Humidification

soyousee

Hello, my first post and need help. Have only had Humidor for 4 months, but with no problems.Have read every post I could find but gotten no answer. In Texas, room temp is 74, room humidity is 60, using Humi-Care gel. Why has my level risen to 85% over the last few days. Checked Hydrometer, it's set right on. Took out gel and left open to get level down. This is not a solution & what's going on?
Thanks in Advance

rzaman

Use Humipak 65%...problem solved.

soyousee:

Hello, my first post and need help. Have only had Humidor for 4 months, but with no problems.Have read every post I could find but gotten no answer. In Texas, room temp is 74, room humidity is 60, using Humi-Care gel. Why has my level risen to 85% over the last few days. Checked Hydrometer, it's set right on. Took out gel and left open to get level down. This is not a solution & what's going on? Thanks in Advance

rzaman

One more thing 70:70 is ideal but not the end of the world.

scarlin

If you just put some new cigars in there that can bump the humidity up (or even take it down). The gel should keep it around 65-68% and it is one way control I believe so there is another factor bumping it up. Could be just a random rise in environmental humidity. Check your hygrometer twice, it wouldn't surprise me if it was off as they so often can be.

scarlin

rzaman:

Use Humipak 65%...problem solved.

soyousee:

Hello, my first post and need help. Have only had Humidor for 4 months, but with no problems.Have read every post I could find but gotten no answer. In Texas, room temp is 74, room humidity is 60, using Humi-Care gel. Why has my level risen to 85% over the last few days. Checked Hydrometer, it's set right on. Took out gel and left open to get level down. This is not a solution & what's going on? Thanks in Advance

Also if your humi is small then the humipak is best. Rip is right on with that. Make sure your temp is as 62-70 degrees if possible. I can't remember the exact temp (73?) but beetles will hatch and can destroy your whole collection.

soyousee

So you guys are saying it's a product problem. Humi-Care is Propylene Glycol. What is this Humipac made out of?

stilltryingtosee

macs-smokes

I am no expert... but several (read most if not all members here know more about this than I do) of these guy will tell you to check hygrometer again... and like was mentioned earlier adding sticks can change RH.

Lee.mcglynn

soyousee:

So you guys are saying it's a product problem. Humi-Care is Propylene Glycol. What is this Humipac made out of? stilltryingtosee

humicare is silica with propylene glycol and water...this not always the best thing to use IMO and IMO propylene glycol is really only to keep mold growth down.

Rhamlin

I used the gel for a couple years before switching to kitty litter. The problem with gel is that it doesn't actually regulate humidity. All it does is release it at constant rate. Most of the time it works well. But from time to time you have to make adjustments to bring your humidity down sometimes to bring it up. It's not very reliable. Whenever we went on vacation I would just take it out rather than take a chance with mold.

soyousee

Thanks, You made more of an inroad to my problem "I think". This is a 300 cigar chest with aprox 200 cigars and I had 3 gel packs in it. It was stable for some time but just went nuts. Now I think when the cigars all reached 70% Gel just kept supplying moisture. I'm still drying it out, leaving it open several hr. a day, and when I get below 70% will just put 1 gel pack back in.
Really don't understand the kitty litter, where does moisture come from? Room is below 60%.
Thanks for Input

Bob Luken

soyousee:

Thanks, You made more of an inroad to my problem "I think". This is a 300 cigar chest with aprox 200 cigars and I had 3 gel packs in it. It was stable for some time but just went nuts. Now I think when the cigars all reached 70% Gel just kept supplying moisture. I'm still drying it out, leaving it open several hr. a day, and when I get below 70% will just put 1 gel pack back in. Really don't understand the kitty litter, where does moisture come from? Room is below 60%. Thanks for Input

Yes I think the moisture is coming from your product. What exactly is the brand name of your product? Humidipak (Boveda) or humicare? I'm not sure what you have there. At first I thought you meant humicare humidifiers but then you said gel pack. I'm not sure exactly which one you're using. Can you describe it in detail? Or show us a link to the product online. Humicare makes water pillows and humidifiers too so I just want to understand what you have going on there.

The kitty litter mentioned isn't your average clay kitty litter. It has to be 100% silica. Look up some of the kitty litter threads here for some more info. You can use humicare humidifiers or other gel jar types side by side with dry silica kitty litter. and that is a good team actually. Or you can add a little bit of moisture to the kitty litter if you want to use that by itself. Usually by spritzing distilled water on it with a fine mist. Kitty litter is just like Heartfelt Beads. (Maybe you haven't heard of that either) Anyway lots of cigar guys use lots of different stuff for controlling their humidity. I used to use humicare type gel products too but now most all of my RH control for my coolers and my desktops comes from silica kitty litter. Unscented of course. LOL

AVJim

Bob Luken:

soyousee:

Thanks, You made more of an inroad to my problem "I think". This is a 300 cigar chest with aprox 200 cigars and I had 3 gel packs in it. It was stable for some time but just went nuts. Now I think when the cigars all reached 70% Gel just kept supplying moisture. I'm still drying it out, leaving it open several hr. a day, and when I get below 70% will just put 1 gel pack back in. Really don't understand the kitty litter, where does moisture come from? Room is below 60%. Thanks for Input

Yes I think the moisture is coming from your product. What exactly is the brand name of your product? Humidipak (Boveda) or humicare? I'm not sure what you have there. At first I thought you meant humicare humidifiers but then you said gel pack. I'm not sure exactly which one you're using. Can you describe it in detail? Or show us a link to the product online. Humicare makes water pillows and humidifiers too so I just want to understand what you have going on there.

The kitty litter mentioned isn't your average clay kitty litter. It has to be 100% silica. Look up some of the kitty litter threads here for some more info. You can use humicare humidifiers or other gel jar types side by side with dry silica kitty litter. and that is a good team actually. Or you can add a little bit of moisture to the kitty litter if you want to use that by itself. Usually by spritzing distilled water on it with a fine mist. Kitty litter is just like Heartfelt Beads. (Maybe you haven't heard of that either) Anyway lots of cigar guys use lots of different stuff for controlling their humidity. I used to use humicare type gel products too but now most all of my RH control for my coolers and my desktops comes from silica kitty litter. Unscented of course. LOL

I knew that kitty litter would eventually come up in a humidification thread on this forum.... and they would be spot on. Take it from a guy who doubted it. Check out the numerous threads on type, there are many. It works very well. It is all I am running currently. With a 300 count humi, you are going to need a good bowl of it. With the Boveda packs you would probably need about 4-5 of the big ones for that size. DREW!!!!!!! This man needs your expertise on litter!!!!!!!!!!!!! How much does he need for a 300 ct humi???

ehehat

soyousee:

Thanks, You made more of an inroad to my problem "I think". This is a 300 cigar chest with aprox 200 cigars and I had 3 gel packs in it. It was stable for some time but just went nuts. Now I think when the cigars all reached 70% Gel just kept supplying moisture. I'm still drying it out, leaving it open several hr. a day, and when I get below 70% will just put 1 gel pack back in. Really don't understand the kitty litter, where does moisture come from? Room is below 60%. Thanks for Input

I ran a 300ct humi with KL for months and it was rock solid. I put about a pound in a mesh bag in the bottom and broke open a couple foam humidifiers and put abot 4oz in a panty hose leg in each one for the lid. as long as you seasoned properly this should be more than enough for you. The amount is probably over-kill but I wanted a very fast recoup time after opening.