Humidor self regulating

[MaxNoodle]

If my hygrometer is constantly reading 65% without a humidifier in the humidor, should I still have one in there. The reason I ask is because i went to pull out a stick the other day and the wrapper seemed to be dry, it flaked at the foot...my hygrometer has been salt tested and it is reading correctly so i was just wondering if it still needs the water in there?

Thanks.

~ t

 

[Sweetrice80]

Hey Tony,

To answer your question quickly, I would always have some sort of humidifier in there, (heartfelt beads is what I use and prefer) the reason for this is simple. Maybe at some times during the day it reads at 65% and other times when you are not watching it soars above 70%. That is inconsistency. cigars need consistency, so having some sort of humidifier with them IMO, is necessary, it keeps it at 65% pretty much all the time. I work during the day, so I have no idea what the humidity is in my basement during the day, I know during the night it is pretty close to 65% however having the beads allows me to set and forget. I check every time I go get a stick to see if any distilled water is needed. I have had the beads for over 4 months now and never had to add distilled water, a few times had to "burp" the cooler to get the RH% down back to its 65% RH.

Hope this helped


David

edit to add: that stick up pulled out did you check it before putting it in the humidor? It could of been that way before you had possession of it. If that happens again, keep it in the humidor for longer and it should go back to its normal self. (most of the time it does).

 

[BlindedByScience]

Sweetrice80 nailed it. What you need perhaps isn't a humidifier, per se, but a humidity buffer. Heartfelt's beads do just that. I can recommend them easily, without reservation.

I have a Staebell cabinet with active humidification installed. I still have bags of beads placed on most every shelf. It hold the humidity very steady and the buffers the swings up and down very well. In the summer when the ambient RH is higher than I want in my cabinet, I let the humidifiers inside run dry. In the winter with the forced air heat on, things really dry out in the house so I run the humidifiers. In both cases, the beads provide humidity "ballast" and overall it works very well.

Good luck - B.B.S.

 

[MaxNoodle]

Sweetrice80 nailed it. What you need perhaps isn't a humidifier, per se, but a humidity buffer. Heartfelt's beads do just that. I can recommend them easily, without reservation.

I have a Staebell cabinet with active humidification installed. I still have bags of beads placed on most every shelf. It hold the humidity very steady and the buffers the swings up and down very well. In the summer when the ambient RH is higher than I want in my cabinet, I let the humidifiers inside run dry. In the winter with the forced air heat on, things really dry out in the house so I run the humidifiers. In both cases, the beads provide humidity "ballast" and overall it works very well.

Good luck - B.B.S.

I have 65% heartfelt beads but haven't put them in the humidifier because its always at 65%. It just seems unnecessary and takes up room (next question below) And I constantly check it to make sure, I am home alot, and I am home during the day on weekends, and if anything it may fluctuate +/- 1% to either 64% or 66%...never noticed anything other than those readings. So I wasn't sure if the humidor needed the humidifier in there for someother reason.

Question 2: So I currently have a glasstop / desktop humidor, anything larger is out of the question as per the wife. In any event my question is this. The heartfelt beads that I have are in a rectangle plastic case with mesh on one side to collect and allow water to escape. I haven't been able to figure out the best place to put it. If I put it on a side wall my cigars will be resting against it, that can't be good. If I lay it flat, it takes up WAY too much room, and putting it on the lid where the glass is, well that just defeats the purpose of the aesthetics of a glasstop humi. Also, my humidor is packed to the glass so it can't go there anyway. The only solution I can see feasable is sideways in the bottom, and use a divider to keep it from touching the cigars. What other options do I have?

All suggestions are welcome.

Thanks!

~ t

edit to add: that stick up pulled out did you check it before putting it in the humidor? It could of been that way before you had possession of it. If that happens again, keep it in the humidor for longer and it should go back to its normal self. (most of the time it does).

David ~

No this has been in there for about 4-5 months. After it peeled I chucked it. I guess I could have cut it, didn't think of that.

Thanks.

