Seasoning

[pj_rage]

I just received my glass top humidor from cuban crafters and I'm trying to season it. When I opened it, the built in hygrometer says 80%. There is no way that it is 80% in my house? I just put the humidipuck in after following the instructions for it, so I'm hoping the gauge will come down?

Do I maybe need to leave the box open for a while first or? Is my gauge broken on delivery?

Other than this, the box looks great!

At any rate, during this seasoning process, I need to add water very frequently to the humidipuck? How will I know when it is seasoned? Should I notice dramatic humidity changes in short periods of time during this process?

EDIT: I think I was supposed to have an open container of distilled water in there with the humidipuck, so I added that. Also, I have a digital hygrometer hopefully coming in tomorrow that I can more accurately confirm the humidity with, hopefully

EDIT again: Ok, so I read some more and I guess I was supposed to wet all the wood with a sponge/distilled water. Well I didn't have a sponge so I did it with a couple paper towels. Dampened all the wood, now I have the thing closed with the dampened wood, open container of distilled water, and the humidipuck (charged). While I was dampening, the hygrometer went up to 92%, I don't know what gives? Keeps going up alot, I guess. I'm just surprised it was at 80% when dry?

 

[Dice]

Wait for the digital hygrometer to come in. Those dial ones are good for ...nothing!

 

[pj_rage]

Does the digital need to be calibrated or are they typically very accurate? It is the cheaper of the two offered at cigarmony.com, the western digital...

 

[RGD]

Does the digital need to be calibrated or are they typically very accurate? It is the cheaper of the two offered at cigarmony.com, the western digital...

The digital should be close enough for now. Ignore the hygrometer that came with the box - it's just for show. Also do a search for the salt test - you could use it to get it closer and to see how far off your digital is.

As for the levels in the box - wipe it down, add a glass of distilled water, you humidipuck in and just leave it alone for a few days - don't open the lid. After say 48 hours take out the glass of water - shut the lid and leave it alone again. Wait at least 24 hours before checking the levels. What your trying to do is to get the cedar lining to absorb and hold the moisture at whatever your puck is set for - 65%?? Don't get to excited if it's a few above or below right now.

Biggest problem with new humidor owners is they keep opening the lid.

Ron

 

[CasaSoho]

The hygrometer that came with my humi reads 90% sitting out in the room. Who knew Massachusetts was such a tropical climate? I bought a radio shack remote digital on clearance and it reads 65% thanks to the beads.

 

[pj_rage]

Almost 24 hours later and I only opened it for 1 second to drop in the digital hygrometer.

Since about an hour after I dropped it in, it has been reading 75-77% humidity. It started at 75% and then hit 76% and now has hit 77%.

Is it time to take the vat of water out? I'm not really sure when I know it is time? It has been stable for 10 hours at 75-77% and only going up slowly?

Sorry, puck is set for 70%. Is there any chance that this thing is seasoned in ~21 hours?

 

[emodx]

Almost 24 hours later and I only opened it for 1 second to drop in the digital hygrometer.

Since about an hour after I dropped it in, it has been reading 75-77% humidity. It started at 75% and then hit 76% and now has hit 77%.

Is it time to take the vat of water out? I'm not really sure when I know it is time? It has been stable for 10 hours at 75-77% and only going up slowly?

Sorry, puck is set for 70%. Is there any chance that this thing is seasoned in ~21 hours?

In my opinion, beads and Boveda should not be in the humi during seasoning. I say this because the goal of seasoning is to hit an RH mark outside of the beads/Boveda set point. If the %77 is accurate, it is time to add cigars and humidifier.

Emo

 

[pj_rage]

The process I used was to damp all the wood with distilled water, add the 70% RH humidipuck, and add a small open container of distilled water. I didn't know I shouldn't have added the puck.

I have no reason to believe the 77% is not accurate. I guess I'll remove the vat tonight, recharge the puck, put it back in, and if it is still 70%+ humidity tomorrow, I'll add some cigars.

That sound about right?

 

[emodx]

The process I used was to damp all the wood with distilled water, add the 70% RH humidipuck, and add a small open container of distilled water. I didn't know I shouldn't have added the puck.

I have no reason to believe the 77% is not accurate. I guess I'll remove the vat tonight, recharge the puck, put it back in, and if it is still 70%+ humidity tomorrow, I'll add some cigars.

That sound about right?

If %77 is accurate, I would not add any cigars over that level. Toss the cigars in and the humidifier. The RH will drop slowly over time.

Emo

 

[pj_rage]

The humidifier is already in there (the puck) and has been since I started seasoning. Does this change anything, or do I just leave it in and add cigars (and remove the container of water)?

 

[RGD]

The humidifier is already in there (the puck) and has been since I started seasoning. Does this change anything, or do I just leave it in and add cigars (and remove the container of water)?

Remove the water - add cigars - do not re-charge the puck. Leave it alone for a few days then check it.

Ron

 

[pj_rage]

I removed the water last night, recharged the humidifier (not sure I had to - the foam was dry but I could tell some of the crystals were clear) and let it sit over night. This morning, it read 74% so I just added all the cigars and didn't touch the humidifier. Hopefully it will level off in the next couple days.

Thanks for your help!