If I have my humidor (120 count) loaded with about 50 cigars and 6 large 69% Boveda packs and my humidor is at a constant 67%, do I not have enough Boveda?
I'd be happy with a consistent reading of 67% but, that's just me. Yes, you have enough Bovedas but, is anything less that 69% in this situation unacceptable? I guess you could check your hygrometer. Calibrate and compare it against any others you may have. Next maybe check your seal with the flashlight test. There are many factors you could examine but, me?,...... I'd let it ride as is.
They are only a couple of weeks old. It is a new humidor. I guess I could grab some silicon and run a few beads around the hygrometer and glass......not sure how to seal up the wooden lid any better
Boveda always run a couple % less because it is not in a airtight environment and I am assuming is also wooden. Per Boveda website for this reason you should always run couple % higher than desired humidity level.
Its just me being ****........If it is supposed to be 69....by God I want 69%! LOL
LOL I know the feeling. But, I don't feel that way any more. Here lately, I don't even keep a hygrometer in each cooler/humidor since all the batteries started dying off,... again.
To paraphrase Shakespeare, "Methinks the lad doth worry too much"......
i keep 65% beads and it's fine with me. And if, by chance, the RH should happen to dip as low as 62%? Well, that's even better. My sticks burn better at 62% anyway.....
Good info ^^^^ Did not know that but just went to the website and saw it. Thanks.
Now if I can just get Xikar to reply to my inquiry about why their hygrometer, that cannot be calibrated, reads 4% lower than my calibrated ones.
I bought one of those too and it also is 4% low. I should have sent it back, but it sits in the misc crap drawer. Caliber 4r are great hygrometers. I would recommend you send it back to wherever you purchased it if you can.
Good info ^^^^ Did not know that but just went to the website and saw it. Thanks.
Now if I can just get Xikar to reply to my inquiry about why their hygrometer, that cannot be calibrated, reads 4% lower than my calibrated ones.
In my not-so-humble opinion, Xikar really messed up when they took the calibration feature off of their hygrometers. I won't buy one of their hygrometers again. They will probably send you another one if you ask them to but, what a hassle. They had a good thing with the old models.
They are only a couple of weeks old. It is a new humidor. I guess I could grab some silicon and run a few beads around the hygrometer and glass......not sure how to seal up the wooden lid any better
Ding ding ding. I assume you seasoned the humidor properly, and while all the other suggestions are valid, it could just be the new humidor still sucking up a little excess moisture and settling into an equilibrium.
Some have issues with glass tops and those with the inset hygros. If it doesn't lose too much humidity I wouldn't worry about sealing up anything. I believe weatherstripping is a common solution (and is less permanent than silicone).
Also, buy more cigars; that should help keep the rh up too.
I seasoned the humidor for 2 weeks with 84% Boveda.
In regards to Xikar, here is the response that I just received:
I am sorry to hear about your situation with your
Hygrometer. Our new hygrometers should come precalibrated, and so not
have a calibrate function as it is very difficult to get to and maintain a
proper environment to test and calibrate the hygrometer. Using the
conventional salt test will have some variables uncontrolled and can actually
produce a lower reading( read 69-70, not the needed 75%). Likewise, the
Boveda calibration kit does not address one variable. That is the use of
a plastic bag, which, from tests of our hygrometers that I have done in a
controlled setting against a certified hygrometer, compared to how those same
hygrometers have tested in the Boveda calibration kit, has shown a drop of
4-6%. I.e. in the Boveda kit our hygrometers test around 70% but in a
humidity chamber against a certified hygrometer they test with in the +-2%
Tolerance. This variable is hard to maintain with a hygrometer that has a
button that needs to be pushed. In a perfect world, you set up the salt
test as described in the second half of this video( starting
around 4:30), or use a sealable hard walled container with the Boveda pack to
check the accuracy of a hygrometer. If you would rather not go through that
process, then you can send in your
hygrometer under our Lifetime Warranty and I will test it against our
certified hygrometer and then will send you a picture so that you can see
exactly where it is reading. If it is outside of our +-2% tolerance then
I will test a replacement, give you those results, and send it out to you under
our warranty.
