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My new humi-care pack

cturnbullcturnbull Posts: 6
in Cigar 101
I just recently bought the 10th anniversary sampler and I got the humi-care pack and digital hygrometer to go with it. After reading the directions, which is a first for me, I soaked the humi-care pack in distilled water for what I planned to be 4 hours like it states. After about two hours I check on it and there is no water left in the pan! All that is in there is a big pile of gel! The humi-care pack blew apart and the contents are now way to big to fit back in the plastic case. What should I do? Is there a way to fix it?

Comments

  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    cturnbull:
    I just recently bought the 10th anniversary sampler and I got the humi-care pack and digital hygrometer to go with it. After reading the directions, which is a first for me, I soaked the humi-care pack in distilled water for what I planned to be 4 hours like it states. After about two hours I check on it and there is no water left in the pan! All that is in there is a big pile of gel! The humi-care pack blew apart and the contents are now way to big to fit back in the plastic case. What should I do? Is there a way to fix it?
    Hmmmmm.... The crystals or "gel" will shrink back down, but I'd stay away from them at all costs just for I wouldn't want that stuff touching my cigars.

    AND if you are talking about the little humi-pillows then just order more stuff, and you'll get more pillows!!!

    If you are NOT talking about the shipping pillows, then may I suggest reading the directions again, I'm not the guru of humipaks, but I've only had to soak something for about 20 seconds, not 4 hours...
  • cturnbullcturnbull Posts: 6
    Ya I was a little skeptical when I saw 4 hours... but it stated to soak it that long to ensure complete saturation. This is a plastic case with a metal mesh screen and crystals inside. Then the directions said it will only take 15 minutes to refresh it as needed. I don't have it in the humidor it is in a plastic bowl on some newspaper right now. I wonder how long it will take for the crystals to shrink back down?
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    cturnbull:
    Ya I was a little skeptical when I saw 4 hours... but it stated to soak it that long to ensure complete saturation. This is a plastic case with a metal mesh screen and crystals inside. Then the directions said it will only take 15 minutes to refresh it as needed. I don't have it in the humidor it is in a plastic bowl on some newspaper right now. I wonder how long it will take for the crystals to shrink back down?
    It depends on what your ambient humidity is in your house right now...

    Wisconsin has been hit with some pretty steady rain, and I've had a jar of gel with the lid off for over a week, and the thing is still half full.... so just depends
  • Renaissance_ManRenaissance_Man Posts: 973 ✭✭
    An extreme advice I have tried to 95% success... Put them in the microwave and microwave on high for 1min... Take them out and let them aerate... You can microwave for 30 sec intervals instead... Other stuff I have done that has worked - fried them in a pan... yes.... you read right... i have fried beads in a pan... the water evaporates... most of them stay intack, but some gel gets on the pan.... so... yeah.... try the microwave solution... or put them in a high heat low humidity environment... like ur oven... and 4 hours is something i have never EVER heard of... even brand new these beads take seconds to soak in moisture... no way to take 4 hours to set up... anyway... good luck!
  • BTJR99BTJR99 Posts: 97
    Hmmm wish i would have seen this sooner. Picked up a few cigars and also ccom humidification set.
    It came with instructions that said " For best results, submerge the entire humidifier in distilled water for 4 hours. This process allows total saturation, causing the crystals to fully expand."
    Well they expanded right out of the container in about 3.5 hours. The plastic case came apart and I have a bowl of crystals. Not sure if I should let them shrink back down or just stuff in what I can get to fit into the case.
  • LasabarLasabar Posts: 4,472 ✭✭✭
    BTJR99:
    Hmmm wish i would have seen this sooner. Picked up a few cigars and also ccom humidification set.
    It came with instructions that said " For best results, submerge the entire humidifier in distilled water for 4 hours. This process allows total saturation, causing the crystals to fully expand."
    Well they expanded right out of the container in about 3.5 hours. The plastic case came apart and I have a bowl of crystals. Not sure if I should let them shrink back down or just stuff in what I can get to fit into the case.
    Let em shrink.... I would rather have a BUNCH of underfilled crystals that still maintain Rh, then 1/4th of OVERFILLED crystals that may put off too much moisture
  • Garen BGaren B Posts: 977
    Whoa, you guys are getting a bit dangerous with your drying methods, just take a hair dryer to them. It'll dry back out and then just throw em back in the container and refill.
  • BTJR99BTJR99 Posts: 97
    I tried the microwave method, nuked them for 30 seconds then let them sit until they cooled.
    So far I'm not thet that crazy about this humidifier. First I followed the directions and the container poped open. Put the crystals in a bowl and then in my humidor for 2 days (seasoning the humidor anyway). Today i get the crystals to shrink down to where i could get them in the container. I mounted the humidifier on the lid and the magnet on the container after a while comes off and the humidifier falls into the humidor. Not having good luck with this.
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