Humi level drop.

LiquidChaos66

After spending time on the coast i came home to my humi and found it fell from its usual 68%-70% down to 64%. I have no damn clue why. my seal seems pretty solid. Ive done the lid drop test and it has a good solid thump/swooshy sound to it and it usually holds levels pretty solid. as for what happened in the last few days i have no clue. Ideas?

Rhamlin

Could be any number of things. Is your air climate been unseasonably dry? How longs it been since you added water? But spikes like that happen from time to time doesn't mean there's anything wrong with the humi.

LiquidChaos66

It hasn't been any drier than normal. It's been a little warm but from the readings on my hygrometer it looks like the temp hasn't fluctuated more than a degree or two. I'm using the Dr. RH system and the jar looks like its in its normal range for fluid. I may top it off though and see how it does. This is all after about a week and a half after I froze my supply of sticks and sat them in the fridge and room temp before going back in the humi. Maybe they were thirsty?

thedjfish@comcast.net

LiquidChaos66:

After spending time on the coast i came home to my humi and found it fell from its usual 68%-70% down to 64%. I have no damn clue why. my seal seems pretty solid. Ive done the lid drop test and it has a good solid thump/swooshy sound to it and it usually holds levels pretty solid. as for what happened in the last few days i have no clue. Ideas?

how long where you gone? by chance was the home closed up since you where out? sounds like they just got a bit warm , then temps came back down, you need to relax on the freezing,seems scary at first but it's common practice for some to freeze.
fluctuations can happen from any number of things to warm or to cool or cold, adding more cigars to the humi, taking to many out at once very seldom have i seen that happen, the list could go on, just watch it it should go back up to what ever the rh is set for your humidification.
cant say much comparing to mine since i dont have any cigars in any standard humi's everythings moved to wineadors

Cigary

LiquidChaos66:

It hasn't been any drier than normal. It's been a little warm but from the readings on my hygrometer it looks like the temp hasn't fluctuated more than a degree or two. I'm using the Dr. RH system and the jar looks like its in its normal range for fluid. I may top it off though and see how it does. This is all after about a week and a half after I froze my supply of sticks and sat them in the fridge and room temp before going back in the humi. Maybe they were thirsty?

The Dr. RH system is a gel and with all gels it does work but I got fluctuations when I used it as well. 64% is still within my percentage of a good RH but you are a bit worried over losing that much RH. As you said when you took them out of the freezer into the fridge and then into your humi. Your cigars are transitioning from one state of environment to another and finally back into your humidor. This is one of the reasons why I quarantine instead of 'freezing'....while freezing does indeed kill the larvae of the beetles and there is a good reason to use this method when you "see" the results of an infestation" I tend to defer to quarantine before freezing...JMHO. Chemistry of the leaves when frozen and then thaw and finally to a humidor is apt to cause such a thing as you are seeing and that doesn't mean you should not freeze at all. I suspect as you said that your cigars are now adjusting to their final environment where the gel will do the job so keep the gel where it's supposed to be and let them 'rest' in their humidor. No need to worry needlessly as your RH can get down to 60 but my experience tells me that 65% is where they tend to thrive the best...well between 65 and 68 but that's just my OCD talking.

LiquidChaos66

I'm a little paranoid to say the least. Every new hobby I've picked up in the last 10 years has suffered a tragic loss of some sort and I've had to start all over from scratch. I don't want it to happen to this hobby! Lol I'm sure it will all even out on its own. Just worries me lol

Bob Luken

LiquidChaos66:

I'm a little paranoid to say the least. Every new hobby I've picked up in the last 10 years has suffered a tragic loss of some sort and I've had to start all over from scratch. I don't want it to happen to this hobby! Lol I'm sure it will all even out on its own. Just worries me lol

LOL Hope you weren't raising chinchillas. You can look at it like a tachometer. You didn't even come close to redlining it. You are safe.

thedjfish@comcast.net

LiquidChaos66:

I'm a little paranoid to say the least. Every new hobby I've picked up in the last 10 years has suffered a tragic loss of some sort and I've had to start all over from scratch. I don't want it to happen to this hobby! Lol I'm sure it will all even out on its own. Just worries me lol

i would suggest try relaxing and let them do what they do, you could be giving yourself false impressions, and getting yourself all worked up, because your not wanting any issues you could be creating them without there actually being any, you know what i mean? just kick back enjoy a smoke and i mean enjoy it dont worry about the freezing or the humidity, just grap a smoke and a drink and your fave seat and kick it.

LiquidChaos66

Each of you make very valid points. i just gotta relax. plus here is a way to think about it. If my humi tanks... i just need to smoke more in a shorter time period so i dont miss out on any of them. lol

lilwing88

Stay calm and rehydrate.

'Nuff said on this matter.....

Cigary

LiquidChaos66:

Each of you make very valid points. i just gotta relax. plus here is a way to think about it. If my humi tanks... i just need to smoke more in a shorter time period so i dont miss out on any of them. lol

You're sticks are going to be fine....it's being able to see the fruits of your labors that let you relax after a certain amount of time. It's the experience that gives you the confidence of not having to feel like you should worry. Too many people here that will help you before things go in the wrong direction.

LiquidChaos66

So last night I reduced the number of sticks in my humi and moved them over to a humi pouch. Once that stabilizes in gonna start moving some more back in to keep it from overloading it. I do appreciate all the input! Sometimes what helps most is people telling me I'm over thinking things lol. Especially on something I'm still new at. I'm glad I have this community cause I have no one local that I'm close enough with to be advice at this moment. I'm a worry wart what can I say.

jthanatos

LiquidChaos66:

So last night I reduced the number of sticks in my humi and moved them over to a humi pouch. Once that stabilizes in gonna start moving some more back in to keep it from overloading it. I do appreciate all the input! Sometimes what helps most is people telling me I'm over thinking things lol. Especially on something I'm still new at. I'm glad I have this community cause I have no one local that I'm close enough with to be advice at this moment. I'm a worry wart what can I say.

Generally, more cigars make it easier to hold a stable humidity, provided you aren't so full that there is no room to breathe. You are probably just fine. In my limited experience, I have found cigars to be pretty resiliant. As long as they weren't in a glovebox for 6 weeks. Just my 2 cents.

Cigary

General rule of thumb...try to keep any humidor about 75% full.

LiquidChaos66

Yeah I was over the 75% mark. I'm below 50% right now with the rest in humi pouches.

onestrangeone

Might be time to start a tub? Just a thought, I keep a few 20 Qt tubs for emergencies, isolation etc.

LiquidChaos66

If I start a tub or cooler I'm gonna have to fill it. It's like that book "if you give a mouse a cookie". I'm horrible or like that. Lol

onestrangeone

The sooner you accept it for what it is the less painfull it will be!

LiquidChaos66

It will still be painful on the checkbook.

onestrangeone

LiquidChaos66:

It will still be painful on the checkbook.

Just tell youself it's "only for emergencies"

LiquidChaos66

I can convince myself... but my wife probably wont buy "I just need to by 8-10 boxes of cigars. Purely for emergencies."

onestrangeone

LiquidChaos66:

I can convince myself... but my wife probably wont buy "I just need to by 8-10 boxes of cigars. Purely for emergencies."

Try telling her you have to arm youself in case the house is bombed, then you can defend her honor!

LiquidChaos66

HA!