Heartfelt beads and me (or is that I ?)
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I purchased another Humi probably a month ago. I seasoned it by using a Tupperware container with distilled water (probably a 1/4 cup), wiped the humi down, and drenched the sponge that came with the humi. After 3 days I put the cigars in. The humidity just kept going up. My analog said it was almost raining and the digital got to about 86%. I assumed both hydrometers were off. I finally took a moment and tried the salt test to calibrate - it was a perfect 75%. I took the sponge out and ordered 2 cylindrical vials and a square magnetic bead box for the lid. A little overkill for 100 cigars, but I assumed it would compensate quicker. Anyway by the time I got them - the humidor had settled down to 75%. I put the two cylinders in the center of each side - one row up from the bottom, and stuck the square box of beads to the lid. It's been a week and it's still 75% in there. Did the cigars and the wood absorb so much moisture that the beads are having trouble stabilizing the environment? I did take the beads out though and watched it drop to 68% - I put them back in and it goes to 75%. The beads are suppose to be 65%. Has anyone had this problem or ideas for this proletariat? I was going to send a note to heartfelt, but thought I would try you guys first...
I am smoking a RP sungrown at the moment that's been in there a week. It's burning perfectly and tastes great... My ghurka centennials that have been in there since the beginning - not so much. I also have a couple of padron 64s that have been in there 2 weeks - should I smoke them both as soon as I am done with the RP? 
Comments
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de-charge your beads. make it so about 10% of them are clear. then put em back in. it should help. I never charge my beads more than about 40-50%. they seem to hold fairly good at 65%.
ive also noticed that if they are too charged they will let the RH go up because there are not enough beads to compensate for it. -
Thanks, I will give that a shot. They appear about 40% clear, but I will leave them out - and then give it another try...
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Depends on whether you and your Heartfelt beads are the subject, or the object.
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Heartfelt beads are the subject and the object. I guess it's me and I... Thanks for the clarification - I think now I need interpretation or another lager...
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anyone know what size heartfelt bead case would be the same size as the typical rectangle sponge black plastic trays that come with humis would be?
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Kuzi, you seem to be the only person with any luck on this whole business of having the beads absorb excess humidity. In the recent process of re-seasoning my humi, I conducted the following experiment:kuzi16:de-charge your beads. make it so about 10% of them are clear. then put em back in. it should help. I never charge my beads more than about 40-50%. they seem to hold fairly good at 65%.
ive also noticed that if they are too charged they will let the RH go up because there are not enough beads to compensate for it.
1. I placed a dish of distilled water in the humi
2. I placed a tube of mostly de-charged beads in the humi
3. I placed my hygrometer in the humi
Within about 6 hours, the hygrometer read "--" signifying the humidity had spiked beyond its 2-digit threshold. After that, I took out the hygrometer (to re-calibrate it) and let the humi, beads, and water sit for 4 days without opening the humidor. After this time, I opened the humidor to find that the beads were still completely opaque white. I put sticks in, and the humi ran high (72-75%) for the next week or so. The beads never absorbed any excess moisture. -
i dont know what to tell you guys. I just re-salt tested my hygrometer. its still -4. my beads are 65%. my hygrometer reads 61%. I dont know what else to say. maybe i AM doing something different but i dont know what it is so i cant help you. I do have WAY to many beads in there though. iduno. I wish i could help on this one but i just havent figured out why its workin for me and not you guys.
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The beads have been working great for me. I have been using the 65% and have only had a slight drop in RH (1%-2%) since turning the heat on in the house. Once I charged the beads alittle more, it corrected itself. I have also had very good luck with the beads absorbing humidity. When I seasoned my most recent hunidor, after 3 days with the bowl of water in the box the rh was around 79%. I threw mt dry beads in there (with the bowl) and the beads charged themselves and dropped the humidity to 72%. Once I pulled the bowl the humidity slowly dropped to the 67%. Not sure why but they seem to work the way they are intended.
