I'm Stuck.

[Karma]

Hey guys, I'm in a funk, I have 125 count CAO Gold anniversary humidor. L I N K Y (BTW only paid $130 take that famous)I seasoned the humidor correctly twice just to make sure. Then I called Heartfelt and he hooked me up with a 4oz tube of 70% RH beads.(which is what I like 67%) So once my humidor was ready I put about 80 smoke in there and let it be for a few days. BTW just so all of you know my hydrometer is a caliber III, and I have a hydroset as well so they are calibrated. So after a day or two I look inside WTF 52% agoagoaouafoubvuoas, I was amazed, I own 3 other humidors and a coolidoor, and this has never happened. I had 2 shot glasses of distilled water in the humi as well. So I was stumped so I go to my local B&M and buy three 72% boveda packs. So I throw those things in there wait a day, and low and behold, my RH is at 57%.

Oh, one quick question before I get back to the point, how long can smokes survive at 57% RH without drying out. I ask because they might be getting dry.

Ok back to the point. Then I grabbed my shitty savoy sponge thing that came w/ my other humi, and I throw it in. Same process, my humi goes up 1% after one night. Now remember gents at this point, I'm pissed, and a little scared for the smokes. So I'm desperate as hell. So I run downstairs, and grab this huge fuggin room humidifier(sp?), put it in my room, and set it on high. Needless to say it didn't work. So you guys are my last resort.

Do I need more beads???

Thanks in advance.

Karma

 

[BrewMeister]

My first guess would be bad "KARMA"! :laugh:

Actually I'd guess you have a defective lid seal or a hairline crack somewhere on the humidor. Have you tested the seal? You can use a dollar bill, place it on the sealing edge of the humidor and close the lid, the bill should pull out, however, with a consistent amount of resistance. You may want to compare it to the other humidors you have to get feel for the appropriate amount of resistance. Or I've heard of folks putting a decent wattage flashlight inside and taking it into a very dark room, that may expose some sort of defect.

My best guess.

 

[Karma]

My first guess would be bad "KARMA"! :laugh:

Actually I'd guess you have a defective lid seal or a hairline crack somewhere on the humidor. Have you tested the seal? You can use a dollar bill, place it on the sealing edge of the humidor and close the lid, the bill should pull out, however, with a consistent amount of resistance. You may want to compare it to the other humidors you have to get feel for the appropriate amount of resistance. Or I've heard of folks putting a decent wattage flashlight inside and taking it into a very dark room, that may expose some sort of defect.

My best guess.

No the seal is fine it makes a nice vacume sound and I have done the doller bill test. But I guess I could get some weather stripping.

Karma

 

[Dave]

Could the drop in humidity have something to do with the current winter season? I know mine dropped to around low 60's (65% puck) so placing a dish with distilled water in there raised it again. Where is your compromised humidor placed in your house?

 

[Mark Twain]

If you've got another Hygrometer shove it in there and see how it reads. I know you said you calibrated it, but if the seal is fine as you say, then the only thing I can think of is your hyrometer being off.

 

[Karma]

Could the drop in humidity have something to do with the current winter season? I know mine dropped to around low 60's (65% puck) so placing a dish with distilled water in there raised it again. Where is your compromised humidor placed in your house?

It is in the middle of the house, but remember I use a big room humidifier and no dice. I refuse to put it in the basement, and once again I have two things of distilled in there.

Karma

 

[Karma]

It might be the seal on the right side, but lets say it is could it make that big of a difference, and if so how would I fix it?

 

[Dave]

Could the drop in humidity have something to do with the current winter season? I know mine dropped to around low 60's (65% puck) so placing a dish with distilled water in there raised it again. Where is your compromised humidor placed in your house?

It is in the middle of the house, but remember I use a big room humidifier and no dice. I refuse to put it in the basement, and once again I have two things of distilled in there.

Karma

Have you been smoking the sticks from the humidor? How are they smoking? If they smoke great, then relax and don't go all crazy about what a hygrometer says. Were the sticks you put in there stored at a lower RH? That could account for the drop in humidity.

