Humidity - please help if possible.

[goalie204]

I enjoy cigars, and am trying to learn patience.

There is a longer background story if anyone needs to know, but i'm going to try only to include the things i feel are most significant.

-I re-seasoned my humidor a few weeks ago for 9 or so days.
-My 65% beads arrived in the mail. I charged them and put them in. RH just after seasoning was about 64%
-Before adding cigars, i watched the hygrometer. Slowly RH kept dropping. When it was at around 58, I added cigars (at the time, around 10 was all i had).
-Humidity kept dropping, it dropped to 54, then 52. On the advice of some friends here, I put the cigars in a tupperware container, along with the puck and the hygrometer.
-I bought a vino and put the tupperware in it, humidity started going up. It was at around 57 a few days ago.
-Yesterday I Received a package of 12 cigars and added them along with the 8 i had back to the humidor with the puck and hygro.
-Put the humidor in the empty vino for its sexy air tightness. Recharged beads (they are fully charged, probably 99%)
-Hygrometer now reads 51 this morning with my 20 sticks in it.

A lot of you have been helping me, and I've been getting different advice from several people and it it's all appreciated, and being a newb, I'm not sure what I'm doing wrong if anything, or what i can do to resolve it. I thought maybe i was being impatient, but I've never had a constant RH of over 60 in at least 1.5 months of owning my little 25-50ct, and i'd like around 60-61 at least. I've gone through a lot of scenarios in my head, and come to the cigar asylum brethren to please help me with any advice, suggestions you can.

Thanks in advance

Myles

btw, merry christmas everyone :)
and Happy Chanukah to my heebz

[goalie204]

btw, hygrometers are calibrated, before someone asks :p

[Martin]

How many lbs of beads are in your humi?

[goalie204]

How many lbs of beads are in your humi?

beads - http://www.cigarmony.com/index.asp?PageAction=VIEWPROD&ProdID=267

humidor - http://www.pipesandcigars.com/25rowowindeb.html

[K Baz]

I'll give you the toughest words to hear in the early times of dealing with RH - it's going to be fine. Your cigars will be fine from 55 % - 70 % many people store them in these ranges. The rapid swings are what you want to avoid.

Now what is the deviation on your hygros so we know what your actual RH is?

Also considering all the changes your doing new vino, add sticks, removing sticks, etc it will take a while for everything to balance and settle. If your sticks are dry from shipping they will "suck up" the RH when you open the lid/door you lose some RH. Also a hygro is not like a clock it doesn't report the RH changes instantly I give my hygro 24 - 36 hours to adjust to any of the adjustments I make.

I know ifs tough as you want to take care of your collection and you want to make everything all right.

My suggestion is take out what you plan to smoke in the next week put it in the week or so and then leave the rest in your humi and leave the humi open in your vino. Let them all settle undistrubed for as long as possible. I would also consider going to your B&M and getting some plan empty boxes i.e. PSD 4, Petite Edmondo, boxes with lots of exposed wood. These will take up space and add to the leveling out of the RH. They will suck up some RH when you add them but they will help later in keeping it constant. Also the less space you have the lest hard the beads have to work as they,depending on the volume you have, take time to release the RH. The boxes are also nice looking and to store singles.

Rest assured once you have everything in your vino conditioned and you fill it up more it will become rock solid as far as RH. I have a fridge and it sits on 60 % for months and never moves it becomes tough to even adjust the RH if you want to.

Hope this helps. Also if your just to neverous and need instant results I suggest you look at something more active on the RH front look at a Hydra this will release RH once it hit a certain level and is more active then beads.

[goalie204]

Thanks Kevin, I'm not nervous, no worrys there. I think this whole thing is actually a blessing in disguise. For me, it's been a different slope than the one people here talk about. I've fallen down the slope of "caring too much to the point of getting so frustrated that you have to stop caring in order to remain sane" and i'm almost to the bottom, thanks for the advice :)

[K Baz]

No worries its not uncommon. I at one time drove myself batty try to "fix" RH problems. I went through two wooden humis and a couple of Hygros then a cigar oasis and on and on.

The solution is the vino in my opion will save your problems. fill it with more beads then you need charged at 60 % then get your cigars in there then fill up what you have left with spanish cedar trays or empty boxes to help stablize and remove empty space.

Once you get it down there is a feeling of releaf then you can go back to worrying about the impoetant stuff like what smokes to buy next.

