Quote:
Originally Posted by shadow king
I have beads in all 3 of my humidors. 1 is a puck for my 25 ct humi. The other 2 are 1lb bags of 65% beads for a 100ct and 150ct humi. All 3 hygrometers read about 60-61%RH. (yes the batteries are fairly new) I can't get them to 65%. Am I just nitpicking about small potatos or should I give the humi's some help with those humidifiers that come with the humis? Presently I took them all out and using strictly beads.
I just find it odd that 65% beads don't actually get up to 65% in my case anyways...
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Verify that you have enough RH Beads for your size humidors. The Puck-100 will regulate up to 1050 cubic inches and the Puck-50 will regulate up to 405 cubic inches of volume.
1.) Since the hygrometer is our only visual indicator for what the exact RH level is inside the humidor, I recommend calibrating your digital hygrometer twice a year and replacing the battery annually (weak batteries can give a false reading as well).
How to Test and Calibrate a Hygrometer:
1. Fill a small container with salt (milk bottle cap or ketchup cup works well)
2. Add a few drops of distilled water. NOT enough to dissolve the salt, just enough to moisten it. You want the mixture to be thick and pasty.
3. Put the cap inside of an air tight zip lock bag or plastic container along with your hygrometer. Then seal the bag or container. (Tupperware works well).
4. Wait 24 hours, then check the reading on your hygrometer without opening the bag or container (or quickly open the container and check if the container is not clear).
If the reading is 75%, then your hygrometer is accurate and no adjustment is required.
If the reading is not precisely 75%, then you will just have to remember to add or subtract the difference between the test reading and 75%, in order to determine the actual humidity level inside of your humidor.
For example, if your hygrometer test reading was 80%, then subtract 5% from the readings you get when the hygrometer is inside of your humidor to determine the actual levels of humidity.
(e.g. a reading of 70% inside your humidor equals an actual humidity
level of 65%).
Writing the +/- percentage on a piece of tape or small post it note and
affixing it to the hygrometer works well.
2.) Check the seal on the humidor. A poor seal will allow ambient humidity to enter the relative humidity environment of his humidor. And vice versa (allow RH to escape). Additionally, opening and closing the humidor frequently will do the same thing.
A simple test would be to place a dollar bill 1/2 in and 1/2 out of the humidor and close the lid. If you can remove the dollar bill easily, the seal is weak and would allow ambient humidity into your humidor (relative humidity).
Repeat this is all four sides.
I hope this helps
~Mark