night. (not 24 hours) in the morning it is at whatever the beads are. (or damn close)

    the last humidor i seasoned (120ct) took 35ish hours from the time i got it in my hands to the time cigars were in there.
    it has held at 65% ever since

    one more thing to consider:
    a humidor that is less than 40% full will have a hard time holding RH. Cigars themselves act as a humidification device. so in short, the more full a humidor is the better it will hold humidity.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
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    HugemooseHugemoose Posts: 458 ✭
    How exactly do you discharge the beads? Just wondering considering I have bead on the way.
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    kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    Hugemoose:
    How exactly do you discharge the beads? Just wondering considering I have bead on the way.
    in the summer months i set them in front of the air conditioner vent over night.

    during the winter i just let them sit out over night.

    i have heard of people using a hair dryer, but beads are light and this has potential to be a huge mess.
    Kuzi's Forum Links Page
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    rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    kuzi16:


    when i season a humidor i get a wide flat bowl and fill that with distilled. i get more than one bowl in there if i can. I also put my beads in there 100% charged and in the cedar box they will live in for their life(usually twice the amount recommended by heartfelt). i close the lid and watch a full season of 24 without opening it at all. after the 24 hours is up i see where the humidity is. If it below 72% i close it up and go watch the next season of 24. i continue this till the humidor has reached 72% or above. Once it has reached 72% i take out all of the distilled water and i DISCHARGE about 40% of the beads. i let that sit over night. (not 24 hours) in the morning it is at whatever the beads are. (or damn close)

    the last humidor i seasoned (120ct) took 35ish hours from the time i got it in my hands to the time cigars were in there.
    it has held at 65% ever since

    one more thing to consider:
    a humidor that is less than 40% full will have a hard time holding RH. Cigars themselves act as a humidification device. so in short, the more full a humidor is the better it will hold humidity.
    All my humidors are at 95% capacity or more. I need to smoke more!
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    bbc020bbc020 Posts: 1,422 ✭
    rwheelwright:
    All my humidors are at 95% capacity or more. I need to smoke more!
    Or, you could send smokes my way...my humis are all around 85% full.
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    rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    All my humidors are at 95% capacity or more. I need to smoke more!
    Or, you could send smokes my way...my humis are all around 85% full.
    Or.......... You could come out to Jersey and we can smoke them together!
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    bbc020bbc020 Posts: 1,422 ✭
    rwheelwright:
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    All my humidors are at 95% capacity or more. I need to smoke more!
    Or, you could send smokes my way...my humis are all around 85% full.
    Or.......... You could come out to Jersey and we can smoke them together!
    Hrmm....jersey. I gotta head east in june, but won't be that far north....I'm shooting for Vabeeochay instead. Thanks for the invite though.
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    rwheelwrightrwheelwright Posts: 3,296 ✭
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    All my humidors are at 95% capacity or more. I need to smoke more!
    Or, you could send smokes my way...my humis are all around 85% full.
    Or.......... You could come out to Jersey and we can smoke them together!
    Hrmm....jersey. I gotta head east in june, but won't be that far north....I'm shooting for Vabeeochay instead. Thanks for the invite though.
    Where the hell is Vabeeochay? Maybe I should google it but I am too tired. Didn't get enough sleep last night.
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    bbc020bbc020 Posts: 1,422 ✭
    rwheelwright:
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    All my humidors are at 95% capacity or more. I need to smoke more!
    Or, you could send smokes my way...my humis are all around 85% full.
    Or.......... You could come out to Jersey and we can smoke them together!
    Hrmm....jersey. I gotta head east in june, but won't be that far north....I'm shooting for Vabeeochay instead. Thanks for the invite though.
    Where the hell is Vabeeochay? Maybe I should google it but I am too tired. Didn't get enough sleep last night.
    Vabeeochay = virginia beach
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    madurofanmadurofan Posts: 6,219 ✭✭✭
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    bbc020:
    rwheelwright:
    All my humidors are at 95% capacity or more. I need to smoke more!
    Or, you could send smokes my way...my humis are all around 85% full.
    Or.......... You could come out to Jersey and we can smoke them together!
    Hrmm....jersey. I gotta head east in june, but won't be that far north....I'm shooting for Vabeeochay instead. Thanks for the invite though.
    Where the hell is Vabeeochay? Maybe I should google it but I am too tired. Didn't get enough sleep last night.
    Vabeeochay = virginia beach
    Come on get it right, its just The Beach. The main road through it is The Blvd.(Virginia Beach Blvd)
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