Need help on my humidor and hydrometer

yongyc

Hi
Hope you guys can help me with below problem about my humidor and my hydrometer. I put my humidor in the basement and the hydrometer showed 77%. So I decided to re-calibrate again (salt test) my hydrometer on 1st fl and it read 67%. Question,

1 Does it mean that I cant put my humidor in the basement?
2 It is because it is summer in NY the humidity is high and winter will be better?


Thanks

Eulogy

You did the salt test and it read at 67% or you did the salt test and it came out to 75%? It should read 75% when you do a salt test.

yongyc

I did the salt test and it reads 67% and when I place the hydrometer back to my humidor it reads 75%

dr_frankenstein56

so your hygro is off by 8%... either you take this into account and realize that 67% means 75 actual.

so your humi reading of 75% is actually 83%

so your too moist in your humi.

I would suggest a quality digital one

Aj

Eulogy

What kind of humidification device are you using? You may want to try some gel beads and a digital hydrometer, if you're not.

yongyc

But it is because I put my humidor in the basement and that increase the humidity?

Thanks

avengethis

Are you using gel? cheap foam humidifier? beads? KL?

yongyc

The rectangular humidifier that comes with the humidor.

Eulogy

Your hydrometer is off. Which is giving you bad readings even on your first floor. How long did you do the salt test for? It should have been at least 6 hours and it's even better if you allow it to calibrate overnight. Your humidor should be mostly airtight. If you lift up the lid and allow it to drop 3-4 inches, does it make a whooshing sound and look like it hit something and slow its descent? You may have a bad seal if it doesn't. You could also try the dollar bill test and see if your box has a good seal around it.

yongyc

Does humidor humidifer tubes help? So i should remove the humidifier that comes with the humidor?

Eulogy

yongyc:

The rectangular humidifier that comes with the humidor.

Is it that sea foam stuff? If it is you're going to want to upgrade. That kind doesn't hold humidity very well and is prone to molding.

yongyc

The dollar test result is good

Lee.mcglynn

Use boveda packs I like 65 rh also yes do not store in basement unless you have a dehumidifier... And you can keep it in the basement in the winter. But I'd keep it somewhere stable so first floor is the best option

avengethis

I would look into a digital Hygrometer and some other form of humidification. A 2 way system like Boveda packs, heartfelt beads sounds like it could be a good option for you as these will add or remove humidity when necessary. They are pre set to a cert rh%. Myself I use heartfelt beads and love them.

Eulogy

It sounds like you may want to get a digital hydrometer and gel type humidifier. The gel does a good job at keeping the humidity stable and until you get a new hydrometer you need to remind yourself that it is running 8 points low. So if your hydrometer is reading 70, its actually 78.

yongyc

Thanks a lot I will get a digital and see what happen

90+_Irishman

yongyc:

Thanks a lot I will get a digital and see what happen

Also change your humidification device. It will cause you a ton of problems in the long run. Humidify cation gel, Boveda packs or a special type of kitty litter all word 100% better. I've been using the kitty litter for well over a year and it keeps perfect rH and a lifetime supply cost me less than $15...

Bob_Luken

Welcome to the forum yongyc. There are many ways to keep correct humidity in your humidor. But the easiest way by far is Boveda packets. They are available at cigar shops and online. They come in specific humidity rates. Most of us prefer the 65 RH packets. You can also use 69 RH packets. They last a long time and can even be re-charged. If you have a small desktop humidor, a couple of packets should be all you need. Once you get a good digital hygrometer you'll be better able to measure your true RH levels. When you get your digital hygrometer running you'll be able to determine if the basement is OK or not. Good luck. If you have any more questions let us know. We'll be glad to help.

rsherman24

The northeast basements are very unstable for RH. I have a dehumidifier running in my basement and it is still tough to keep the RH down. I have 2 desktop humi's which I have removed the humidification devices from and they are still at around 67% RH. In the winter, I will have a tough time keeping the RH up to that level. I use Boveda packs in them and will add remove as necessary.

With that, I have 2 coolers which stay spot on 65% all year with some kitty litter. I am consolidating as much as I can into the coolers for this reason.

yongyc

Thanks everyone for the great info