 

[rob300c]

How full is your humi?
57% will have a neglible effect on your sticks.

-Rob

 

[dkprlp]

You could try a super large ziplock bag and put the whole humi in it and leave it for a day or 2... I've done that to test seal

 

[ThankYouForNotSmoking]

What's a hydroset? Is it another hygrometer?

It sounds like more than likely you have an issue with the hygrometer, not the box or the beads. Your hygro battery might need replacing.

 

[Karma]

What's a hydroset? Is it another hygrometer?

It sounds like more than likely you have an issue with the hygrometer, not the box or the beads. Your hygro battery might need replacing.

A hydroset is an adjustable hydrometer, one that you buy at cigarmony or heartfelt, both my hydrometers are brand new. I've just decided to deal with it and wait it out...fuggin cold weather. :angry:

And Dave, I just recently smoked a short story from that humi, and that son-bitch was dry as hell.

Thanks for the feedback

Karma

 

[Marcos]

I encountered this problem this winter as well and I switched my media to 70% from 65%. The 65 was running at 59-60% and now the 70% is running at 65-67%. It's more of a temporary soultion but it gets the job done until spring arrives.

 

[ThankYouForNotSmoking]

What's a hydroset? Is it another hygrometer?

It sounds like more than likely you have an issue with the hygrometer, not the box or the beads. Your hygro battery might need replacing.

A hydroset is an adjustable hydrometer, one that you buy at cigarmony or heartfelt, both my hydrometers are brand new. I've just decided to deal with it and wait it out...fuggin cold weather. :angry:

And Dave, I just recently smoked a short story from that humi, and that son-bitch was dry as hell.

Thanks for the feedback

Karma

There's no reason you should have to deal with it. You should have a working humidor.

I would still recommend calibrating your hygros using the Boveda calibration pack, if your B&M sells the 72% packets it's a good bet they sell the Boveda packs - they're cheap, last 6 months and are completely idiot proof (assuming you know how to seal a zip lock baggie ). I would see how much the cigars are really off by, a fluctuation of 2-3% isn't anything to worry about, most people keep 65% in their humis here and you're trying to keep 70%, so even 5% down won't be a problem.

Other than that it seems like you've tried most things. Something else to consider - in the winter, my desktop humi dropped by my coolerdors stayed the same. It might be cheapest for you just to through your humidor in a cooler or something until the frost breaks.

 

[Rev. Zack]

it could be the box...depending on how long the box sat and how dry it was before you bought it it could take quite some time (and even longer in the winter season) to have the wood absorb moisture. I had one humidor take 2 months to season enough to hold humidity and not draw moisture out. now it's one of my most reliable humidors.

 

[Karma]

it could be the box...depending on how long the box sat and how dry it was before you bought it it could take quite some time (and even longer in the winter season) to have the wood absorb moisture. I had one humidor take 2 months to season enough to hold humidity and not draw moisture out. now it's one of my most reliable humidors.

That is my conclusion as well, as for my hyros...I just calibrated them a week ago. Remember I bought one from heartfelt ind' with a calibration kit.

So do you fellow cigar gurus think I should take all my shit out of the humi and re-season it? Or do you think I should let it equilize with the cigars?

Karma

 

[Dave]

I would say empty it and continue the seasoning.

 

[Sunward]

If I had this humi, i would double check the seal using a flashlight in a dark room. Move cgars to a ziplock, test it. Move it out of the center of the room, and away from heat/vents. I keep mine in a self contained part of an entertainment center (no heat). Also, 57% will not harm your cigars and some people store them near this humidity. Be patient, and keep seasoning. Good luck Karma.

 

[Karma]

Ok this is what I've done:Took all my shit out of the CAO, took all the shit out of my 100ct savoy, put all the shit from the CAO to the savoy, then I put all the shit from the savoy into fuente bags with boveda packs, after that BS I took a very damp rag and wiped down my CAO and put two shot glasses of distilled it there, and in a few days I'll season it again, and continue to do so untill the fuggin thing works properly.

Thanks for the fast replies.

Karma