Heartfelt Beads

[ltjackson]

[SIZE=10.5pt]Good morning everyone![/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10.5pt]I've recently placed an order for a new desktop humidor (200 count) and I've got a couple of questions. For all past humidors as they have been much smaller than this I've used humidity packets as they seemed easier. However I've really looked into beads for my new setup and I'm going to be ordering them soon.[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10.5pt]1.    [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]The humidor I ordered has a spot for the humidifier at the top, from my understanding a bead system requires recharging by spraying them with distilled water. Wouldn’t this drip or leak onto the cigars?[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]2.    [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]This humidor has a couple of drawers and as such I thought about getting the rectangular humidifier with beads (depending on the answer to the question above) and also get a tube humidifier to go in the bottom drawer. Would this be overkill? I read on the heartfelt site that you can use more than the minimum recommended.[/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]3.    [/SIZE][SIZE=10.5pt]I’ve also been reading a lot of seasoning guides online (from here and various other sites) and I’ve read that some people actually use the beads to season humidors. Would you guys recommend this or just go with the sponge in a saucer for a few days then put the beads in?[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10.5pt]Anyway thanks for any help, if anything this site has made me extremely particular about RH levels and I just want to ensure I’m doing this right considering this is the first time I’ll be using beads.[/SIZE]
 
[SIZE=10.5pt]Thanks![/SIZE]
[SIZE=10.5pt]~ Lee[/SIZE]

 

[Brickhouse]

1.  As long as you don't over saturate them, they won't drip.  Just spray them, let it sit for a minute, then install it.
 
2.  I'm trying to think about how big those rectangular ones are, but they seem like overkill.  There are some small tubes that work well.  If you have separation in your humidor, I fully recommend more than one device to ensure the humidity is spread as necessary, especially when fans are not installed.  You can certainly have more than the minimum recommended.
 
3.  I've never seasoned using beads, but I guess it could be done.  I've only ever seasoned using a sponge and dish.

 

[XxMerlinxX]

Seasoning using the beads are going to take a bit longer than the shotglass or sponge in a dish method.

 

[ltjackson]

1.  As long as you don't over saturate them, they won't drip.  Just spray them, let it sit for a minute, then install it.
 
2.  I'm trying to think about how big those rectangular ones are, but they seem like overkill.  There are some small tubes that work well.  If you have separation in your humidor, I fully recommend more than one device to ensure the humidity is spread as necessary, especially when fans are not installed.  You can certainly have more than the minimum recommended.
 
3.  I've never seasoned using beads, but I guess it could be done.  I've only ever seasoned using a sponge and dish.

 
The big rectangular ones come in 3 sizes (though the size difference is only the depth). The drawers of the humidor have slots for air circulation however I was thinking about putting a small tube of beads in each drawer and not even worry about putting one of the rectangular ones in there.

 

[Brickhouse]

 

1.  As long as you don't over saturate them, they won't drip.  Just spray them, let it sit for a minute, then install it.
 
2.  I'm trying to think about how big those rectangular ones are, but they seem like overkill.  There are some small tubes that work well.  If you have separation in your humidor, I fully recommend more than one device to ensure the humidity is spread as necessary, especially when fans are not installed.  You can certainly have more than the minimum recommended.
 
3.  I've never seasoned using beads, but I guess it could be done.  I've only ever seasoned using a sponge and dish.

 
The big rectangular ones come in 3 sizes (though the size difference is only the depth). The drawers of the humidor have slots for air circulation however I was thinking about putting a small tube of beads in each drawer and not even worry about putting one of the rectangular ones in there.
 

 
I guess a better way for me to answer number 2 would be this.  My current wineodor setup has 4 shelves.  The shelves have holes for circulation and I do have fans.  However, I still place a heartfelt tube of beads on each shelf because the humidity just doesn't circulate as well as you would think.  Putting beads on each level evens things out in my opinion.
 
edited to fix an error in regards to which question I was readdressing.

 

[bfreebern]

Pretty sure you can charge the beads directly(misting them) or indirectly (filing a shot glass with distilled water).  The beads do a great job at regulating humidity, so you can't go wrong with them.  I always used the mesh bag, but had a few tubes as well.  Adding extra beads will help the humidor recover faster, during those times of frequent opening, but also when seasons change and the humidity fluctuates.