[goalie204]

one day maybe, right now im financially not so good. I blame xmas, and i blame this site! *shakes fist* :p

[Mugen910]

Myles your sticks may be just soaking up the humidity for a bit. Give it some time and it'll eventually level off. I wouldn't worry to much brother. Keep in mind some of us on here freeze our cigars and bring them back to life so a little time low humidity should be fine until every gets normal...also try putting two hygrometers in your vino. One at the top and the other at the bottom. That way you can see if there is any diff not only in temp/humidity but also in calibrations of the hygrometers.

[goalie204]

On it bao

[acarr]

Have you checked your humidor for leaks? The vino may be airtight but if there are leaks in the humidor, the ambient RH around the box in the vino is going to be dry and suck all the humidity out of the humidor.

[goalie204]

flash light test and dollar bill test both passed

[Mugen910]

flash light test and dollar bill test both passed

??? Please explain.

[BORIStheBLADE]

I'm sure you do,but I'll ask anyways. You have that drain hole on the bottom of the vino plugged/covered right?

[St. Lou Stu]

Is it any better yet? ;)

[goalie204]

??? Please explain.

flashlight in, lid closed, no sign of light - :tu

dollar bill half in half in, lid closed, lots of resistance, cant pull out easy - :tu

[goalie204]

I'm sure you do,but I'll ask anyways. You have that drain hole on the bottom of the vino plugged/covered right?

Yes i did plug it, but the issue is humidity inside the humidor. Take the vino out of the equation completely. It doesn't play a role in the humidity problem im having, because i had the same problem while the humidor sat upon a shelf.

[Mugen910]

flashlight in, lid closed, no sign of light - :tu

dollar bill half in half in, lid closed, lots of resistance, cant pull out easy - :tu

I like the flashlight trick...:tu Thanks

what do you do if the dollar bill trick shows little resistance?

[Rabidsquirrel]

I like the flashlight trick...:tu Thanks

what do you do if the dollar bill trick shows little resistance?

It sounds like it's the same principle when you use the dollar bill to see if the seals are bad on your car window. Little resistance indicates that the seals are bad. I guess you can just add a piece of tape to the humidor to bulk up the seal a bit.

[MikeyC]

Yes i did plug it, but the issue is humidity inside the humidor. Take the vino out of the equation completely. It doesn't play a role in the humidity problem im having, because i had the same problem while the humidor sat upon a shelf.

Well, if you bought a Vino . . . why not get more beads so that you can maintain the RH of the larger space within the Vino? Then you don't have to worry about any problems with your humi. You can keep the humi around for dry boxing or you can just leave it in the Vino to store singles.

[goalie204]

Well, if you bought a Vino . . . why not get more beads so that you can maintain the RH of the larger space within the Vino? Then you don't have to worry about any problems with your humi. You can keep the humi around for dry boxing or you can just leave it in the Vino to store singles.

I am getting some soon apparently, but i have like 20 cigars atm, so they're in the little humi

[MikeyC]

I am getting some soon apparently, but i have like 20 cigars atm, so they're in the little humi

If it's just a matter of a week or so until your extra beads arrive then I wouldn't worry about it.

[shilala]

It sounds to me like your desktop humi leaks like a sieve.
If you want to prove me wrong, try this...
Put your desktop in the vino. Check it's RH prior and leave it shut while it's in the vino.
Set wet sponges (or wet paper towels on a plate, or whatever) in the vino and raise the RH of the vino as high as you can get it.
Let the whole deal sit overnight.
Next day, remove the desktop and quickly check the hygrometer inside.
If it says anything different than what it said when you started this project, it's leaky.

[goalie204]

What i did was, I took all cigars/puck/hygros out of the humi, and put them in a plastic bag. In a matter of hours, the hygros went from reading 51% and 50% RH in the box, to 53 and 56%(newer and recently calibrated one) in the ziplock.

Does this prove it was a leaky humi?

If so how do i reinforce the seal?

[goalie204]

It sounds to me like your desktop humi leaks like a sieve.
If you want to prove me wrong, try this...
Put your desktop in the vino. Check it's RH prior and leave it shut while it's in the vino.
Set wet sponges (or wet paper towels on a plate, or whatever) in the vino and raise the RH of the vino as high as you can get it.
Let the whole deal sit overnight.
Next day, remove the desktop and quickly check the hygrometer inside.
If it says anything different than what it said when you started this project, it's leaky.


