Ok, I need some suggestions...
Ok, so I have a 300 ct humidor and my humidty has dropped down to about 63%. I have charged my beads and just seems to fluctuate between 63-64. I like to keep my humi between 65-70. I have added a small bowl of distilled water to try to help my beads catch up, so far, it's still at 63%....any suggestions? and I have about 100 cigars in there. thx
Comments
If I remember right, you have the same humi I do. When my % started dropping recently I filled up the humidifiers that came with it (left them dry prior to this), and tossed in a bunch of humi-pillows that I had lying around. This was on top of the 1/2 lb of beads I had in there. Shot my % right back up, and after I let it sit high for a few days I took out the extra stuff.. Been stable since.
And I only have about 50 sticks in mine, just FYI
Have you re-conditioned your humi lately?
If your himidor will no longer hold the proper %, you may need to remove your cigars and using a lint free cloth, wipe down all of the interior wood with distilled water. Don't soak it, just use enough to dampen all of the wood. Soaking will cause warping.
Close your humidor and let that moisture soak in for a day or 2, then test with hygrometer to see where things are at. You can keep your cigars in a ziplock bag with a water pillow until your humi is back up to proper levels.
You might find that this will help, and only be needed about once a year, usually in the fall when temps start dropping and your household humidity is gone.
If the humidity in your humidor seems stubbornly low, one way to boost it is to remove the cello from your cigars. Although keeping the cello on your cigars has virtually no negative effect on long-term aging, it tends to restrain some of the moisture that would otherwise be emitted from your cigars.
I tested this theory in one of my humidors that would not budge above 62%, even with an additional 69% Boveda Humipak inside. Once I removed the cello from almost all of the cigars, the humidity climbed to 66% in less than a day.
Additionally, the more cigars you have in your humidor, the more likely the RH will remain constant.
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Just thought I'd pass it along, for whatever it's worth.
Marty
I don't mean that to sound flippant. It's more an expression of how hands free, and easy I find them to be.
I'll second the Boveda Packs !
No , not the same thing. The humi pillows can be re-saturated with distilled water and re-used and the Boveda Packs are designed to be tossed and replaced. The main thing I hear , and I believe is why so many on here use the beads , is the Boveda Packs are just a bit more expensive and are not re-useable. However, IMHO, I think they are a better choice, especially for a new cigar enthusiasts, 'cause they are totally maintenance free. They come in rh levels of 65,67,69 and 72 and there is also a humi seasoning pack available from Boveda as well. There is no worrying about how many pounds do I need , are they charged or de-charged , what do I put them in , etc etc. With the Boveda Packs you simply pick the rh level you want ( I use the 69's and they are a rock steady 67-70 at ALL times) and drop them in your humidor and forget about them. There are places that sell them cheaper than the Boveda web site as well , PM me if your interested, but I would visit the Boveda site if your considering this as it will tell you about how many you will need and when to replace etc. Happy Smokerings - Gene