new to cigars, need help with humidity

jandro0858

I just get into cigars and recently ordered a humidor. i seasoned it and it has been steadily at 75% humidity. I've read that this is too hi and would like to get some advise on how to lower it some. Thank you.

Bob_Luken

Simple answer would be to leave the lid open for a while but nothing is as simple as it seems. There's a lot that can go wrong and lots of things that can be done wrong. You might give details as to exactly what you've done so far so we might be able to offer our best advice. 

peter4jc

I would like to give @Bob_Luken a trophy for being consistently available to answer noob questions.  Honestly, my first reaction was to say 'go search, and if there aren't already a gazillion threads on this same subject, I'll send you a box of OpusX'.  But not Bob - he's the consummate gentleman (Debbie told me that's the thing that she likes about him) and I recall him being the same way back when I joined - everybody and everything was new to me, but Ol' Bob, he was kind and patient; even though he never sent that newsletter he said he would.


OK, back to business... I'll give 5:1 odds that the OP is relying on the analog hygrometer on his humidor.

Yakster

The best way to lower the humidity in your humidor is to put in the Boveda packs rated for your desired humidity, 62%, 65%, 69%, what have you and let them do the work.  I like the lower humidity packs, but that's personal preference.  Leaving the lid open can work, as long as you're not in a high humidity area, but if the humidity outside is higher than desired the Bovedas will take care of this as well as if the humidity outside is too low.

0patience

How long has it been at 75%?
If its been during seasoning for a week or two, you are pretty much on target. 
If its a month after you seasoned it, as was said, open it up a little and see if it comes down. 

What are you using for humidity?
The puck that comes with?
If so, toss it and get some Boveda packs. 

What is the humidity where you live?
If its high, then you will always fight your humidor being,high and again, Boveda packs help that.

Wylaff

75% in an empty, seasoned humidor is fine. It will drop when you fill it. Just make sure it is truly seasoned and your not reading 75 on the second day.

Bob_Luken

Well, thank you @peter4jc for the encouraging words. We all get tired of these distress posts from desperate newbies. It's easy to not care because odds are they'll post once or twice and never be back. If I get the chance, I like to get to them and say something positive because there are plenty of negatives they'll be hearing. (Your hygrometer is crap. You shouldn't have wiped it down. You shouldn't have put cigars in there yet. etc. etc.) And you never know, it's a long shot but,  they might turn out to be great additions to the forum community. 

 

Usaf06

I  Bob

skydiverD

Bob_Luken said:

Well, thank you @peter4jc for the encouraging words. We all get tired of these distress posts from desperate newbies. It's easy to not care because odds are they'll post once or twice and never be back. If I get the chance, I like to get to them and say something positive because there are plenty of negatives they'll be hearing. (Your hygrometer is crap. You shouldn't have wiped it down. You shouldn't have put cigars in there yet. etc. etc.) And you never know, it's a long shot but,  they might turn out to be great additions to the forum community. 

 

There is a lot of truth in this.  Unfortunately, it can sometimes backfire...  

Bob was the first guy to "take me under his wing" when I joined on with all my newbness.  I was just about to bail, and then he reached out.  Now, a couple years later, I am sure EVERYONE here wishes he hadn't..... 

rifloeez75gmailcom

hi there gentlemen's I am new to the humidifiers, and to the cigar scene,,,learning from all this post little by little, am also having problems with my humidifier and calibrating my hygrometer, so I bought an inexpensive humidifier, season the box da wiping it down with a sponge and distilled water I repeat this for three days, spend $14.unknown brand, and $23.caliber 4R. two different digital hygrometers.after seasoning the humidifier, the hygrometers were reading 75f-80% and after reading some of the post here I learn that was normal, then it drop down  after two days, then I put a 72%boveda pack in the box because I read that this packs are known to do the trick, all my hygrometers were reading   77f-58% with the boveda pack in there then I test my caliber 4r with one of those boveda two way calibration kit, and notice that my hygrometer was off it was reading  73.4F-68% after being in the kit for more then 24hrs,,, so what I did was to take the boveda pack out the box, and I repeat the seasoning again but this time I waited and instead of using the boveda pack I use the cheap humidifier this box came with, and it seen like it stabilized the HR in the box,,I don't really know whats going on?is the box loosing humidity,,,and the hygrometer needs calibration,,,I grew the hygrometer in a ziplock bag today with a 72% boveda pack to check whats going on...any thoughts guys,,, 
  

Wylaff

Seasoning is a slow process. 3 days is just scratching the surface. And once it's seasoned, you will not see any stability until it is full. Calibrate your hygrometers. Fill the humidor up with bovedas. Seal it for a week or 2. You should be good to go.