~ t

 

[Sweetrice80]

Sweetrice80 nailed it. What you need perhaps isn't a humidifier, per se, but a humidity buffer. Heartfelt's beads do just that. I can recommend them easily, without reservation.

I have a Staebell cabinet with active humidification installed. I still have bags of beads placed on most every shelf. It hold the humidity very steady and the buffers the swings up and down very well. In the summer when the ambient RH is higher than I want in my cabinet, I let the humidifiers inside run dry. In the winter with the forced air heat on, things really dry out in the house so I run the humidifiers. In both cases, the beads provide humidity "ballast" and overall it works very well.

Good luck - B.B.S.

I have 65% heartfelt beads but haven't put them in the humidifier because its always at 65%. It just seems unnecessary and takes up room (next question below) And I constantly check it to make sure, I am home alot, and I am home during the day on weekends, and if anything it may fluctuate +/- 1% to either 64% or 66%...never noticed anything other than those readings. So I wasn't sure if the humidor needed the humidifier in there for someother reason.

Question 2: So I currently have a glasstop / desktop humidor, anything larger is out of the question as per the wife. Inany event my question is this. The heartfelt beads that I have are in a rectangle plastic case with mesh on one side tocollect and allow water to escape. I haven't been ablt to figure out the best place to put it. If I put it on a side wall my cigars will be resting against it, that can't be good. If I lay it flat, it takes up WAY too much room, and putting it on the lid where the glass is, well that just defeats the purpose of the aesthetics of a glasstop humi. Also, my humidor is packe to the glass so it can't go there anyway. The only solution I can see feasable is sideways in the bottom, and use a divider to keep it from touching the cigars. What other options do I have?

All suffestions are welcome.

Thanks!

~ t

How much distilled water are you using. You should (depending how many beads you have) only put a few teaspoons of distilled water on the beads, and even then the beads soak them right up. (about a 70/30 ratio of white/crystal color) If the distilled water is running, you have to much. What I do is add distilled water and let it sit and soak up the distilled water before putting it in to the humidor. No so sure about this, but having a cigar to close to the beads is alright as long as they are not touching (beads to cigar that is) it can touch the plastic that holds your beads.

David

 

[MaxNoodle]

I'm not using "any" water as I said there is no humidifier in the humidor bec it maintains a 65% reading without one. My beads from heartfelt came with a syringe and the instructions stated to wet 90% of them. So when I do use it, thats what I'll do.

Thanks.

~ t

 

[Sweetrice80]

I'm not using "any" water as I said there is no humidifier in the humidor bec it maintains a 65% reading without one. My beads from heartfelt came with a syringe and the instructions stated to wet 90% of them. So when I do use it, thats what I'll do.

Thanks.

~ t

Maybe more experts can help you with this. Because I do not remember getting instructions saying to wet 90% of them.

I know you are not using any humidifier ( but I was suggesting if you did, you should not worry about getting the cigars "wet" or rubbing against the container you have the beads in.)


Edit: was writing in a hurry... fixed errors

 

[NASTY]

I ordered 65% Heartfelt beads not too long ago and I'm pretty positive the directions read that when you put them in the first time, 70% should be clear (wet).

 

[MaxNoodle]

I'm not using "any" water as I said there is no humidifier in the humidor bec it maintains a 65% reading without one. My beads from heartfelt came with a syringe and the instructions stated to wet 90% of them. So when I do use it, thats what I'll do.

Thanks.

~ t

Maybe more experts can help you with this. Because I do not remember getting instructions saying to wet 90% of them.

I know you are not using any humidifier ( but I suggesting if you did you should not worry about getting the cigars "wet" or rubbing against the container you have the beads in.

Thanks Dave. This is a tricky one, because I used to keep my humidor at 70% and I needed a humidifier to keep it up there. But once I went to 65%, it maintained on its own. I'll post a pic of the instructions if i still have them, it says 90%, because i remember thinking that was alot too. O well. Maybe I'll just put the beads in for the hell of it. It ain't gonna hurt!

