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Humi Stress

GentlemanGentleman Posts: 152 ✭
in Cigar 101
So I got a 75-100 count humi. I put a dish of water and the humidifier puck it came with in it to season it. I'm using a digi hygro btw. After about a week it was still reading 55-60%. I broke down and got some 70% beads. So I sprayed the bead tube with distilled water, dried it off and placed it inside the humi with a dish of water in there as well. I'm worried that my humidor didn't season all the way with my first attempt, will the beads+dish still allow it to season properly if it hasn't?

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    wwhwangwwhwang Posts: 2,878 ✭✭✭
    The bowl of water and the beads should be able to get it up to 80 in a couple days. Once the water in the dish stops evaporating (I marked the side of the glass bowl I was using), it's ready (usually 4 to 7 days). But a week and it's 55 to 60? Sounds like you have a leak. You try the dollar bill test?
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    GentlemanGentleman Posts: 152 ✭
    Lol there seems to be a test for everything. What is the dollar bill test exactly?
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    wwhwangwwhwang Posts: 2,878 ✭✭✭
    Open the humidor and place a dollar bill on all sides (even the back), then close it. Tug on the dollar bill (but not too hard). If it's really difficult to pull out without tearing it, you got a good seal. If it just slides out, the seal's not tight enough.
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    jship079jship079 Posts: 621 ✭
    Gently wipe down the humi with a new unsented spong in distilled water not to much so you dont warp the spanish ceader this will saturate the wood so that the humi can balance the humidity also salt check the hygro to make sure it is calibrated properly.
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    GentlemanGentleman Posts: 152 ✭
    I just did this and it took a decently tug to pull but not too difficult. I had it sitting with beads and a dish of water for a day now and it read 66%. Is this normal?
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    wwhwangwwhwang Posts: 2,878 ✭✭✭
    Hopefully, 66 will be enough for now, but it should be around 80 on day 2 or 3. Right now, though, I'd suggest taking a damp sponge or a paintbrush (with distilled water), and wipe down the edges and the spanish cedar lining the border of the humidor. This way, the wood will swell and give you a better seal while the dish and beads do their work.
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    GentlemanGentleman Posts: 152 ✭
    Sounds good, when should I expect this to be all said and done? I have a humi-jar and tupperware with sticks and I'm so anxious to get them in that humi. I've had this humidor for almost a month now.
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    wwhwangwwhwang Posts: 2,878 ✭✭✭
    If the seal stays good, it should be done around the 5th day (give or take 1 day, depending on the humidity of your house). Just keep watching the bowl of water and mark it. If it gets too low, refill it with distilled water. Once it stops evaporating, it's ready. When mine stopped evaporating, my humidor was around 80. Just keep an eye on that hygrometer once you throw your sticks in. Mine only went down to 77 after throwing the sticks in, so I had to keep the humidor open and let it air (and let my humidifier de-charge)out for a few hours before I got it back to 68.
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    aron325aron325 Posts: 158
    gentleman you have a pm
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    GentlemanGentleman Posts: 152 ✭
    replied
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    aron325aron325 Posts: 158
    replied again
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    One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583 ✭
    Just wanted to point out something. I would only over humidify a humidor if the sticks I was putting in were dry. If you get that thing up to 80% and the sticks you put in there are properly humidified, you are going to have a humidity problem. Personally, I think the best way to go is beads at the desired humidity level. If you put in charged beads and cigars, the humidity level will stay correct, as the beads will absorb or release moisture, depending on if any humidity is absorbed by the cigars. Just my $.02
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    One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583 ✭
    Also, you mention you have a digital hygrometer. Did you calibrate it?
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    FourtotheflushFourtotheflush Posts: 2,555 ✭


    @ 66
    your humi needs cigars.
    Fill that puppy up and let the beads to the rest!

    You also note that your beads are in a glass tube. Did you calculate how many you need for your humi?
    Typically you need double what they recomend.

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    GentlemanGentleman Posts: 152 ✭
    I calculated my humi to be about 800 cubic inches and I got the 70% heartfelt tube that covers up to like 1080. I sprayed the tube down while rolling it and placed it with a small dish of distilled. It's been like that about a day or so. The distilled level hasn't gone down much if at all. It still reads about 64-66%.

    Also, I did the salt test with my hygro. The salt/distilled consistency was equivalent to cream of wheat. After about 6-7 hours it read out to be about 63%. Hopefully I can get some sticks in there soon cause I'm stressing more than I should over this lol
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    One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583 ✭
    Gentleman:
    I calculated my humi to be about 800 cubic inches and I got the 70% heartfelt tube that covers up to like 1080. I sprayed the tube down while rolling it and placed it with a small dish of distilled. It's been like that about a day or so. The distilled level hasn't gone down much if at all. It still reads about 64-66%.

    Also, I did the salt test with my hygro. The salt/distilled consistency was equivalent to cream of wheat. After about 6-7 hours it read out to be about 63%. Hopefully I can get some sticks in there soon cause I'm stressing more than I should over this lol
    The salt test should give you a reading of 75%. Sounds like your hygrometer is off.
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    One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583 ✭
    BTW, I just noticed you are in St. Louis. We should get together for a smoke sometime.
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    GentlemanGentleman Posts: 152 ✭
    I figured it's prob off, I guess I'll +12% when i read it. My smokin buddy and I been thinking bout meetin up with people for a smoke. We're a bunch of youngins though so it'd be interesting lol.
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    One2gofstOne2gofst Posts: 583 ✭
    Yeah, I don't know if my old-man, 28yo ass can handle that much fun. LMAO ;)
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    MrMokeMrMoke Posts: 321 ✭✭
    Just an FYI for you guys.

    I have met up with zeebra twice in Houston, not sure what his age is exactly, but he is considerably junior to me, chronilogically speaking!

    Love of cigars transcends ALL social taboos and etiquette, get together, smoke and enjoy!!!!!


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    MrMokeMrMoke Posts: 321 ✭✭
    Gentleman:
    I figured it's prob off, I guess I'll +12% when i read it. My smokin buddy and I been thinking bout meetin up with people for a smoke. We're a bunch of youngins though so it'd be interesting lol.


    As long as you have calibrated it, if it's adjustable, set it right and make sure it still reads right afterward (leave it in the salt test / boveda baggie). Remember, according to Boveda, their test and the salt test to, will give an ambient RH of 75.5%, so don't sweat if it's either 75 or 76, on non-adjustable Hygros I place a sticky, the same I purchased from Office depot to mark purchase date of sticks going in my humi, with the amount to adjust by, so if I have a hygro that reads 72% in the boveda bag, I place a sticky on the face that says " +3%RH" to remind me to add 3 to the reading!

    Hope you get over your Humi stress soon.
    Also, meeting up with other BOTL is a great way to relieve Humi Stress, i have found :)


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    GentlemanGentleman Posts: 152 ✭
    One2gofst:
    Yeah, I don't know if my old-man, 28yo ass can handle that much fun. LMAO ;)
    Haha, we'll have to figure something. There's a few on here that are near STL.
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