Humidor Problem

Hello again. As all of you in here know, I am having a seal problem with my 400+ count Don Salvatore Footlocker humidor. To correct this problem, I ended up putting 3 layers of the white peel and stick foam rubber weather stripping all around the lid and body of the humidor where the lid's seam closes shut. Anyways, after I put the weather stripping on the humidor, I took out the original Viper humi tubes and the 70% beads because of the plastic odor which they were giving out inside my humidor. I no longer was using the 70% beads until I received the brand new 70% beads which I just ordered from Viper. Since I made all of these adjustments and not using any beads, I was only using the 2 humistats as the "ONLY" humidification devices inside this particular humidor. Two days before Christmas (4 days ago) when I made all these alterations and adjustments, the humidity level was only at 57%. Because of this, I recharged the 2 humistats, put them back inside the humidor, shut the lid and I placed some weight on top of the humidor lid to make the seal tight so the humidity level would rise. Please remember that I also have 3 layers of weather stripping around the seal of the humidor between the lid and the body of the humidor.

On the 2nd day, when I checked the humidity level inside the humidor it was at 62%. It went up from 57% where it was a day earlier to 62% on the second day. Since then, I didn't open up the humidor again until this evening (the 4th day). When I opened the humidor up this evening, the humidity level was only at 58%. It had gone down from 62% where it was at just 4 days ago. I would like to know WHY this happened? If I already have 3 layers of weather stripping one on top of each other all around the humidor's seal on the lid and on the body of the humidor, and if I also placed enough weight on top of the lid to keep the lid's seal tightly closed and if I recharged the 2 humistats inside the humidor, then WHY did the humidity level go down to 58%? This particular humidor is full with over 7 boxes of cigars in it and a 1/2 full tray of loose cigars on the top part of the humidor. If anything, with all of these cigars inside it, the humidity level should have gone up, but it didn't. I don't know WHY?

I attempted to try and correct this problem this evening by placing 1 1/2 lbs of the brand new 70% beads with the mesh drawstring bags which I just received from Viper in 2 small trays inside the humidor. I am hoping that the 1 1/2lbs of 70% beads will be enough beads to increase the humidity level inside the humidor to 70% or close to it. I also recharged both humistats again. And I also added some weight (a few heavy books) to the lid to make the seal close tight.

Do you think that the 1 1/2 lbs beads that I just added will correct the problem with the low humidity level and that it will make the humidity rise to the desired 70%? I still have the 3 layers of weather stripping on the humidor and I still placed weight on top of the lid to make the seal tight after I put the 1 1/2 lbs of 70% beads inside the humidor and I also recharged the 2 humistats that are stuck on the inside of the humidor lid. If the amount of 70% beads that I just put inside the humidor doesn't bring up the humidity level to 70%, then what could be the problem? What is preventing the humidity level from rising when I already have 3 layers of weather stripping, plus weight on the lid, plus the 1 1/2 lbs of beads inside the humidor, plus the 2 recharged humistats inside the humidor?

Do you think that all the beads and the 3 layers of weather stripping and the weight that was placed on top of the humidor lid will solve the problem that I am having and finally bring the humidity level inside the humidor to 70% this time around? I would like some input on this.

Thanks

I'm starting to think your humidor is a POS (no personal offense intended) I'd either look into a large cooler that can hold that many cigars or a new humidor.

Trying to stabilize a bad humidor is like trying to bail out a canoe with a splintered bottom with a bucket... your going to sink no matter how long you work at it.

Yup, at this point that seems to be the only viable sollution. Get a new humidor.

Doc.

Yeah I think this is a good idea...your humi shouldn't be causing you this much stress, its taking away from the fun of it, i don't want you to have a coronary worrying about your humidity level all the time, something is most likely not right with your footlocker humidor..

Devil Doc said:

Yup, at this point that seems to be the only viable sollution. Get a new humidor.

Doc.

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Hey, I gave you a fix for your seal in your last thread Personally, I am getting tired of reading this line of threads. It appears to me that you just want attention. For the last time, put your damn cigars in a cooler, fix the seal on the locker using the sail makers wax, or buy a new frickin cabinet. This line of threads is retarded because you aren't following anyones advice except for Vipers.

Emo

I will ask one more time. Have you calibrated or verified that your hygrometers are correct. If you have not done this you have no idea what the actual rh is in the humi.

viper139 said:

I will ask one more time. Have you calibrated or verified that your hygrometers are correct. If you have not done this you have no idea what the actual rh is in the humi.

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I think he is here just for the attention. Like I said, just a waste of time for us.

