Heartfelt beads and my humi

[AZ Smoker]

Hey All,

I took everyone's advice and bought some heartfelt beads (70%). BTW, Dave is awesome to deal with!!

I have had the beads in my humidor for about 48 hours and the level seems to be right at 63. I have been opening it about twice a day to grab a stick. I purchased more beads that I needed so it would recover faster.

My question is why do you think it is sticking right at 63? I have a 100 ct humi and it is about 75% full. I have added some new cigars over the past 48 hours so could that possibly be causing the low reading? I do have a digi hygro that is calibrated correctly.

Should I worry if is at 63? could it be the cold climate as well, I have read several threads about this.

What are your thoughts, CP?

Thanks for your help.

 

[ree ree robusto]

63 is good. I buy 65 beads. Maybe you hygrometer is off? Can't regulate when you keep peeking in there! We are dry right now! How full is your humi? Maybe you need more smokes in there? Maybe you humi is still seasoning?

 

[KiltLad]

AZ,

You bought 70. Your at 63. Don't be sweating the small stuff. 7 deference is nothing. Now if it was 17, I'd do something about it. Anything between 60 and 75 and your going to have good smokes. Cigars are not the cute delicate little things some of us seem to think they are. Keep doing what you are doing and you'll be fine.

 

[AZ Smoker]

63 is good. I buy 65 beads. Maybe you hygrometer is off? Can't regulate when you keep peeking in there! We are dry right now! How full is your humi? Maybe you need more smokes in there? Maybe you humi is still seasoning?

Hey Ree Ree, thanks for the quick response! I doubt it is the hygrometer because I just calibrated it last week and all was good. I hear you on peeking in there but I have to get a smoke out, you know? Humi is about 75% full. If my humi is still seasoning (which could be a possibility) I am okay to keep my sticks in there, right? How long should I expect a humi to season?

AZ,

You bought 70. Your at 63. Don't be sweating the small stuff. 7 deference is nothing. Now if it was 17, I'd do something about it. Anything between 60 and 75 and your going to have good smokes. Cigars are not the cute delicate little things some of us seem to think they are. Keep doing what you are doing and you'll be fine.

Good deal! I just worry way to much I guess. Thanks for he quick response, I appreciate your help.

 

[ree ree robusto]

Seasoned until it hold a constant RH. I made the mistake of putting a few smokes into a unseasoned humi recently bc my locker was full. Thought after a week it was all good. The humi pulled the moisture right out of my smokes. It also depends if you humi has a good seal. If you put a flash light in there, can you see any light coming out when it is shut?

Try putting a shot glass of distilled water in the humi until it reaches your 70 RH level. Your humi and beads will soak that up...

 

[tomthirtysix]

If my humi is still seasoning (which could be a possibility) I am okay to keep my sticks in there, right? How long should I expect a humi to season?

While there's a possibility you're just worrying too much:

I seasoned it by wiping it down with distilled water and leaving the sponge in the humidor (on a piece of plastic of course) and let it sit for 24 hours and then took the sponge out and wiped it down and again and let it sit for another 24 hours.

Was that all you did to "season" it? There's a good chance your humidor isn't seasoned properly. I'd check the "how to" guide at the top of this forum. Two things with the seasoning - I wouldn't season it with the beads in. The beads will be constantly absorbing the humidity when you want the wood to absorb it. Second - I would pull the sticks while seasoning. The humidor is going to be over 70% during the seasoning process, and I wouldn't want my cigars sitting in humidity like that.

 

[AZ Smoker]

Seasoned until it hold a constant RH. I made the mistake of putting a few smokes into a unseasoned humi recently bc my locker was full. Thought after a week it was all good. The humi pulled the moisture right out of my smokes. It also depends if you humi has a good seal. If you put a flash light in there, can you see any light coming out when it is shut?

Try putting a shot glass of distilled water in the humi until it reaches your 70 RH level. Your humi and beads will soak that up...

No light with the flashligh so it does have a good seal. I will pull my sticks and stick a shot glass in there for a couple days and see what that does for me. Thanks again.

If my humi is still seasoning (which could be a possibility) I am okay to keep my sticks in there, right? How long should I expect a humi to season?

While there's a possibility you're just worrying too much:

I seasoned it by wiping it down with distilled water and leaving the sponge in the humidor (on a piece of plastic of course) and let it sit for 24 hours and then took the sponge out and wiped it down and again and let it sit for another 24 hours.

Was that all you did to "season" it? There's a good chance your humidor isn't seasoned properly. I'd check the "how to" guide at the top of this forum. Two things with the seasoning - I wouldn't season it with the beads in. The beads will be constantly absorbing the humidity when you want the wood to absorb it. Second - I would pull the sticks while seasoning. The humidor is going to be over 70% during the seasoning process, and I wouldn't want my cigars sitting in humidity like that.

In addition to what is listed above, I put a shot glass full of distilled water in my humi about a month ago. I will attempt that again and see if that helps. Thanks for the help!

 

[jnknzz]

It might take over a week to properly season your humi (mine took 9 days). If you underseason your humi, it will always cause you RH problems. Put a shot glass or 2 of distilled in there (sans cigars) and leave it alone for a week. Make sure your RH gets up to at least 70 for a day. Then, put your charged beads in there; wait a day. Put cigars in; enjoy.

:thumbs:


Derek

 

[dlow]

I assume that you've calibrated/salt tested your hydrometer also right?

 

[AZ Smoker]

I assume that you've calibrated/salt tested your hydrometer also right?

Correct.

 

[Humidor Minister]

The thicker the Spanish Cedar, the longer it will take to season. It can take 2 weeks or even more sometimes. Patients will prove itself worthy in the end. BTW are you in Tucson AZ? If so, PM me to get together for a cigar. :thumbs:

 

[AZ Smoker]

The thicker the Spanish Cedar, the longer it will take to season. It can take 2 weeks or even more sometimes. Patients will prove itself worthy in the end. BTW are you in Tucson AZ? If so, PM me to get together for a cigar. :thumbs:

Thanks Humidor Minister. I put a shot glass full of distilled water in the humidor for two days and took it out and my rh was at 65. I put the neads back in and it is still at 62-63. I'm done worrying about it, from reading on here, 63 is just fine, right?

I am in Phoenix (Mesa). I actually have never been to Tucson before, but if I ever make it up there (for golf) I'll be sure to PM you so we can get together for a stick.

 

[jnknzz]

Thanks Humidor Minister. I put a shot glass full of distilled water in the humidor for two days and took it out and my rh was at 65. I put the neads back in and it is still at 62-63. I'm done worrying about it, from reading on here, 63 is just fine, right?
I am in Phoenix (Mesa). I actually have never been to Tucson before, but if I ever make it up there (for golf) I'll be sure to PM you so we can get together for a stick.

I tried...



Derek

 

[AZ Smoker]

Thanks Humidor Minister. I put a shot glass full of distilled water in the humidor for two days and took it out and my rh was at 65. I put the neads back in and it is still at 62-63. I'm done worrying about it, from reading on here, 63 is just fine, right?
I am in Phoenix (Mesa). I actually have never been to Tucson before, but if I ever make it up there (for golf) I'll be sure to PM you so we can get together for a stick.

I tried...



Derek

Thanks Derek!

 

[tomthirtysix]

I tried...



Derek

Pretty much...

 

[w00ts!te]

Wipe the humidor down a little to help the seasoning process.