Humidity Problem

alfredo_buscatti · 12-04-2013, 06:01 AM

After the overnight of 3 glasses of distilled water, rH at 62. I'd like to keep the cigars and beads and water in the humidor and more gradually get the seasoning right; but after reading the sticky on seasoning a humidor feel that I need to remove everything and re-season it. As is I've got 15 cigars, beads and the three glasses of water in the humidor; too many variables to correctly assess the humidity. Starting out with just the sponge seems very much like the way to go.

One question: some say to saturate the sponge leaving all the water it can hold in it while others say to saturate then wring it out. Does it matter how quickly the sponge brings the humidity up? Is going slowly by wringing it out best?

Thank you very much for your replies. Seasoning a humidor is more complex that one would think.

CigarNut · 12-04-2013, 07:30 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by alfredo_buscatti

After the overnight of 3 glasses of distilled water, rH at 62. I'd like to keep the cigars and beads and water in the humidor and more gradually get the seasoning right; but after reading the sticky on seasoning a humidor feel that I need to remove everything and re-season it. As is I've got 15 cigars, beads and the three glasses of water in the humidor; too many variables to correctly assess the humidity. Starting out with just the sponge seems very much like the way to go.

One question: some say to saturate the sponge leaving all the water it can hold in it while others say to saturate then wring it out. Does it matter how quickly the sponge brings the humidity up? Is going slowly by wringing it out best?

Thank you very much for your replies. Seasoning a humidor is more complex that one would think.

Best thing is to take the cigars and beads out -- otherwise you will saturate them.

I saturate my sponge to start and then resaturate the sponge as needed until my humidor will hold a steady RH. The point of the seasoning process is to add moisture to the wood in your humidor -- almost to the point of saturation.

The added moisture has two main benefits:

- it causes the wood to swell a bit causing the joints to tighten up and seal better
- it provides a secondary source of moisture for your cigars

alfredo_buscatti · 12-14-2013, 07:33 PM

I'm a week into seasoning this humidor with only a ceramic dish, sponge soaked in distilled water and a hygrometer inside the humidor. I'm concerned about the rH readings I'm getting. It climbed gradually to a high of 73 but has been gradually falling off for about the last four days, and now reads 68.

I've only been opening the lid once a day to rehydrate sponge.

Is this of any concern?

bobarian · 12-14-2013, 08:08 PM

Why are you opening it daily?

Leave it alone! After two weeks open it and take out the sponge. Then take a RH reading. Close the humidor and in 24hrs see if the same RH has been maintained, if so then it is stable and ready to use. You may need to lower the RH a bit to get to your preference. Just leave it open for an hour and take another reading.

12-04-2013, 06:01 AM	#1
alfredo_buscatti Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Jan 2011 First Name: Mike Location: Piedmont, NC Posts: 277 Trading: (9)	Re: Humidity Problem After the overnight of 3 glasses of distilled water, rH at 62. I'd like to keep the cigars and beads and water in the humidor and more gradually get the seasoning right; but after reading the sticky on seasoning a humidor feel that I need to remove everything and re-season it. As is I've got 15 cigars, beads and the three glasses of water in the humidor; too many variables to correctly assess the humidity. Starting out with just the sponge seems very much like the way to go. One question: some say to saturate the sponge leaving all the water it can hold in it while others say to saturate then wring it out. Does it matter how quickly the sponge brings the humidity up? Is going slowly by wringing it out best? Thank you very much for your replies. Seasoning a humidor is more complex that one would think.

12-14-2013, 07:33 PM	#3
alfredo_buscatti Adjusting to the Life Join Date: Jan 2011 First Name: Mike Location: Piedmont, NC Posts: 277 Trading: (9)	Re: Humidity Problem I'm a week into seasoning this humidor with only a ceramic dish, sponge soaked in distilled water and a hygrometer inside the humidor. I'm concerned about the rH readings I'm getting. It climbed gradually to a high of 73 but has been gradually falling off for about the last four days, and now reads 68. I've only been opening the lid once a day to rehydrate sponge. Is this of any concern?

12-14-2013, 08:08 PM	#4
bobarian Cranky Habanophile Join Date: Oct 2008 Location: Wine Country Posts: 8,869 Trading: (51)	Re: Humidity Problem Why are you opening it daily? Leave it alone! After two weeks open it and take out the sponge. Then take a RH reading. Close the humidor and in 24hrs see if the same RH has been maintained, if so then it is stable and ready to use. You may need to lower the RH a bit to get to your preference. Just leave it open for an hour and take another reading.