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humicare EXPLOSION!

ironhorseironhorse Posts: 469 ✭
in Cigar 101
So I bought a humicare humidifier for my start up coolidor and a couple of old cigar boxes from my B&M. I decided to soak the humicare and season the boxes at the same time in the cooler. The directions said to submerse it for 2 hours, but seeing how few dry crystals there were in the humicare I figured I could soak it overnight and it would be fine in the morning. WRONG!

When I went to check it this morning I had a cooler full of clear jello. It blew open the humidfier and pushed nearly all the distilled water out of the bowl I had it in. I couldn't believe it. I guess I thought the crystals had a finite amount of water they could absorb. I pulled as much of the jello out of the bowl as I could and put them on a paper towel. emptied the water and then stuck the whole thing back in the bowl and back in the cooler.

So I made this post for 2 reasons. 1) as a warning to others that 2 hours means 2 hours, not 8. and 2) do I have to worry about the crystals being contaminated in some way? I cleaned the cooler and the boxes with some very very light soap and water before I did this seasoning adventure, but I didn't disinfect anything because I was afraid that would toxify the cigars somehow.

Comments

  • Renaissance_ManRenaissance_Man Posts: 973 ✭✭
    I think the pillows should be in ONLY for 20 secs! ONLY! But I remember another member on here had an incident with this 2hr misunderstanding.... In ANY bead product - the beads absorb moisture very very quickly! No point for 2 hr... maybe the most a minute...
  • cabinetmakercabinetmaker Posts: 2,560 ✭✭
    Not the pillows, he's referring to the humidifyer - http://www.cigar.com/cigars/viewcigar.asp?prod=M-HMC06 - I think.

    I had one explode at 2 hours. I would never soak one for more than 30 minutes without checking it. As far as contamination, not sure, but I can tell you it takes forever for them to go down even on paper towels. That stuff's water holding capacity is unbelievable. I'd suggest tossing out all that won't fit back inside the closed case, and use what's left.
  • ejenne87ejenne87 Posts: 1,925 ✭✭
    You can dry the crystals with a hair dryer. I have never tried this myself but I have heard it works great, though it may take a while. I have the same humidifier and soaked it for 2 hours and it was fine. Although I think if I left some of the crystals dry they might have soaked up any extra moisture in the humi (I read somewhere they are supposed to do that).
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