 

[ltjackson]

So last night I finally got around to seasoning (well starting to at least) and I tried something different this time. I avoided the whole wipe down step that people either love or hate and went with a damp sponge on a plate overnight.

Woke up and curiosity got the best of me and I checked the rh levels. This morning it was setting at 72% which surprised me. That tells me that my humidor has fantastic seals or I have a hygrometer problem. It's an Xikar round,

https://www.xikar.com/products/humidification/digital%2Dhygrometers/

Over all I'm going to let it sit today as well and see if it maintains. The sponge was still damp this morning so hopefully it goes up a bit more.

Thoughts?

 

[whylieineedacigar]

So last night I finally got around to seasoning (well starting to at least) and I tried something different this time. I avoided the whole wipe down step that people either love or hate and went with a damp sponge on a plate overnight.

Woke up and curiosity got the best of me and I checked the rh levels. This morning it was setting at 72% which surprised me. That tells me that my humidor has fantastic seals or I have a hygrometer problem. It's an Xikar round,

https://www.xikar.com/products/humidification/digital%2Dhygrometers/

Over all I'm going to let it sit today as well and see if it maintains. The sponge was still damp this morning so hopefully it goes up a bit more.

Thoughts?

 
That shouldn't be a surprise since you have such small humidor. But do leave the sponge in there until tonight. Xikar hygrometers are usually very accurate right out of the box (within -2 +2 %) but it doesn't hurt to run a test on it before you put your cigars in there.

 

[broblues]

Don't be in a huge hurry.  Let the humidor wick in some of the humidity so it can help with constant humidification.  Cedar is very good at that.

 

[Brickhouse]

Don't be in a huge hurry.  Let the humidor wick in some of the humidity so it can help with constant humidification.  Cedar is very good at that.

 
Sound advice.  The more stable, the better.  When you introduce your cigars to the humidor they will affect the RH as well.  If the humidor has had plenty of time to stabilize, then the cigars will not has much of an affect on the RH.

 

[ltjackson]

 

Don't be in a huge hurry.  Let the humidor wick in some of the humidity so it can help with constant humidification.  Cedar is very good at that.

 
Sound advice.  The more stable, the better.  When you introduce your cigars to the humidor they will affect the RH as well.  If the humidor has had plenty of time to stabilize, then the cigars will not has much of an affect on the RH.
 

 
I'm probably not going to introduce Cigars to the humidor for a few days at the very least, I just placed an order for the beads anyway so I can't do anything until those come in  :whistling:

 

[ltjackson]

Okay gentlemen I have an update. My beads came in yesterday and last night before bed I removed the sponge. RH had been sitting steady at 77% for about a day.

Considering it was a bit high I only wet about 50% of the beads hoping they would soak up some of that and get me a little closer to 70%. Put all the tubes in there overnight (one in each drawer) and this morning I'm still at 77%.

Should I give it more time or ....?

 

[BlindedByScience]

Leave your humidor open for a couple hours, then close it up and wait a couple more hours and check the RH.  Repeat as required.

 

[Rod]

How do you know your hygrometer is accurate? 

 

[ltjackson]

How do you know your hygrometer is accurate? 

 
Well at this point I guess I don't. I'm at work and plan on salt testing tonight when I get off and seeing how far off it is then going from there with leaving the humidor open if its still high. (I salt tested the hygrometer in my last humidor and it was about +1 but I guess with moving it I should test again.)

 

[BlindedByScience]

How do you know your hygrometer is accurate? 

 
....bingo.  Probably the most important question to ask, and I missed it.  Kudos, Rod..... :thumbs:

 

[ltjackson]

How do you know your hygrometer is accurate? 

Okay so last night I tested my hygrometer and after about 2/3 hours it had been stray at 73% but I left it overnight in the bag and when I woke up it was down to 71%.

I'm thinking this is just because they are cheap Ziploc bags and I lost some humidity overnight. Would you guys say it's safe to say I'm at -2%?

 

[broblues]

Check again today.

 

[ltjackson]

Did it again, got a better double lock bag left it for 8 hours. Got a steady 73% so I know I'm at a -2% which does make me feel better since I checked it twice.

Just so I understand that, whatever my reading is I need to add 2 right?

 

[whylieineedacigar]

Did it again, got a better double lock bag left it for 8 hours. Got a steady 73% so I know I'm at a -2% which does make me feel better since I checked it twice.

Just so I understand that, whatever my reading is I need to add 2 right?

 
That is correct.