2 humidifiers and still only 55%?

63Pro

I have a Mantello 25-50 cigar humidor. I was careful to season it properly. Calibrated the mechanical Hygrometer with salt and water solution as instructed in a ziploc bag for 24 hrs. Adjusted the mech. hygrometer only 5%.
It has a glass top and I sealed it with aquarium silicone to make sure no leaks.
I have about 12 fresh cigars most unwrapped, a few in glass tubes. Not trusting the mechanical hygrometer I purchased a digital one. Temperature is 67F in humidor, mech. hygrometer reads 60% humidity and digital at 55%, yeah I know, but digital says 55%. I have 2 humidifiers, the one that came with the humidor and a gel type. It has only been about 2 days since it was all set up. Do I need to move the humidor to a warmer area to get the temp up to the mid 60's or so to raise the humidity? How long does it usually take to stabilize humidity? I dont open the lid unless I grab a cigar. Any thoughts from you who have much more experience than I on this? Thanks in advance! -Al

Bob_Luken

Welcome Al. There are a lot of things that can go wrong with a small desktop humidor. I know that statement doesn't help you at all but, it's true. I'll add a few thoughts even though you may have heard some of these.

1. Keep your desktop humidor out of the direct airflow path of your heat and ac vents. That tends to dry out your humidor. 
2. And find out what the ambient humidity is in your home so you know what your up against. 
3. It has already been advised that you should be getting rid of the humidifier that came with your humidor. Yes you will want to do that eventually because they are bad for growing mold but for now it can still provide some needed humidity. 
4. If you have not done so already, salt test your digital hygrometer, I'm not gonna assume that you did that already. 
5. Also consider using Boveda humidification packets because they are so easy and precise. 
6. And a full humidor is easier to maintain humidity. Fill 'er up.  That's all I can think of at the moment. Keep us posted. 

Rhamlin

How long did you season it. This time of year 5-7 days Is about how long it takes to season one. Lots of people make the mistake of thinking that as soon as it reads 70 it’s ready. But it really needs to hold that for a few days before it’s good to go. 

Bob_Luken

Yes, let it sit and monitor it. A week to two weeks is good. Hard to be exact on when it's "done". Continue to update us. We're here to help.   

Bob_Luken

63Pro said:

I just did the bill test as I assumed it would be done. Right side is easy sliding with small drag. Front is stiffer to the point of sliding right to left, once the bill gets to the left corner it bites the bill and stops. Left side I cannot get the bill to go in between the lid.

After re-reading and giving more thoughts to the results you described in detail from the dollar bill test, it makes me think your right side seal is looser and may be a problem. 

Bob_Luken

I'll have to admit it. I hate desktop humidors. I think they are OK to look at but, there are a million (good looking) China-made cheapo humidors out there. Some do their job, (hold moisture and provide a good seal) and some don't. I've had 5 myself and 3 of them never performed well and the other 2 were always a struggle to keep up with maintenance. I gave up completely a few years ago and ALL my stash is now in coolidors. We get SO MANY questions from new guys about the problems they are having with their first-time set-up. I even wrote a tread about how much I hate how new guys get steered into buying a desktop humidor first thing when they start. They assume that's the first thing they need if they are going to stash a few cigars. And it's a logical assumption but there are so many things that can be wrong and can be done wrong. 

https://forum.cigar.com/discussion/896591/veterans-advice-to-newbie-first-humidor/p1

deadman

63Pro said:

I have a Mantello 25-50 cigar humidor. I was careful to season it properly. Calibrated the mechanical Hygrometer with salt and water solution as instructed in a ziploc bag for 24 hrs. Adjusted the mech. hygrometer only 5%.
It has a glass top and I sealed it with aquarium silicone to make sure no leaks.
I have about 12 fresh cigars most unwrapped, a few in glass tubes. Not trusting the mechanical hygrometer I purchased a digital one. Temperature is 67F in humidor, mech. hygrometer reads 60% humidity and digital at 55%, yeah I know, but digital says 55%. I have 2 humidifiers, the one that came with the humidor and a gel type. It has only been about 2 days since it was all set up. Do I need to move the humidor to a warmer area to get the temp up to the mid 60's or so to raise the humidity? How long does it usually take to stabilize humidity? I dont open the lid unless I grab a cigar. Any thoughts from you who have much more experience than I on this? Thanks in advance! -Al

Welcome Al, did you do the dollar bill test around the lid?

