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Cigars are wet/damp!!

sbroch3sbroch3 Posts: 7
in Cigar 101
I just got my first humidor and just starting this hobby. I have a cigar oasis digital hydrometer that I purchased with the humidor. It is preset to a humidity of 70 and the fan only comes on when it drops below that. However, it appears that the average humidity has been staying in the mid to upper 80's and I cannot figure out why. My cigars are now damp/wet and cannot be smoked. What in the world am I doing wrong.

Comments

  • avengethisavengethis Posts: 5,690 ✭✭✭✭✭
    How big of a humi do you have that oasis in? Did you calibrate the hygrometer you are using to verify its accuracy? What did you charge the oasis with (distilled water, ph solution, tap water)
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Welcome to the cigar world. Welcome to the forum. This is the best place to learn what you need to know about all things cigars.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Your first post raises so many follow up questions that it's hard to know what kind of answers to give you. But if you stick with us and provide us with the info we need, everybody here is very helpful and can guide you. How big is your humidor? You may have hung a jet engine on hang glider. If you can tell us exactly which model of humidor and exactly which model of cigar oasis humidifier you are using it will help us help you.
  • sbroch3sbroch3 Posts: 7
    The humidor is a berkeley 100 capacity (13X10X6). The oasis I got was rated for 51-300 cigars. The only smaller one said that it was rated for up to 50. And yes, being the new guy, when I bought the humidor, the website offered the oasis with it at a discount. They also heavily pushed this bottle of 50/50 solution too. I did also get a bottle of those gel beads but have not used them yet. So that's about it.
  • sbroch3sbroch3 Posts: 7
    And thanks in advance for the quick help guys. I am so excited about this new hobby, but have been getting so frustrated over the last two days. I appreciate the help!
  • avengethisavengethis Posts: 5,690 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Yeah that oasis is super overkill for that small humidor. That is more than likely the problem. I would take it out and let the rh come down with nothing on it and then use the gel for now.
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • avengethisavengethis Posts: 5,690 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Also did you season the humidor first or just tossed it all in there?
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I agree that the oasis is much too much for that humidor. I have two desktops that are about the same size and several coolers and I've never used an electronic humidifier (like an oasis). I would recommend you get your cigars into large ziploc bags with 65% boveda packets. I'm thinking they will be safe inside there with the bovedas while you study and learn everything you can about desktop humidors, seasoning and maintenance. Also buy a separate, reliable digital hygrometer as well. Hygroset makes a nice one that can be calibrated/adjusted. Learn how to salt test your new hygrometer (And if your humidor's hygrometer on the front is removable, salt test it too.) There are many ways to control humidity but until you are able to accurately measure the RH (relative humidity) you will be inaccurate in your decision making.

    If I were to choose for you the best method in my opinion to keep proper RH in your humidor, I would choose for you a handful of Bovedas in 65%. Maybe four packets would be enough. There's nothing simpler for humidor control. Especially for a new guy. But make sure you properly season the humidor first.

    If you have any more questions, please keep 'em coming.
  • sbroch3sbroch3 Posts: 7
    Thanks guys for the info. That really aggrevates me that they recommend this type of humidifier if that's not what I need. That was $100 and it said by using that and the 50/50 solution, everything runs on its own and you don't even have to fool with it but a couple of times a year. After reading up, I see a lot of people talking about the bovedas. I don't know much about them, but I am going to look into them. I really would like to use my humidor so I will try those. I did not season the humidor first, didn't know you were supposed to. I am sure I can find the info, but any suggestions on how to do that?
  • honorknight7honorknight7 Posts: 523 ✭
    For seasoning the humidor there are a few ways people say to go with (the wipe method is iffy - ruined my first humidor with that way, but think I did it to wet), because you need to dry out your cigars now though I think doing like stated above, put the sticks in a Ziploc with a 65 Boveda pack (it will absorb from the cigars also) and use a 14 day Boveda seasoning pack in the humidor, throw it in, shut it and forget it for 14 days, will most likely take at least that long for your sticks to come down in RH with the 65 pack in the bag anyway
  • avengethisavengethis Posts: 5,690 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I would also carefuly look over your humidor to make sure the wood didnt get too wet and swelled, mold growing or cracking. You may have seasoned it already. I would get a good digital hygro and before I start seasoning it again I would calibrate the hygro and put it in there to see where it is at with no humidification device at all.
    Team O'Donnell FTW!

    "I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke ever last one of 'em." - Ron White
  • W1REB1TERW1REB1TER Posts: 32
    Bob Luken:
    Your first post raises so many follow up questions that it's hard to know what kind of answers to give you. But if you stick with us and provide us with the info we need, everybody here is very helpful and can guide you. How big is your humidor? You may have hung a jet engine on hang glider. If you can tell us exactly which model of humidor and exactly which model of cigar oasis humidifier you are using it will help us help you.
    I want to put a jet engine on a hang glider now...
  • 0patience0patience Posts: 10,665 ✭✭✭✭✭
    sbroch3:
    I just got my first humidor and just starting this hobby. I have a cigar oasis digital hydrometer that I purchased with the humidor. It is preset to a humidity of 70 and the fan only comes on when it drops below that. However, it appears that the average humidity has been staying in the mid to upper 80's and I cannot figure out why. My cigars are now damp/wet and cannot be smoked. What in the world am I doing wrong.
    Do you have a hygrometer in it with the Oasis?
    Did you calibrate it with another hygrometer and if so, was that hygrometer calibrated.