~ t

 

[BlindedByScience]

.....The only solution I can see feasable is sideways in the bottom, and use a divider to keep it from touching the cigars. What other options do I have?

That should do it just fine, though the truth is I've had smokes up against the nylon bags of beads when I ran a desktop and nothing evil ever happened.

I'd mist the beads with distilled water before you put them in the humidor and watch their color, as suggested on Heartfelt's web site.

Good luck - B.B.S.

 

[MaxNoodle]

I ordered 65% Heartfelt beads not too long ago and I'm pretty positive the directions read that when you put them in the first time, 70% should be clear (wet).

Right...thats what mine said too, but I thought it was 90% - I may be mistaken - probably mistaken. In any event. Still don't know if I even need them....?

Get anything in the mail today

.....The only solution I can see feasable is sideways in the bottom, and use a divider to keep it from touching the cigars. What other options do I have?

That should do it just fine, though the truth is I've had smokes up against the nylon bags of beads when I ran a desktop and nothing evil ever happened.

I'd mist the beads with distilled water before you put them in the humidor and watch their color, as suggested on Heartfelt's web site.

Good luck - B.B.S.

Already have them BBS...they came with a syringe tho - however I did hear misting them is easier...but i have no spray bottles. I'll just use the provided syringe and let them soak in as David stated.

Thanks for all the advice!

~ t

 

[BlindedByScience]

I bought a little spray bottle in the grocery store and a gallon of distilled water that I use for my humidifiers. Both for about two bucks....cheap and easy to find.

I found the spray bottle the best way to go, but again, I was (am) using bags of beads.

Humidors are one of those things that sometimes take a while to sort out, but once you get them stable, they can be very low maintenance.

Hang in there - B.B.S.

 

[souldog]

Let's see if we can't attack these questions posed properly! :thumbs:

Question 2: So I currently have a glasstop / desktop humidor, anything larger is out of the question as per the wife.

GOOD LUCK!! :sign: :sign: Get a coolidor, seriously. If you're just getting onto this site, between PIFs, awesome reviews, and amazing access to HTF cigars, there's NO WAY you're going to last with a glasstop that's already filled to the brim. Just my humble opinion...

The only solution I can see feasable is sideways in the bottom, and use a divider to keep it from touching the cigars. What other options do I have?

I like it!

Also, the 90% deal, I've read it from Viper himself, that it's 70/30 brother. Just take it for what it's worth. Go with Tom's suggestion, you do need a humidification buffer, seriously. Use it, since you have it. Buying Heartfelt was the right step towards taking care of your investment, but you need to use it!

Use a mister for your beads, it's easier.

Edited to add: You signature cracks me up: "A recent police study found that you're much more likely to get shot by a fat cop if you run." Hehe. Also, are you ARMY, Air Force, or Marine Corps?? Too many on there for me to figure it out!!! :0

 

[MaxNoodle]

Let's see if we can't attack these questions posed properly! :thumbs:

Question 2: So I currently have a glasstop / desktop humidor, anything larger is out of the question as per the wife.

GOOD LUCK!! :sign: :sign: Get a coolidor, seriously. If you're just getting onto this site, between PIFs, awesome reviews, and amazing access to HTF cigars, there's NO WAY you're going to last with a glasstop that's already filled to the brim. Just my humble opinion...

The only solution I can see feasable is sideways in the bottom, and use a divider to keep it from touching the cigars. What other options do I have?

I like it!

Also, the 90% deal, I've read it from Viper himself, that it's 70/30 brother. Just take it for what it's worth. Go with Tom's suggestion, you do need a humidification buffer, seriously. Use it, since you have it. Buying Heartfelt was the right step towards taking care of your investment, but you need to use it!

Use a mister for your beads, it's easier.

Edited to add: You signature cracks me up: "A recent police study found that you're much more likely to get shot by a fat cop if you run." Hehe. Also, are you ARMY, Air Force, or Marine Corps??

Thanks souldoggie!!

