Humidity Problems

[PSTAN]

I received my ½ lb. of 65% beads from Vern this past Monday, patience paid off, but I am having a problem.

Problem: My humidor is 1.69 cubic foot and a ½ lb., actually just under a ½ lb., should take care my needs if 1lb = 5 cubic foot as listed in the literature that came with the beads. Since receiving, wetting and placing the beads in the humidor the highest reading I can get on the hygrometer is 49% and this is using the entire ½ lb. (last effort) being held in a nylon/pantihose clipping (trying not to say sack since it looks like a big "scrotum" :0 ) even after adding extra sealing material to the humidor. Currently using the wireless temperature/hygrometer system from Radio Shack and tested it in several locations. After placing both the base and remote units in the refrigerator for a couple of hours it only come up with a small difference in readings (1%) between the base and remote. In a normal room setting, at first I will get up to a 5% difference, but it eventually will get within 2%. I have read and read the manual and not found data other than the overall reading rang for the hygrometer portion.

Question: Any suggestions for a next step would be greatly appreciate because I am about at wits end? Should it take this long to correct the humidity? This is really beginning to pi$$ me off. :angry2:

NOTE: Previous humidifcation system was the "wet floral foam" with distilled water, I did not like it but the humidity stayed up according the the "dial/analog" hygrometer.

Edited for spelling. Typing when angry is not good.

 

[AVB]

Salt test your hygrometer to make sure it is giving an accurate reading.

 

[gr8full2day]

Did you possibly not wet them 'enough'? I have heard of wetting them tooo much, but hey if foam ones work then go back to them for now. I am interested in the answers to this one, I am new to using beads as well. Actually they are in my pass and I assume they are holding up okay, no one has reported any probs to date. Hope all works out for ya... :thumbs:

 

[PSTAN]

All excess moisture was drained by hanging the panty scrotum on the faucet over the kitchen sink till I could not notice any distilled water dripping, I figured a little extrea to be soaked in the wood shouldn't hurt.

MY BAD! :whistling: I have not perfomed the SALT TEST on the remote sensor yet since both units, base and remote sensor, registered within 1.5 degrees and 1% humidity of each other after being in the refrigerator for two hours.

The current readings for the humidor are 69.8F at 51% humidity. I will monitor it again through out the day to see what happens. If nothing gets better by tomorrow morning I will do the salt test and go from there.

 

[gr8full2day]

OR you could send me all your premium ceegars for long term storage... :laugh: ..Hope it all works out for ya..

 

[PSTAN]

Gr8full2day:

How about you send me yours first, humidor or coolidor included. Then I'll send you mine. :whistling:


I have the feeling that by this weekend the remote senor will go back to Radio Shack to be replaced or I'll be pulling out one of the coolers from storage.

I can hear the wife already, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH, BLAH!!!!!!!!!

 

[emodx]

Did you soak the beads? Beads work by absorbing water vapor, not actual liquid water. Regardless, put the beads and foam in the humi until you do the salt test. Some times it does take a little set up for the beads. Considering that the meters are correct, just leave the foam and the beads in the humi until the meter hits around +2% above what the beads are rated for. Then take out the foam oasis. Your beads are then set up and will be good for a long while.

emo

 

[PSTAN]

Aparently I did not read enough of the previous posts concerning the beads and did not catch the "Beads work by absorbing water vapor, not actual liquid water."

I followed these instructions that came with the beads.

"If you need to increase the humididty follow the instructions below.

Begin by adding 15 ml. of water per pound ot the beads. The water can be poured over the top of the beads. The water will be absorbed inside the beads. The beads will automatically calibrate themselves and begin controlling the humidity inside your humidor."

Thanks everyone for the advice.

 

[Gunpowder]

I just added this long-range device to my igloodor as well. I kept the $20 radio shack device that was already in there as well to compare. I did the salt test on the $20 device 8 months ago and it is right on. I also use the beads.

A few options:

1. First be patient. If you are like me the house is very dry due to winter. The humi should stablize but give it time and do not keep opening it up. Also, My remote unit read low initially then over a day or so raised to the proper level ($20 hygrometer confirmed level).

