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New here and have fist Humidor, have a question

NOLAGTNOLAGT Posts: 20
Just picked up a small 50 stick humidor for the first time.  I dont smoke a lot but wanted a way to keep the few fresh for when I do have one. 

I have a question on seasoning...I am using the Boveda 84 seasoning pack.  I switched out the analog gauge to a digital one...its the kind that is mounted through a hole on the front of the box with a glass top.  Anyway I have it on my desk at work and when I come in my office in the morning the temp is around 70deg and the humidity will be at 75.  The question is...when I come into work the door is closed to my office and the AC is running so its cooler in the office.  When I open the door to the office the humidity drops to 71/72 and the temp rises through the day to about 75.  I know digital are more accurate but would that seem odd that it does this or is it normal?  I haven't had a change to do the dollar bill test (only carry plastic these days lol) to see if theres a bad seal but it sounds good when i drop the lid...but im also very new to humidors.

As for 75 being the highest so far after a week if the hygromater is calibrated im assuming that the wood is still puling in moister faster than the 84 pack can give off and it will go up to 84 once its "seasoned".  I didnt check the digitial one before swapping it out.  I have a calibration bag with the boveda 75.5 pack in it and the analog to calibrate that one first but I think i have a hole in the bag somewhere?  It got up to 80% so I pulled it and adjusted it...not its low at 72-74 but it seems to fluctuate too like the digital one and if I press on the pack it will loose air.

Thanks in advance!

Comments

  • New_BootsNew_Boots Posts: 2,651 ✭✭
    Ok, I want to make sure of a few things real quick.

    1: The hole in the front is 100% closed off.
    2: You are not opening the humi at all. Guessing not, being a glass top so you can see the Hygro

    Let's remember first that analogs looks amazing. Problem is, some work great, some are garbage. Use the digital, put the analog back where it goes. Then give it a few days, and check your readings.

    I have a feeling I know the exact 50ct you have. In an office like that, it's going to move around a bit. As you (and others) are in and out of the office, the temp in there is rising, so the temp in the humi will rise. Small fluctuations are pretty normal. Once you finish seasoning and put some sticks in there, it SHOULD level out.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Posts: 14,633 ✭✭✭✭
    new boots has you headed in the right path.

    on that note...
    welcome.

    NOLA as in New Orleans?
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,736 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Welcome NOLAGT :) I was guessing New Awlens as well. Yes?

    And yes, New Boots has you on the right track. Just so you know, Small cheap humidors are notorious for being hard to regulate humidity. I know, I have a handful of them and seems like there's a 50/50 shot at getting either a bad seal, or a good seal. If you get a bad one there are more things you can try. Just keep asking questions as you progress and we'll all be here to help.

    And, calibrate your digital hygrometer too. If you don't trust the Boveda bag calibration because of the suspected hole in the bag, you can always try the old fashioned salt test. I'll post a link to a video that might help if you need to go that route.

  • NOLAGTNOLAGT Posts: 20
    Thanks for the replies! Yes yall are correct it stands for New Orleans...born and raised there until Katrina now im 2 hrs east in Lafayette. I took some pics of the box and all. Im pretty sure the digital hygo is pushed all the way in. I also plan to calibrate the digital one as well but haven't yet since im in the seasoning process I figured I had time. I just wasn't sure if the 2-4 points of RH swing was normal like that. With my door closed all night the air doesn't flow through the office like it does during the day and the temp is auto set to 75 at night and 70 during the day. I don't plan to leave it here at work...I'll keep it home so that may help it stay stable. I may also end up with a different humidor...was flip flopping between the 50 and 100. I don't have too many cigars now (just bought a box of 25 of one kind) so just grab this one for now. imageimage image image
  • New_BootsNew_Boots Posts: 2,651 ✭✭
    Well, looks like it might be sealed. I personally would only be comfortable with the stock one in there. Salt test the digital more than you think you should. I bought one a few months ago, calibrated it. Just tested it yesterday, and was off by +4.
  • NOLAGTNOLAGT Posts: 20
    I just looked on the underside of the digital one and it did not have the gap like the top of it. I tried pushing the top in more but it wouldn't budge. So I popped it out and put the analog back in and it does not fit as snug as the digital (its still snug) but the metal edge of the gauge is flush with the wood. Do yall know if those digital ones should be flush with the wood all around as well? It has the rubber bumps around the edge that hold it snug in the humi hole like the analog...they are just slightly thicker. So I will leave the analog in place and I put the digital in the calibration bag for now to see what it does. Ill fool with it all while the humi finishes seasoning And looking at it more closely the hole on this thing is not good. The analog can recess in one spot and not in another...the edge around the hole is not great so perhaps that's why it was not sealing up well? I think I may return this and start over with one that does not have a hole for a gauge. I wanted something I didnt have to open to check the RH. Maybe one with a glass top and no analog so I can just look in to see what a digital readout is. What are some good places/brands to look other than this site? I got this one from tampabayhumidor.com
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,736 ✭✭✭✭✭
    NOLAGT:
    I just looked on the underside of the digital one and it did not have the gap like the top of it. I tried pushing the top in more but it wouldn't budge. So I popped it out and put the analog back in and it does not fit as snug as the digital (its still snug) but the metal edge of the gauge is flush with the wood. Do yall know if those digital ones should be flush with the wood all around as well? It has the rubber bumps around the edge that hold it snug in the humi hole like the analog...they are just slightly thicker. So I will leave the analog in place and I put the digital in the calibration bag for now to see what it does. Ill fool with it all while the humi finishes seasoning And looking at it more closely the hole on this thing is not good. The analog can recess in one spot and not in another...the edge around the hole is not great so perhaps that's why it was not sealing up well? I think I may return this and start over with one that does not have a hole for a gauge. I wanted something I didnt have to open to check the RH. Maybe one with a glass top and no analog so I can just look in to see what a digital readout is. What are some good places/brands to look other than this site? I got this one from tampabayhumidor.com
    Well, We are pretty loyal to the hosts of this forum Cigar.com. (ccom) Plus they have THE BEST service period. We try not to even mention any other retailers unless ccom does not carry the particular product in question. At any rate, In my experience, the quality of economical Chinese made humidors gets better when you reach the larger models, (100 counts and up). Plus I never had any problems with RH fluctuation because of opening the lid to check my hygrometers or rummage through my cigars. With plenty of cigars in there it stays pretty stable no matter how much you are opening the lid (within reason).