    Yes, the Oasis is overkill, but if it was calibrated correctly, shouldn't give you problems.
    It's designed to only come on if the humidity, according to it's settings, are lower than what you set it for and turn off when it goes above that setting.

    So if it is calibrated correctly, than it shouldn't cause that problem.
    Is there any other humidifier in the humidor?
    My Oasis wasn't even close when I first got it and it took quite some doing to get it fairly accurate.
    Even by using their calibration mode, mine is still 5 points off. So when I want my humi to be 65%, it is set for 60%.

    My Hydra humidifier can get a little closer with the calibration knob, but it is 3 points higher, so I have little stickers on both of them reminding me one says +5 and the other is -3.

    The main thing is to make sure that everything, the humidifier and hygrometers are calibrated correctly.
    Once that is done, it will make your life a lot easier.

    And personally, 70% is a little high anyways. I like 65% myself, but that's just me.

    Just my opinion, but what do I know. LOL!
    In Fumo Pax
    Money can't buy happiness, but it can buy cigars and that's close enough.

    Wylaff said:
    Atmospheric pressure and crap.
  • Bob_LukenBob_Luken Posts: 10,833 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Maybe the oasis might work OK if you get it adjusted correctly. I've just never had any experience with them.

    OK, you asked about finding info on seasoning. Click on this link. How to season or reaseason a humidor using Kitty Litter or Beads

    It's a long thread and there's a lot of talk about using Kitty litter. But, the main thing is how the humidors are seasoned without wiping. This method is slower but much more manageable. They start off by seasoning larger humidors but on page 16 there's an example of a desktop.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,050 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Welcome brother. It's a game of trial and error getting your humi to operate the way you want at first. But it doesn't take to long to figure it out. Main thing is don't get frustrated. I just recently pulled a stick out of one of my humi's and couldn't hardly get it to burn and it got bitter on me fast. When I got back home and checked it, damn it was reading 74. No freakin wonder. They were all spongy. Let them air out a few times and threw in some dry beads. Took a day but finally got it back down to how I like it.
  • bandyt09bandyt09 Posts: 4,335 ✭✭✭✭✭
    I had used Cigar Oasis humidifiers for years, here's one thing I can tell you, DO NOT trust the preset hygrometer on it. They are notorious for being bad. Get yourself a separate hygrometer, preferably digital, and turn the setting on you Oasis down. Don't worry about what the hygrometer on it says as it's probably wrong, trust your separate calibrated one. Secondly, it is overkill but it's probably not that bad. I didn't read through all the responses but how many cigars do you have in you humidor? The reason I ask is the more room (air) in you humidor will make the Oasis work harder, don't know why but it comes from years of experience with one.
  • RhamlinRhamlin Posts: 9,050 ✭✭✭✭✭
    bandyt09:
    I had used Cigar Oasis humidifiers for years, here's one thing I can tell you, DO NOT trust the preset hygrometer on it. They are notorious for being bad. Get yourself a separate hygrometer, preferably digital, and turn the setting on you Oasis down. Don't worry about what the hygrometer on it says as it's probably wrong, trust your separate calibrated one. Secondly, it is overkill but it's probably not that bad. I didn't read through all the responses but how many cigars do you have in you humidor? The reason I ask is the more room (air) in you humidor will make the Oasis work harder, don't know why but it comes from years of experience with one.
    #1 This is true for pretty much any humi. The fuller it is the better it works. Whenever mine supply gets low I blow up some ziplock bags and put in it to take up space but it works better to be filled with cigars.
  • BigshizzaBigshizza Posts: 15,659 ✭✭✭✭✭
    Rhamlin:
    bandyt09:
    I had used Cigar Oasis humidifiers for years, here's one thing I can tell you, DO NOT trust the preset hygrometer on it. They are notorious for being bad. Get yourself a separate hygrometer, preferably digital, and turn the setting on you Oasis down. Don't worry about what the hygrometer on it says as it's probably wrong, trust your separate calibrated one. Secondly, it is overkill but it's probably not that bad. I didn't read through all the responses but how many cigars do you have in you humidor? The reason I ask is the more room (air) in you humidor will make the Oasis work harder, don't know why but it comes from years of experience with one.
    #1 This is true for pretty much any humi. The fuller it is the better it works. Whenever mine supply gets low I blow up some ziplock bags and put in it to take up space but it works better to be filled with cigars.
    Ohhhh Yeah!!!
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