Cigar Oasis Problem.....maybe

SgtRick

OK heres my problem. I am currently in Iraq which is far from the ideal conditions for cigars. I bought an unseasoned humi, 100 count, and a Cigar Oasis xl online. This was last week. I opened my humi to place 15 more cigars in it and noticed the humity was down in the upper 50's. I took the C.O. apart and the water container seemed to be dry already. I have another one ordered and should have it in a couple days. Question....Is it normal to use that much so soon? I know it was an unseasoned humi so it was seasoning it but to go that fast...is there a problem I need to worry about?

JSaint

SgtRick:

OK heres my problem. I am currently in Iraq which is far from the ideal conditions for cigars. I bought an unseasoned humi, 100 count, and a Cigar Oasis xl online. This was last week. I opened my humi to place 15 more cigars in it and noticed the humity was down in the upper 50's. I took the C.O. apart and the water container seemed to be dry already. I have another one ordered and should have it in a couple days. Question....Is it normal to use that much so soon? I know it was an unseasoned humi so it was seasoning it but to go that fast...is there a problem I need to worry about?

You didnt put the cigars in the unseasoned Humidor did you?

MrMoke

I don't have the XL, but 2 Ultras, and a humi-Care and Hydra unit, the two latter I believe are comparable to the XL.

I seasoned all of my humis before putting the 'active humidifiers' into them and have not had any issues similar to yours.

I'd say yes, if I put an XL into an unseasoned humi in Bagdad in the middle of summer, I would expect it to go very quick. I also echo the concern about your cigars being in an as yet unstabilized humi, get em out fast, the humi will suck the moisture out of them as well as the XL.


Others will diagree with me, but, wipe down, not wet, wipe down, the inside of the humi, if you don't think you know the difference, ignore this part and look up seasoning humis here on on google.

Without having any cigars in place a small glass or other container with distilled water in the humi and wait till the inside of the humi is dry and your hygro reads 84% (ish), replace the water in the glass if it evaporates. remove glass, and leave a couple more days without humidiifcation devices till the RH drops to whatever you want it to be 65 - 72 % RH, given the dry climate there you might want to aim on the high side as long as the temp is not going to be high, you don't want temp too far over 70 or humidity geting close to 80, lest you meet the dreaded tobacco beetle.

Once you are there, NOW put cigars in the Humi.

I'd say you made a good choice going for active humidification in that climate, just as long as you get the humi conditioned first.

SgtRick

Distilled water is hard to come by in Iraq. The closest I have found is sterile 0.9 Saline solution. I didnt try this due to the fact that I wasnt sure this was a good route to take. My smokes are suffering at this point and I dont really have any options I can think of.

Duder2

SgtRick:

Distilled water is hard to come by in Iraq. The closest I have found is sterile 0.9 Saline solution. I didnt try this due to the fact that I wasnt sure this was a good route to take. My smokes are suffering at this point and I dont really have any options I can think of.

For seasoning you don't need distilled water as long as you DON'T wipe the humi down. Regular water in a shot glass or small bowl will work fine. Distilled water is just condensed evaporated water so it's the same thing when it evaporates from the glass.

Thewelder

For finding distilled water find some one in transportation if you are military, or make friends with the KBR guys who work on vehicles. They will have it because depending on what kind of forklifts or batteries certain vehicles use, you need to distilled water to keep them running properly. Hope this helps, also I have been using beads, currently station in Al Asad just north west of you and they are working beautifully.

SgtRick

Thewelder:

For finding distilled water find some one in transportation if you are military, or make friends with the KBR guys who work on vehicles. They will have it because depending on what kind of forklifts or batteries certain vehicles use, you need to distilled water to keep them running properly. Hope this helps, also I have been using beads, currently station in Al Asad just north west of you and they are working beautifully.

That is a good idea, I hadnt thought of that. I was informed by the Water Purification Manager that the bottled water is only a little less pure than distilled and has no minerals.He said it would work for a humidor. I have been to JBB twice, FOB Summerall near Tikrit, TQ, Tallil, and here in Baghdad.