I did something like that, but not exactly...I took a bowl of water and put it near the bottom of the vino while the box humi was inside. It got so steamy in there, to the point that the hygro outside the humidor inside the vino stopped being able to read humidity, it maxed out. I only did this for around 5 or 6 hours, but the humidity inside the box didn't go up, it was still 51% - So now i'm really puzzled.

If possible i'd like to fix/save the box and have it be usable. If it's not possible I guess i can always use it as a drybox and buy new humidors down the road if i ever have money again. Let me know what you think Shilala (and others)

[goalie204]

So i figure its either the seal. Or it's not seasoned right and still absorbing humidity. Whatever, maybe i'll make the ziplock my new permanent storage device. .....ZIPPADOR!

[Genetic Defect]

did you do the light test?

[cort]

did you do the light test?

Did you read the first page??????

:r:r:r

[bobarian]

Rh at low temperatures can be very difficult to maintain. But trust in your beads. It can be difficult, most of us have been through this before. In time you will learn to trust the way your cigars are smoking more than anything else.
If they smoke and draw well, you are doing good.

One thing I did not see is if you calibrated your hygrometer using the salt test.
It could be your hygro is reading low. No problem, just remember to add or subtract the % of deviation. The more smokes you add will also help maintain a constant Rh. :tu

[Genetic Defect]

Did you read the first page??????

:r:r:r

do I ever?

[goalie204]

One thing I did not see is if you calibrated your hygrometer using the salt test.
It could be your hygro is reading low. No problem, just remember to add or subtract the % of deviation. The more smokes you add will also help maintain a constant Rh. :tu


What i did was, I took all cigars/puck/hygros out of the humi, and put them in a plastic bag. In a matter of hours, the hygros went from reading 51% and 50% RH in the box, to 53 and 56%(newer and recently calibrated one) in the ziplock. <== :p

[DonWeb]

Myles, how frequently are you opening the humidor to check humidity? Do you live in a dry climate? Where in the house do you store the humi's.

Other than the above, sounds like you're doing all the right things.

- salt tested the hygrometer
- checked the seal,
- appropriate quantity of humidifying media,
- recognize that cigars may absorb moisture,

[replicant_argent]

I think Myles likes to be confused and make things more difficult than they need to be.



:D



This thread should be active for about 2 more months at this rate.


Good morning MYLES!!!!:r



(small, logical steps will solve the problem.)

[shilala]

What i did was, I took all cigars/puck/hygros out of the humi, and put them in a plastic bag. In a matter of hours, the hygros went from reading 51% and 50% RH in the box, to 53 and 56%(newer and recently calibrated one) in the ziplock.

Does this prove it was a leaky humi?

If so how do i reinforce the seal?
No, it proves your beads are dried out, unless of course you have 55% beads that I'm not familiar with.
Either that or your hygrometers are wonky, or they need new batteries.
I'm not even remotely convinced that your hygrometers are accurate. That's because the information you're giving doesn't jive.

If you want to check your puck, put it in a quart ziplock bag with your hygros for a few hours and then check your hygros.
My guess is that your hygros will end up reading 53 and 56.
At that point you can assume A.) Your beads are dried out. B.) You miscalibrated your hygrometers. C.) Your batteries need replaced in your hygrometers.

[goalie204]

No, it proves your beads are dried out, unless of course you have 55% beads that I'm not familiar with.
Either that or your hygrometers are wonky, or they need new batteries.
I'm not even remotely convinced that your hygrometers are accurate. That's because the information you're giving doesn't jive.

If you want to check your puck, put it in a quart ziplock bag with your hygros for a few hours and then check your hygros.
My guess is that your hygros will end up reading 53 and 56.
At that point you can assume A.) Your beads are dried out. B.) You miscalibrated your hygrometers. C.) Your batteries need replaced in your hygrometers.

I have 3 hygrometers in the large ziplock with my cigars and puck. The brand new digital one i salt calibrated reads 58. The other digital one reads 56. The 3rd one, analog, reads 59-60ish. Because they are all so close, I feel that the humidity is likely in that range.

The puck was charged fine when it was in the humidor. Upon moving everything to a ziplock, humidity went up.

to me that means that either i have a leaky humi, or a humi that's still absorbing moisture.

[goalie204]

Myles, how frequently are you opening the humidor to check humidity? Do you live in a dry climate? Where in the house do you store the humi's.

Other than the above, sounds like you're doing all the right things.

