Cooler-dor 101

[behike]

Has anyone else had this problem?

Cooler-dor won't lower its humidity level to your target range?

Background:
I got a new Cooler-dor on a great Black Friday sale and it included cedar shelves to help organize things a bit. I have since done the water, bleach, baking soda, fresh air thing to get rid of any plastic or other undesired smells etc. I have a salt calibrated Go-vee Hygrometer, and I used high humidity boveda bags to help humidify everything--probably my first mistake. Once I hit around 70, it may have been a bit higher, I pulled the boxed bags (I was on the road and it sat unmonitored for several days--my other mistake, when I left it was in the mid 40% range and I don't recall exactly where it was when I got back but it was definitely in the low 70s. I also have a small battery powered fan that runs for 10 seconds or so every 15 to 30 minutes. And I got RH Shield beads (65% RH for cigars), ~2 lbs and charged them with distilled water spritz. I have tried moving the hygrometer and beads to see if that had any effect; as expected, it did not.

The humidor is stuck in the 69.5 to 65.9% range, and I am not sure why. On the plus side, it definitely seems to seal well! I have considered leaving it open for a bit, but I am not sure how long and I am afraid it will just lead to a large swing and be again way too low. The beads don't seem to be helping; I almost wonder if they were designed for 65% despite the label on the package.

 

[hydro-terp]

I had a similar situation. I contacted rh and they shipped me new beads. Im not super sure the shield beads take on excess moisture like they should.

Coolers are super tight.

I think its easier to ease up to the target rh then bomb it w the over humidity treatment. Even sitting here now in the family room the rh is in the 50s. Not far from 65. So the extra boxes I have sitting around aint far off. Boxes and stuff you buy and add is basically whatever the enviro they come.

HT

 

[bfreebern]

Has anyone else had this problem?

Cooler-dor won't lower its humidity level to your target range?

Background:
I got a new Cooler-dor on a great Black Friday sale and it included cedar shelves to help organize things a bit. I have since done the water, bleach, baking soda, fresh air thing to get rid of any plastic or other undesired smells etc. I have a salt calibrated Go-vee Hygrometer, and I used high humidity boveda bags to help humidify everything--probably my first mistake. Once I hit around 70, it may have been a bit higher, I pulled the boxed bags (I was on the road and it sat unmonitored for several days--my other mistake, when I left it was in the mid 40% range and I don't recall exactly where it was when I got back but it was definitely in the low 70s. I also have a small battery powered fan that runs for 10 seconds or so every 15 to 30 minutes. And I got RH Shield beads (65% RH for cigars), ~2 lbs and charged them with distilled water spritz. I have tried moving the hygrometer and beads to see if that had any effect; as expected, it did not.

The humidor is stuck in the 69.5 to 65.9% range, and I am not sure why. On the plus side, it definitely seems to seal well! I have considered leaving it open for a bit, but I am not sure how long and I am afraid it will just lead to a large swing and be again way too low. The beads don't seem to be helping; I almost wonder if they were designed for 65% despite the label on the package.

RHshield's beads, according to their website, are a 2 way bead:

These are hard silica beads preconditioned to maintain a specific humidity levels of 60%, 65%, or 70%. They are ideal for aging and maintaining your cigars, whether they are stored in a humidor, Tupperware, coolidor or other creative system. These humidification beads are a moisture sensitive 2-way system that both absorb humidity and release it automatically as necessary to maintain a perfect environment for your cigars. Unlike older style gel humidifiers, these will not expand and push their way through your humidifier, nor will they develop mold.

% will fluctuate throughout the seasons, keep that in mind. Is the range that you provided above, a recent range or is that what it's running pretty much all the time?

Are you concerned that the 69.5% is too high? If you're concerned that it's too high, I'd go with a lower % bead. I just looked and they do have a 60% bead, I'd see how that runs, before doing anything dramatic. Either that or I'd stuff as many dry cedar boxes you can fit, in it and let those absorb the extra humidity. Once you get it to a point where you like, take those out and see if it maintains where you want.