2. Reset the devises as described in the instructions. (Reset)

3. Put a bowl of water in the humi so the beads can absorb the mosture. Watch the meter as it should shoot up to 75-80% so do not leave it in more than over night unless your humi is really dry (wood wise).

4. Buy the $20 meter and do the salt test with it and then keep both in there to compare and track accuracy over the months.

5. Take the unit back and get another.

6. Buy a second remote if you maybe want another one for outside. Put it in the humi for comparison temorary. Return on if one doesn't work.

 

[PSTAN]

I am currently trying Emo's advice. I pulled the beads dried them and let them absorb water vapor, replaced them in the humidor along with sponge, relocated the humidor inside another cabinet to keep and HVAC ducts from blowing air on it and pulled some smokes out to get me by. I will give this remote unit till Friday if it is not working it is time for a replacement. :angry:

I went to buy a second remote on Sunday but the store did not have any in stock.

 

[PSTAN]

Salt Tested Hygrometer - come out at 74% - 1% off is livible.

Continued having problems till last night and the only way that I solved it was to remove the shelf. I guess I will need to season the shelf again by itself because now the humidor is registering correctly.

Thanks everyone for their advice.

 

[Eins]

Question to PSTAN:

You mentioned earlier that you hung up your 'scrotum' until it stopped dripping :laugh: , and in a post below, you mentioned that you followed instructions in wetting the beads.

Are you saying that the instructed amount of water over-saturated the beads to a point where they dripped?

I'm interested in this because I'm about to change from oasis to beads in my new 150 count desktop and want to learn from your experience.

Thx

 

[PSTAN]

Hanging by the scrotum is so painful. :whistling: I am married, so what is their to complain about, this is almost normal. :sign:

The first time that I tried to "activate" the beads was by the directions that come with them but I did add too much water. When I switched them from a small container to the scrotum sack I let the excess moisture that would drip (better see the doctor for that) :0 come off so I did not have any water laying around in the bottom of the humidor to touch the cigars.

My humidity levels did not change after doing this so I followed Emo's advice.
First I dried the beads with a hair dryer, let them rest for a little while, then I used our steamer to re-activate them. I them put the scrotum sack, along with an anti-bacterial "Cello" sponge in the original foam casing, back in the humidor. The humidity was rising so slow I pulled my remote sensor and did the salt test (see previous post) and ended up pulling out the shelf. Then my humidity went up. It actually went up to 69% but has stabilized at 65%. I have not put the shelf back in yet because I haven't re-seasoned it.

I know that I have just a little more beads in the humi than I calculated but I did not want to store the small amount of left-over so I put them in the "sack". Be sure to do the necessary calculations to see the quantity of beads you actually need. Vern may have a better solution. I did not do that because I am eyeing a cooler in the attic. If you are looking into possibly having a separate cooler to store boxes I would recommend ordering a full pound of the beads so that you have some to use when you are ready to and when/if you place an order with Vern, be patient. It will payoff because the beads are so much easier, after the humidor is set up.

Note: Trying to activate the beads per their instructions wasn't that big of a deal, just a hassle and a little messy. After using the water vapor approach I would recommend it. Also, I would recommend getting one or both of the digital hygrometer that Dixie recommended in is post. If you are getting them from Radio Shack just know that not all Radio Shacks will carry them, but you can order from the net.

 

[Eins]

Thank you for that detailed report. It helps having it all in one post. Now I have a good idea how to proceed. One question remains open.

Be sure to do the necessary calculations to see the quantity of beads you actually need.

Is it okay to have more than needed? Even having a lot more?
If I follow their formula (1# for 5 cuft), I'd only need far less than 1/4 # for my 150 count desktop humi. But then, looking at their description for the Premier Thin Humidifier, which is the size of my credo, they have 125 grams in it (which is more than 1/4 #) and specify for only 35 cigars. That same size credo with oasis in my humi is supposed to be good for 150 gars.

But then, maybe the 125 grams is total weight of the box, not just beads.

I guess I'll have to talk to Vern to get that squared away.

Again, thanks for the detail and depth.