~ t

 

[lherzolite]

I hope its ok to post a link to another board. Here's a link to a FAQ from the man himself. (My apologies if this shouldn't be done; please let me know and I'll remove it).

- Phil

 

[MaxNoodle]

Sorry to bump this dead horse - but heres the ordeal. Ok - so like I said my humi is self sustaining at 65% no idea why. Anyway, yesterday I went to a baptism and then a Steelers party...I took 2 smokes An Opus and a MC. I put the MC in a tubo before I left th house. When I was getting out of my car at the end of the night, not having smoked the MC, the cap poppd off the tubo and the stick fell out even worse, I'm pretty sure it landed on the foot because the wrapper just cracked. (its fixble with some pectin) Now my question is this:

Would this be due to the fact that my sticks are in a humidor at 65% with no humidifier and the wrapper was just dried out? OR do you think the stick is was fine and cracked due to the fall?

Thanks.

~ t

 

[Infinity]

Sorry to bump this dead horse - but heres the ordeal. Ok - so like I said my humi is self sustaining at 65% no idea why. Anyway, yesterday I went to a baptism and then a Steelers party...I took 2 smokes An Opus and a MC. I put the MC in a tubo before I left th house. When I was getting out of my car at the end of the night, not having smoked the MC, the cap poppd off the tubo and the stick fell out even worse, I'm pretty sure it landed on the foot because the wrapper just cracked. (its fixble with some pectin) Now my question is this:

Would this be due to the fact that my sticks are in a humidor at 65% with no humidifier and the wrapper was just dried out? OR do you think the stick is was fine and cracked due to the fall?

Thanks.

~ t

I think you worrying too much.

If you have an environment of 65% RH 90% of the time, you are lucky. If it's 100% of the time and you know this (which I doubt), then don't bother with beads. However, others have suggested a buffer of 65% beads. I have 8 pounds of beads in my large humidor that have never seen distilled water, they are, as mentioned, just a buffer. Meaning, the beads are designed to give out and absorb humidity.

If you drop a cigar and it falls incorrectly, it will get damaged, any cigar, no matter what RH.

65% RH is, I would think, what most folks use. Some swear by 60% for CC's, others like their smokes a little wetter at 70%. You are more likely to have issues at 70%.

Brian

 

[MaxNoodle]

Sorry to bump this dead horse - but heres the ordeal. Ok - so like I said my humi is self sustaining at 65% no idea why. Anyway, yesterday I went to a baptism and then a Steelers party...I took 2 smokes An Opus and a MC. I put the MC in a tubo before I left th house. When I was getting out of my car at the end of the night, not having smoked the MC, the cap poppd off the tubo and the stick fell out even worse, I'm pretty sure it landed on the foot because the wrapper just cracked. (its fixble with some pectin) Now my question is this:

Would this be due to the fact that my sticks are in a humidor at 65% with no humidifier and the wrapper was just dried out? OR do you think the stick is was fine and cracked due to the fall?

Thanks.

~ t

I think you worrying too much.

If you have an environment of 65% RH 90% of the time, you are lucky. If it's 100% of the time and you know this (which I doubt), then don't bother with beads. However, others have suggested a buffer of 65% beads. I have 8 pounds of beads in my large humidor that have never seen distilled water, they are, as mentioned, just a buffer. Meaning, the beads are designed to give out and absorb humidity.

If you drop a cigar and it falls incorrectly, it will get damaged, any cigar, no matter what RH.

65% RH is, I would think, what most folks use. Some swear by 60% for CC's, others like their smokes a little wetter at 70%. You are more likely to have issues at 70%.

Brian

Thanks Brian - maybe I do worry, but I'd rather worry and ask stupid question than ruin all my sticks. I appreciate you humoring me and answering my question. Much appreciated. also, I put my 65% beads in anyway, as a buff as you said. But yes, somehow my humidor is 99% of the time spot on at 65%, the on variation is +/- 1% and yes, I have done the salt test a couple times to make sure my hyrgometer IS reading properly, it is.