I just ordered a 2nd Xikar hygrometer. I figure if the two read the same, then they are correct and I will recalibrate the others to match them. 4 hygrometers ought to be enough.....don't ya think! LOL
In regards to Xikar, here is the response that I just received:
use a sealable hard walled container with the Boveda pack to
check the accuracy of a hygrometer.
I only kept that portion of the response to say; Like I said I have this same hygrometer in a junk drawer, so let's both of us test this. Put the Boveda pack in a Tupperware container with the hygrometer and in 36 hours they should read 75%+/- 2. It should be interesting.
In regards to Xikar, here is the response that I just received:
use a sealable hard walled container with the Boveda pack to
check the accuracy of a hygrometer.
I only kept that portion of the response to say; Like I said I have this same hygrometer in a junk drawer, so let's both of us test this. Put the Boveda pack in a Tupperware container with the hygrometer and in 36 hours they should read 75%+/- 2. It should be interesting.
and who is you? Where in MN do you live?
"It's plume, bro. Nothing to worry about. Got any Opus?" The suppose to be DZR
EDIT: So odd I tried to reply to you @danielzreyes but I keep getting "needs approval". Now I understand why you asked I am at capacity and still about 11 days out on the new humidor being seasoned. that's why I asked Patrick not to send his end of the newbie trade. Thank you for the thought though
Steve, I set it up like this so I could monitor the hygrometer. Also just for kicks I put a Caliber 4r in there so I could compare.
Comments
Are they running out and drying up? Or is that 6 brand new packs?
Now if I can just get Xikar to reply to my inquiry about why their hygrometer, that cannot be calibrated, reads 4% lower than my calibrated ones.
i keep 65% beads and it's fine with me. And if, by chance, the RH should happen to dip as low as 62%? Well, that's even better. My sticks burn better at 62% anyway.....
Some have issues with glass tops and those with the inset hygros. If it doesn't lose too much humidity I wouldn't worry about sealing up anything. I believe weatherstripping is a common solution (and is less permanent than silicone).
Also, buy more cigars; that should help keep the rh up too.
In regards to Xikar, here is the response that I just received:
I am sorry to hear about your situation with your Hygrometer. Our new hygrometers should come precalibrated, and so not have a calibrate function as it is very difficult to get to and maintain a proper environment to test and calibrate the hygrometer. Using the conventional salt test will have some variables uncontrolled and can actually produce a lower reading( read 69-70, not the needed 75%). Likewise, the Boveda calibration kit does not address one variable. That is the use of a plastic bag, which, from tests of our hygrometers that I have done in a controlled setting against a certified hygrometer, compared to how those same hygrometers have tested in the Boveda calibration kit, has shown a drop of 4-6%. I.e. in the Boveda kit our hygrometers test around 70% but in a humidity chamber against a certified hygrometer they test with in the +-2% Tolerance. This variable is hard to maintain with a hygrometer that has a button that needs to be pushed. In a perfect world, you set up the salt test as described in the second half of this video( starting around 4:30), or use a sealable hard walled container with the Boveda pack to check the accuracy of a hygrometer. If you would rather not go through that process, then you can send in your hygrometer under our Lifetime Warranty and I will test it against our certified hygrometer and then will send you a picture so that you can see exactly where it is reading. If it is outside of our +-2% tolerance then I will test a replacement, give you those results, and send it out to you under our warranty.
Let me know if you have any other questions.
I haven't been hazed since college
EDIT: So odd I tried to reply to you @danielzreyes but I keep getting "needs approval". Now I understand why you asked
Steve, I set it up like this so I could monitor the hygrometer. Also just for kicks I put a Caliber 4r in there so I could compare.