The Best Humidifier

I found most of this info on some other sites but have fine tuned it to where it works best for me. I have had the most success using these directions as I have revamped them. RH levels can be maintained at a very consistant level with very little maintainance. I hope you all find this helpful, useful and interesting.

Inroduction: Superabsorbent polymers, otherwise known as SAPs are materials that swell in water to form a clear gel made up of separate, individual particles. They are used in a vast array of applications from baby diapers to fiber optic cable, fire protection, etc. They have excellent potential as a cigar humidifying agent.

Where to buy: WaterSorb

What size crystals do I buy: Medium for travel humidifiers, Large for the CigarOasis cartridge

Cost: $12 for 2 pounds - will last you forever

How do I mix: Add 1/2 cup of distilled water to 1 - 1 1/2 tablespoons of dry polymer nuggets.

Then what: Let sit in an open tupperware container overnight to achieve maximum absorbtion. 1- 2 hrs to reach functional state.

What about adding Propylene Glycol: Optional but recommended. Will help retard mold.

How to store surplus wetted polymers: Sealed tupperware or comparable container. Check once every few weeks for any signs of discoloration. Discard and replace if necessary with a new batch. I have not had this problem so far. Wash your hands before handling polymers as to avoid contamination.

Best application: travel humidifiers, e.g. Humiditubes in lieu of sponges, silica gel, and florist foam. And as a replacement for the factory-supplied florist foam in your CigarOasis cartridge. You will never have to buy a replacement CigarOasis cartridge again. Best, polymers really do shine in the CigarOasis cartridge. Works great in small glass canning jars that have holes poked in the lids for use in coolers.

Fill the cartridge only half way with wetted polymers. Check every few weeks to see if they have shrunk in size appreciably. If so, re-wet with an ample supply of distilled H2O. Squirt bottle works best. Check for any discoloration.

Not to do: Wetter polymers should not come in contact with certain metals such as brass. They will discolor.

A further word on polymer use with Humiditubes: After the overnight hydration, discard the excess run-off. The fully hydrated polymers should fill the entire length of the Humiditube. Discard any overflow (and there will be). Avoid over-packing.

NOTE: Removing top of CigarOasis cartridge can be done easily if done carefully with a screwdriver or puttyknife. Use black electrical tape to hold cartridge back together. Do not glue back together. You'll want to periodically inspect the gel for discoloration. Although discoloration is rare if you use a 50/50 propylene glycol mix. Re-wetting should only be done with distilled water.

Propylene glycol can be bought by the gallon at your local feed store for around $20. Make your own 50/50 mix.

This might be a stupid question but is the material you are talking about the same thing as the beads Viper sells?

symyn said:

This might be a stupid question but is the material you are talking about the same thing as the beads Viper sells?

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Ditto

Hey Atuck,

I tried this stuff, and had a problem with over humidification in my box. I will try and see if the over night regulation/left out will help.

Thanks,

K

No, they are not. These polymers form a gel like substance when wet that retains water somewhat like a sponge. Beads are basically solid silica conditioned to maintain a certain humidity. The silica beads have a lot of surface area in which to hold moisture.

Dan

ddepaola said:

No, they are not. These polymers form a gel like substance when wet that retains water somewhat like a sponge. Beads are basically solid silica conditioned to maintain a certain humidity. The silica beads have a lot of surface area in which to hold moisture.

Dan

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He is correct, They are not the same in any way.

The gel will supply moisture to the container they are in but will not regulate the rh level. The only regulation you get is from the PG that is mixed with the water.

In the Cigar Oasis the RH is regulated electronically. My coolers, where I use jars full of the gel, always stay right at 70% which is where I like it. You might have to do a little trial and error to see how much of the gel you might need. From what I understand, they need water added to them far less frequently than the beads do. But I have never used the beads and that is only something that I have heard. I do know that the gel and the PG are alot cheaper than the beads though. I do agree that the 50/50 PG & distilled water mix is essential to keeping the RH balanced as well as preventing mold.

So Atuck...can I just cut open one of my baby's diapers and use the gel that is inside them??? I've got a lot of diapers...is it the same thing that you are talking about? If so, very cool. Cause my cooler-dor has been a pain in the ass to keep at 70% with Oasis foam. Always about 74%, and I don't want to hurt my 'gars, so I keep it cracked open a little to let out some of the humidity. Please tell me I can use the gel from the diapers!!!

-Fetter

fetterjohn said:

So Atuck...can I just cut open one of my baby's diapers and use the gel that is inside them??? I've got a lot of diapers...is it the same thing that you are talking about? If so, very cool. Cause my cooler-dor has been a pain in the ass to keep at 70% with Oasis foam. Always about 74%, and I don't want to hurt my 'gars, so I keep it cracked open a little to let out some of the humidity. Please tell me I can use the gel from the diapers!!!

-Fetter

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:laugh: :laugh: I would suggest you use the link I gave to buy a bag of the crystals. They are pretty cheap. You can find them on ebay too. Use some small mason jars (find them at the grocery store) and stab the lids a bunch of times with an ice pick or a knife. I have 3 half pint jars in my 150 qt cooler and 3 half pint jars in each of my 70 qt coolers and they always range from 69% to 71% RH but usually right on at 70%. But remember, a key ingredient is the PG (from your feed store). ALthough you might have to wait until you mosey on up here to the High Desert to find Yourself a Feed store. I'll get you a bottle if you let me know you're coming.

I would say get some beads from viper, I have a 1lb in my cooler and its dead on everytime I open it.

Hmmmm... Sounds like a lot of messing around compared to my experience with the beads which are really not that expensive in comparison. I don't see how anything could be more maintenace free and easier than the beads to use but to each their own. I only have to spray a bit of distilled water on my beads every couple of months.

IMHO, The small cost of the beads pays for itself every time I open my humi or cooler and see "67%" on the hygro. armedak nailed it; I bought a little spray bottle at the grocery store for about a buck and a gallon of distilled water for less than that. The beads gets misted when the hygro falls to less than 63% for more than three days in a row (two to three months). Should last....a very long time.

Regards - B.B.S.

The main reason I brought the "Gel crystals" up was to show that they can be used in the Cigar Oasis which has a fan and circulates the air in a humidor. I prefer this over something like beads in my "nice" humidors. The jars of Gel that I have in my coolers have not needed to have water added to them in a year and they are still going strong with the RH at about 70%. Sounds pretty low maintenance to me. This gel maintains its moisture for a LONG time. A 2lb bag of these crystals, a gallon of PG and a gallon of distilled water would make the equivilent to a lot of fricken beads. :laugh: The 2 gallons of liquid wouldn't even take up all of the crystals.

Just trying to point out a "do it yourself" alternative here is all.