Emo

i was having the same problem with the first humidor i owned (thompsons)....it is now a jewelry box for the wife, no cigars in it, no problems. i would discard this problem humidor.
it takes days for the humidity to correct itself, remember, the humidty changes with the ambient temps and humdity daily.
we have all given you sound advice, please calmly re-read all that advice and take some action with said advice. and for God sakes, check and see if your hygrometer is properly calibrated (as viper suggested), you may be giving yourself gray hair for nothing.

Okay, here is the update on my humidor:
I checked the humidity level this afternoon and it was at 69%. The 1 1/2lbs of Viper's beads that I put inside my humidor made the humidity level rise to 69%. I am hoping that the humidity level will stay at the 69%-70% level.

emodx said:

viper139 said:

I will ask one more time. Have you calibrated or verified that your hygrometers are correct. If you have not done this you have no idea what the actual rh is in the humi.

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I think he is here just for the attention. Like I said, just a waste of time for us.

Emo

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This isn't true. I am here to get help, not to waste anybody's time. Please understand this.


Also, I am considering getting a cooler if my humidor keeps having these problems with the humidity. But I know nothing about how to prep and how to use a cooler as a humidor for my cigars. I also need to know which cooler to purchase that doesn't have any plastic odor inside it. I am afraid of the cooler having a plastic odor and ruining my cigars. The main reasons why I haven't purchased a cooler is because I don't know which type of cooler to get, and I have no clue as to which one to get that doesn't smell bad inside and because I don't know what needs to be done to prep one in order to make it into a cigar humidor. Maybe you can give me some information about this. I will be thankful for your help.

Check out the pinned coolider 101 thread, on this page.

Okay, I will try to find it and read all about it.

So I take it you didn't try the sailmakers wax. Your loss. As far as coolers go, now is the time to buy. I am sure they are way cheep. Just walk up to one, open it up, stick yer head inside and take a whiff. A small odor is plastic odor is fine. If it makes you turn green look elsewhere.

Emo

Its' too bad you didn't take any of the good advice here or on CW. It would have saved you some hassle...

But to make it REAL easy...

http://www.cigarpass.com/forumsipb/index.php?showtopic=13217

emodx said:

So I take it you didn't try the sailmakers wax. Your loss. As far as coolers go, now is the time to buy. I am sure they are way cheep. Just walk up to one, open it up, stick yer head inside and take a whiff. A small odor is plastic odor is fine. If it makes you turn green look elsewhere.

Emo

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I am going to purchase the sail makers wax like you recommended. I just haven't had any time to go out and purchase it. I have been busy with work. I don't even have much time to go and check up on my humidor. I am glad about one thing though. The humidity level went up to 69% the last time I checked up on it earlier this afternoon. Hopefully, the humidity level will stay at 69%. I think that the weather stripping, the 1 1/2 lbs of Viper's beads and the weight that was applied to the lid helped bring the humidity level up.

Bill I set up a 150 qt. cooler in about an hour and a half with wire shelving and a remote sensor hygrometer from radio shack.Two days later and 6 boxes of my best cigars it rests at 65% at 70degrees very easy after reading the thread on building these. If you have any questions pm me

Bill Clinton, stop worrying about 3-5% jumps, it's not a big deal. I think you worry too f'ing much. Let the beads do the work, smoke a cigar and relax.

Another suggestion: Rename your humidor something other then Monica and maybe you'll have better luck.

I just re-checked my humidor again this morning. The humidity level was at 73%. The 70% beads are starting to work.

The only other thing that I noticed was that there is still a faint presence of the sweet smelling plastic odor inside my humidor from the end caps of the humi tubes. This odor is not as strong as it was when the humi tubes were sitting inside the humidor, but the odor is still present. I know that I aired out the humidor pretty good with the lid open after I took out the original Viper Humi Tubes, before I put in the brand new beads that I just received from Viper. The original plastic odor went away after I aired out the humidor, but it seems that some of the plastic odor is still present now that the humidity level inside the humidor has gone up to 70%-73%. I didn't re-use any of the original plastic humi tubes or any of the original beads that I originally took out of the humidor that had the plastic odor in them. I am currently using only the brand new beads and the drawstring mesh bags that I just received from Viper.

I am hoping that the plastic odor that is still lingering inside the humidor will eventually go away with time. What do you think? Will this faint plastic odor go away with time and do you think that it will be replaced with the odor of the humidor's cedar wood and with the odor of the cigars and cigar boxes? I would like to know.

I think you need to f'ing relax. It's cigars for gods sake, not major surgery.

Leave the beads and your humidor ALONE for a week, then go back and check. The smell should be replaced w/ that of cigars and tobacco.

This is getting about as fun as teaching my mom how to use email, SHEESH.