Cant get above 62%

[Booyah24]

Hey all... I have a 150ct humidor which is 3/4 full. Lately, I haven't been able to get the humidor to go above 62%. I have a gel container and the humidifier which I refill with distilled water periodically. Any ideas or suggestions? Thanks!!

 

[bluue13]

Search. This question comes up many many times. If you do some searching around in the humidor threads you're sure to find what you're looking for. Ditch the gel, get the heartfelt beads.

edit: spelling

 

[LarryLarry]

Just a quick additional query/note:

when people on the board mention "the gel" they are referencing that jelly like clear stuff that they sell in the jars that you take the cap off and charge with some solution (I call it placebo juice)?

I just took the gel out of the cup, filled it with distilled water, put the mesh lid back on and it was good to go. Is there any reason I need to put beads in there and then pour the distilled water in there? I like the pure distilled because I can dump it and refresh it frequently.

 

[MilesMingusMonk]

Just a quick additional query/note:

when people on the board mention "the gel" they are referencing that jelly like clear stuff that they sell in the jars that you take the cap off and charge with some solution (I call it placebo juice)?

I just took the gel out of the cup, filled it with distilled water, put the mesh lid back on and it was good to go. Is there any reason I need to put beads in there and then pour the distilled water in there? I like the pure distilled because I can dump it and refresh it frequently.

Humidity beads have the benefit of both releasing moisture as well as absorbing moisture around a fixed Rh %. It is beneficial to maximize the surface area of the beads to increase their efficiency.

Dump the floral foam, PG ( Propylene Glycol ) and the gel goo jars. Invest in an adjustable digital hygrometer, beads and distilled water. Don't forget to calibrate your hygrometer via the salt test or Boveda pack.

 

[LarryLarry]

Yeah I run two calibrated hygrometers along with the distilled water. I keep my humidor between 68-71% constantly. I may give the beads a shot but I likely won't mess with something that has been working so well.

On a side note: does anyone think the plastic beads add a sent/flavor to humidor?

 

[bluue13]

Yeah I run two calibrated hygrometers along with the distilled water. I keep my humidor between 68-71% constantly. I may give the beads a shot but I likely won't mess with something that has been working so well.

On a side note: does anyone think the plastic beads add a sent/flavor to humidor?

Heartfelt beads are damn near maintenance free and close to perfection when it comes to holding humidity. They wont mess anything up so long as you follow the directions and don't over hydrate.

Also- Not sure what you mean by the last question. Plastic beads?

 

[MilesMingusMonk]

If using just straight distilled water in your humidor, your cigars become the hygroscopic hosts for excessive moisture. You are asking for trouble - seems silly to invest money into storing cigar - but not spending $30 on a proven system as insurance.

 

[LarryLarry]

Ok I see what you guys are saying. So far so good. Cigars are always hygroscopic. If they weren't hygroscopic they would just be concrete sticks. Don't let cigar vendor and product supplier language fool you. Holding a relative humidity at 70% is the same no matter how you introduce moisture into the air. If you humidor is at 70% with 100 cigars, it will drop if you introduce 100 more cigars unless you boost your ability to add more moisture into the air. Cigar quantity and humidor relative humidity are proportional. So if your cigars go into the humidor from an environment that was at 70% and your humidor is at 70%, no matter how you introduce/regulate moisture, you will always have the same cigar moisture level regardless of how you are handling humidity.

Remember that surface area is important. If a shot glass of water holds your humidor at 70% then two shot glasses will raise it beyond 70%. The beads are merely a conductor and absorber of moisture - so is the wood inside the humidor. No matter what, you can over humidify using beads, water, or gels.

 

[MilesMingusMonk]

Good to hear that technique works for you LarryLarry - but it is not a method I would recommend for members new to maintaining a steady humidor.

 

[LarryLarry]

Thats fair. I may be lucky because I have the correct ratios of surface area of humidor, to cigar count, to humidifier surface area. If you think about it, most cigar shops have open vat cool water humidifiers. What that means is just a huge bucket of water with a fan on top. I basically have that going. I too wouldn't recommend it to beginners simply because its not THAT easy and I have lots of experience in the storage/upkeep.