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finally! i knew that they had to work for SOMEONE. i knew i was crazy but not that crazy.btmisles:The beads have been working great for me. I have been using the 65% and have only had a slight drop in RH (1%-2%) since turning the heat on in the house. Once I charged the beads alittle more, it corrected itself. I have also had very good luck with the beads absorbing humidity. When I seasoned my most recent hunidor, after 3 days with the bowl of water in the box the rh was around 79%. I threw mt dry beads in there (with the bowl) and the beads charged themselves and dropped the humidity to 72%. Once I pulled the bowl the humidity slowly dropped to the 67%. Not sure why but they seem to work the way they are intended. -
Yeah, the beads work just fine for me, too. I may not be doing it according to Hoyle but, in my coolidor, I left the beads completely dry and I just set a small bowl of distilled water in alongside them and let them do what they're supposed to do - -i.e., absorb or release moisture. After a couple days, the RH is usually where I want it (65%) and I remove the bowl until the RH drops too low.
I do the same thing in my desktop. I tried charging the beads first but no matter how little moisture was in the beads, after a day or two in the humi, there was always too much RH. I think my revised method works a lot better for me - - maybe not for everyone, though. I don't know.
Marty
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in my experience, getting the humidity in a humidor to change up or down with beads takes days, even a week to get back to normal. if your beads are dirty or you dont use distilled water the poors can get clogged and not work as intended.
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If my beads hold it +/- 3 percent, I am not really worried about it. With the swings in humidity in my house whether the air or heat is on, I can't complain to much. Depending on the time of day that I look at it it might be slightly different.
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Mine never did absorb the excess moisture. Perhaps I didn't leave them in long enough, but the humidity was going in the wrong direction. The humidor was becoming more humid. I took the beads out and left them out till yesterday (approx 5 days) when the humidity finally reached 63%. I put back in the two cigar like containers of beads - it is now 68%. They are 65% beads and this is alright, but I haven't put the rectangular bead humidifier box back under the lid. I was of the mind set that overkill would regulate better but... didn't happen so far... I will experiment some more...
somebody asked about the size... 6.5" x 2.5" was the measurement of my humidifier that came with my humidor - and that's one of two sizes that came from heartfelt. They had this size with 2 different thickness' and a square with 2 different thickness'
Happy smokin' -
Hi all... newbe here. Do you guys use the 50/50 solution or just distilled water with your beads? I'm setting mine up tonight! Thanks!
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Hi, matt. Only use distilled water with the beads.
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Any problem if I've already used the 50/50 for the initial charging? Okay if I used distilled water from now on, or have I potentially damaged the beads?
Also, if they get too filled, is it okay to use a hair drying to get rid of some of the water. Is there a better way, or should I not worry about it?
Sorry for all the questions. I'm new and a little obsessed. :-)
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I'd check with Heartfelt on whether you've damaged them. I can't imagine it was good for them, but I may very well be wrong.
Hair dryer is a common way of drying them out a bit. No problem there, other than that it can be slow. Kuzi, I think, uses an a/c vent to dry his out.
No problem, dude. Questions are welcome around here. Make yourself at home. -
So, what's the 50/50 good for? Is it just for putting in the foam pucks? Is it okay for putting in a glass and seasoning a humidor?
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yup.urbino:
Hair dryer is a common way of drying them out a bit. No problem there, other than that it can be slow. Kuzi, I think, uses an a/c vent to dry his out.
I find the hair dryer even on low has a tendency to blow em away. -
Yup, it's for the green foam humidifiers. It's fine for putting in a glass to season your humi, but you don't need it.mattshell:So, what's the 50/50 good for? Is it just for putting in the foam pucks? Is it okay for putting in a glass and seasoning a humidor? -
I spread mine in the bottom of a long, shallow tupperware container to use the hair dryer on 'em.kuzi16:yup.
I find the hair dryer even on low has a tendency to blow em away.