    From firsthand experience I can recommend the "Southport Large" from ccom. and also the "Evanston Classic".

    And don't worry about filling up a 100 count or a 150 count. If you start hanging out with us you won't have a problem filling it up whatsoever ;)
  • NOLAGTNOLAGT Posts: 20
    Bob Luken:
    NOLAGT:
    I just looked on the underside of the digital one and it did not have the gap like the top of it. I tried pushing the top in more but it wouldn't budge. So I popped it out and put the analog back in and it does not fit as snug as the digital (its still snug) but the metal edge of the gauge is flush with the wood. Do yall know if those digital ones should be flush with the wood all around as well? It has the rubber bumps around the edge that hold it snug in the humi hole like the analog...they are just slightly thicker. So I will leave the analog in place and I put the digital in the calibration bag for now to see what it does. Ill fool with it all while the humi finishes seasoning And looking at it more closely the hole on this thing is not good. The analog can recess in one spot and not in another...the edge around the hole is not great so perhaps that's why it was not sealing up well? I think I may return this and start over with one that does not have a hole for a gauge. I wanted something I didnt have to open to check the RH. Maybe one with a glass top and no analog so I can just look in to see what a digital readout is. What are some good places/brands to look other than this site? I got this one from tampabayhumidor.com
    Well, We are pretty loyal to the hosts of this forum Cigar.com. (ccom) Plus they have THE BEST service period. We try not to even mention any other retailers unless ccom does not carry the particular product in question. At any rate, In my experience, the quality of economical Chinese made humidors gets better when you reach the larger models, (100 counts and up). Plus I never had any problems with RH fluctuation because of opening the lid to check my hygrometers or rummage through my cigars. With plenty of cigars in there it stays pretty stable no matter how much you are opening the lid (within reason).

    From firsthand experience I can recommend the "Southport Large" from ccom. and also the "Evanston Classic".

    And don't worry about filling up a 100 count or a 150 count. If you start hanging out with us you won't have a problem filling it up whatsoever ;)
    Understood about using them...and I may still if I can just get a refund for the one I got at the other place (before I found this one). After talking with the wife, if the humidor had a high WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) I could leave it out on our bar so I was looking at the Adirondack Humidor that they sell on here. No gaping hole on the front to have seal issues...and a little bigger...becasue I know how it will end up lol. I have amassed a huge bourbon collection the same way lol.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,736 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I'm sending you a PM (private message). Look in the upper right of your screen and click on inbox to check your incoming PMs.
  • Lee.mcglynnLee.mcglynn Posts: 5,960 ✭✭✭✭
    I had the same hygro...it was so erratic I ended up literally throwing it across the room! Personally I'd just get a xikar and stick it in there
    Money can't buy taste
  • NOLAGTNOLAGT Posts: 20
    Thats the one I ordered with the different humidor...ill post pics once it all comes in. Thanks everyone!
  • The3StogiesThe3Stogies Posts: 2,652 ✭✭✭✭
    May want to just wipe a little distilled water on the divider with a lint free cloth, might help to get the rh up quicker. My first 50 count I wiped the entire inside when I got it, very lightly not soaking the wood. I left a couple of shot glasses half full in as well for a few days. Once the rh started to get up I put in my 70% beads then kept a close eye on it. Don't want to go too high it may warp the wood and affect the seal. Ordered some cigars, filled it up and all has been well. I always use 2 hygro's too, just **** that way. And you will need a bigger humi, like a garage,,,,, it is never big enough.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,033 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Even with a pin hole in the boveda pack I think it would still be true. If in doubt do the salt test on your hygrometers then adjust them to 75 if they are off after doing the test.
  • NOLAGTNOLAGT Posts: 20
    If you were talking about when I said I think I have a hole in the bag I was referring to the bag that the hygo and the boveda pack were in. I couldn't get the hygro stable and if I squeezed on the bag it would deflate like there was a hole. It could have been the analog hygro that was the problem? The needle would also move with out actually moving the set screw in the back. I'll just start over next week lol
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