These are the three most common troubleshooting tips for setting up your humidor.
1.) What are the dimensions of your humidor? (eg verify you have enough)
- Verify that the Puck-ifier is the right size for you humidor. The Puck-100 will regulate up to 1050 cubic inches of volume and the Puck-50 will regulate up to 405 cubic inches.
- 1lb of RH Beads will regulate up to 5 cubic feet and 8 ounces will regulate up to 2.5 cubic feet
2.) Did you properly season the humidor when you first received it? (Doesn't apply to a cooler)
- New wood will quickly soak up moisture faster than the Puck-ifer can put out. To ensure the best use, properly seasoning your new humidor is essential.
3.) Have you replaced the batteries calibrated your digital hygrometer?
- Hygrometers can be off as much as 10% and weak batteries can and do give false readings.
To Properly Season A Humidor:
In regards to seasoning, it's pretty simple. Most people think that you should wipe down the interior with water and you're done but I DO NOT recommend this for two reasons. 1.) It does not provide enough moisture to properly season the humidor 2.) It can warp the wood in the humidor.
New wood will draw moisture until it reaches its saturation point, so to properly season your humidor, simply place a large bowl of distilled water into the humidor and keep it closed for 7-10 days. This will allow the dry wood to absorb as much moisture as it can hold. By doing this, you will have a more stable environment for your cigars and reduce the chances of the dry wood absorbing moisture from your cigars.
Calibrating a Hygrometer:
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.
I hope this helps and thanks for the support, I greatly appreciate it.
Sincerely,
Mark
Cigarmony LLC