- salt tested the hygrometer
- checked the seal,
- appropriate quantity of humidifying media,
- recognize that cigars may absorb moisture,

When everything was in the humidor, i was opening it once a day, when i would grab a cigar to smoke. It was in a closet, or inside my vino (which is currently in said closet)

The climate is very dry inside my condo, 20% ambient humidity or less. I'm fine with the way it is now, like i've said the cigars are smoking fine. I just want to save my humi if its leaky/unseasoned, i payed a lot of money for it! (75 big bux!)

[goalie204]

I think Myles likes to be confused and make things more difficult than they need to be.



:D



This thread should be active for about 2 more months at this rate.


Good morning MYLES!!!!:r



(small, logical steps will solve the problem.)

Morning Pete.
I definitely do NOT like to be confused, and i'm fine with the current situation of 56-60% RH and having everything in a ziplock bag. People keep responding tho Pete, and i feel obligated to re-respond!

[goalie204]

fear my zippador

http://goaly.org/IMG_0144.jpg

[shilala]

I have 3 hygrometers in the large ziplock with my cigars and puck. The brand new digital one i salt calibrated reads 58. The other digital one reads 56. The 3rd one, analog, reads 59-60ish. Because they are all so close, I feel that the humidity is likely in that range.

The puck was charged fine when it was in the humidor. Upon moving everything to a ziplock, humidity went up.

to me that means that either i have a leaky humi, or a humi that's still absorbing moisture.

Lookin good, brother. :tu
What RH%age is your puck?
I read your last comment and yes, either the new humi is still seasoning or it's leaky. We can't say it's leaky if it hasn't seasoned, though.
A great way to season it is to put it in the vino with a bunch of sponges.
Open it and let it soak that high humidity for a few days.
You should also put your puck in the super-wet vino. That way the beads can suck up all the water that they can hold.
When you put the puck and cigars back in your newly seasoned humi, fight the urge to open 20 times a day. Check it once a day, max. Open and close it very quickly.
If you can avoid opening it for a couple days, that'd be great.
When you ultimately open it, if the RH is much below the RH reading you noted from the "puck and hygros in the ziplock" experiment, then there's a problem. You have a leaky humi. They're VERY common, so don't sweat it.
In many instances a humi has to be well seasoned before it seals good.
The wood will swell so that the seal surfaces will touch, thus creating a good seal.
Using the vino to season the humi will move things along very well.

Another thing that will help keep that little humi humidified is to add more beads and/or get a lot more cigars in it. Cigars are a buffer. They hold water that they can share and give up. They help control your RH.
So go shopping. :)
Even a nice box of $20 cbid smokes will help. :tu

[Wolfgang]

Did you do the Drop test on the humi?

This isnt a smart A$$ answer it actually works. Crude, but functional kinda like me lol.

Lift the lid of your humidor about 2~3 inches then drop it. If the seal is "good" you should hear a sorta whoosh sound as the air cushions the fall of the lid. If it just goes smack closed your leakier than well something leaky :ss :2

[goalie204]

yes mark i have :p

[goalie204]

Lookin good, brother. :tu
What RH%age is your puck?

65%

I read your last comment and yes, either the new humi is still seasoning or it's leaky. We can't say it's leaky if it hasn't seasoned, though.

I seasoned it for 9 days by putting a big old bowl of distilled water and not opening it, don't think that woulda done it?

Even a nice box of $20 cbid smokes will help. :tu

no cbid for us canucks :p

[shilala]

65%



I seasoned it for 9 days by putting a big old bowl of distilled water and not opening it, don't think that woulda done it?



no cbid for us canucks :p

Sounds like your beads are dry.

Not necessarily, especially if you opened it 20 times a day. :)

There's a gazillion brothers that'll help you out with the "no cbid for Canucks" problem, myself included.

[goalie204]

Not necessarily, especially if you opened it 20 times a day. :)


I only opened it 3 times max in the 9 days of seasoning :p

[14holestogie]

I know this is heresy to some, but I always blotted my new humis with distilled water and then soaked up the floral sponges, pucks, etc included and closed it up for a few days. Added Shilala's 65% beads and cigars after. All 4 of mine are holding solid, and all don't have the same tight seals. Try using the sponge method Scott noted and see if that doesn't do it.

[goalie204]

Thanks to everyone for all the help :)

slash delete thread

[Genetic Defect]

Who is who

[shilala]

I only opened it 3 times max in the 9 days of seasoning :p
Impossible!!! :D

[shaggy]

whos on first????

[Genetic Defect]

:r