63Pro

Deadman,
Thanks bro for the welcome! No I have not done the dollar bill test.

63Pro

I just did the bill test as I assumed it would be done. Right side is easy sliding with small drag. Front is stiffer to the point of sliding right to left, once the bill gets to the left corner it bites the bill and stops. Left side I cannot get the bill to go in between the lid.

dirtdude

Welcome @63Pro. Takes a couple weeks to season a humidor so a couple days isn't going to do it. There are some good threads on seasoning humidors, use the search function. In the meantime put your cigars in a baggie or Tupperware with a humidification device, maybe a boveda. You'll want to get rid of the device that came with the humidor soon.

63Pro

Ok dirtdude, thanks for the advice!

63Pro

Sorry, RH inside the cabinet is 41% not 49.

dirtdude

So in 5 days you haven't raised the RH by much. Where in SoCal are you, I would think westside your ambient RH would be higher than 41 but if you are eastside the seals better be spot on or you are fighting a losing battle.

dirtdude

Agree @Bob_Luken but when you start you have no vision for a 193 gallon cooler to hold your 20 pack sampler. Live and learn @63Pro.

63Pro

dirtdude said:

So in 5 days you haven't raised the RH by much. Where in SoCal are you, I would think westside your ambient RH would be higher than 41 but if you are eastside the seals better be spot on or you are fighting a losing battle.

We are in Rancho Cucamonga close to the foothills at about 2,200 ft elevation.

63Pro

63Pro said:

dirtdude said:

So in 5 days you haven't raised the RH by much. Where in SoCal are you, I would think westside your ambient RH would be higher than 41 but if you are eastside the seals better be spot on or you are fighting a losing battle.

We are in Rancho Cucamonga close to the foothills at about 2,200 ft elevation.

The RH just outside the cabinet where the humidor is kept is 42% @ 66 degrees.
The humidor inside the cabinet is 68% @ 68 degrees.

dirtdude

63Pro said:

63Pro said:

dirtdude said:

So in 5 days you haven't raised the RH by much. Where in SoCal are you, I would think westside your ambient RH would be higher than 41 but if you are eastside the seals better be spot on or you are fighting a losing battle.

We are in Rancho Cucamonga close to the foothills at about 2,200 ft elevation.

The RH just outside the cabinet where the humidor is kept is 42% @ 66 degrees.
The humidor inside the cabinet is 68% @ 68 degrees.

Sounds like you are making progress @63Pro

Bob_Luken

I have a request of you. @63Pro If you would be willing, would you go back and "un-select" all of the answers you selected? Once you select answers, all the replies that you select get moved to the top, out of order. I like to see all the replies in chronological order. It's what I'm used to.  


I know,........ I'm being a big fat Sheldon for asking. 

peter4jc

They're still in order when I open the thread, Bob. 

The threads that are asking questions never go to the next unread post like normal threads do, but they are in chronological order for me.

Bob_Luken

Well, that's weird. For me each "accepted answer" is grouped separate at the top under the OP and then all the others follow. Maybe I can change the order in which they appear somehow in my preferences. (I checked but don't see a way to change that.) Oh well. No biggie. 

IndustMech

They're out of cronological order for me too.

dirtdude

#MeToo

63Pro

Ok Bob no problem, sorry I screwed things up. So what do I need to do?

Bob_Luken

63Pro said:

Ok Bob no problem, sorry I screwed things up. So what do I need to do?

You definitely didn't screw up anything. The mechanics of the forum are to blame. You don't need to change a thing. Hope your seasoning is going well.  

63Pro

Bob,
Ok good, glad balance is restored!  
Seasoning has really stabilized. It has been 80 degrees here in SoCal this week. Inside the house its 30% @ 73 degrees and the humidor is staying steady at 67% and 71 degrees, no complaints. I really like the Tupperdor concept as a very reasonable way to get good results. I'm not a cigar connoisseur but doggonit, I'm having a hard time moving past the Acids! I love many of their cigars because to me, they are pretty consistent and smooth even past the label.