How to open Heartfelt tube ?

[Mr.Smoke]

Hi guys,
 
Today i received a large heartfelt 65%  tube charged with beads. I have a little problem, i can't open that thing, i used all my force but got no success. 
My question is: it's possible to open these tubes? or is there any thrick to open them? I know this sounds stupid.....
I've read on their website that 2 ounces of beds (which si what i have) takes 3-4 teaspoons of DW (15-20ml). So if i add something like 15 ml of DW will this hydtrate about 3 quarters of the beads ? I ask that because i can't see anything trough that tube.
 
Thanks !

 

[Tall Paul]

Just use the whole tube so you know you have plenty. More is better with a humidification device especially in the winter time.

 

[Mr.Smoke]

Yes, but i don't know how much water to ad, thats why i want to open the tube, to see when the beads get clear. But if 15 ml of water is ok i'll just add that. 

 

[Jonesy]

You'll be able to see the beads turn through the tube without opening it. They go from white to translucent.

 

[CBoukal]

They stick that's for sure, normally I twist it off and it comes off

 

[sigar_zealot]

I wish I would have never removed the cap from mine. Once loose mine slips off from time to time when moving it around and dumps beads all over the place. 

 

[Pipe Smoker]

I wish I would have never removed the cap from mine. Once loose mine slips off from time to time when moving it around and dumps beads all over the place. 

I was going to say the same thing. Once you get that lid off the first time it comes off very easily (too easily) from them on.

 

[Mr.Smoke]

I added 15ml of DW with a seringe. I put the tube with the hygrometer inside a small tupperware box, the reading is 79% (the actual reding is 74% but my hygrometer reads 5% less)
What i did wrong? .....

 

[Jonesy]

Sounds like the first thing you need to do is calibrate your hygrometer...

 

[Mr.Smoke]

I did the salt test and the reading was 70%, so the reading is 5% less.  

 

[2K6TBSS]

This might have been answered in a different thread, but have you replaced the battery in your hygrometer and re-calibrated it?
 
If you have 65% beads, they should be no where near 79%.  I would bet it's something with your hygrometer.

 

[Mr.Smoke]

This might have been answered in a different thread, but have you replaced the battery in your hygrometer and re-calibrated it?
 
If you have 65% beads, they should be no where near 79%.  I would bet it's something with your hygrometer.

I think maybe is something with the hygro, the battery is 2 months old, i will do the salt test again.

 

[ironpeddler]

This might have been answered in a different thread, but have you replaced the battery in your hygrometer and re-calibrated it?
 
If you have 65% beads, they should be no where near 79%.  I would bet it's something with your hygrometer.

I think maybe is something with the hygro, the battery is 2 months old, i will do the salt test again.

 
Good idea...or buy a calibration kit made by Boveda, that'll take the guess work out of using the salt correctly.

 

[BlindedByScience]

I would never add water to beads....having made the mistake of adding too much to a couple of tubes a few years ago, and molding them up.
 
Instead, I'd put a shot glass or two of distilled water in the humidor and let physics do it's stuff.  Watch the RH and when it's a couple points above the beads value, pull the shot glasses out.

 

[broblues]

What was your reading before you put the bead sticks in (Heartfelt)?

 

[Mr.Smoke]

What was your reading before you put the bead sticks in (Heartfelt)?

I didn't put the beads in my humidor yet. I just wanted to do a test, so i put them in a small tupperware box. In my humidor the hygrometer was reading 59-60%. I mention i added the quantity of water mentioned on their website which is 3-4 teaspoons. I've found on the internet that 1 teaspoon is 5 ml, so i added 15 ml 

 

[broblues]

They (Heartfelt) offer a little syringe to wet the beads. 

 

[Mr.Smoke]

They (Heartfelt) offer a little syringe to wet the beads. 

That is what i used: a seringe, not the one from the website, just a regular one from pharmacy.
EDIT  I did the wet salt test again and my hygrometer is reading exactly like the last test - 5% less. I also changed the battery.

 

[Mr.Smoke]

Quick update: I just managed to open the tube. It seems like the ends was stucked, but after i added water, they mellowed out somehow, so they popped out easily. Now i can see that all the beads are clear, but not dripping wet or something like that. I let the tube in open air, and today i tested them again, and the rh was more than 70% in less than 1 hour. I'll try to dry them now.
So, the conclusion is that 15 ml of dw is waaay too much for 2 ounces of beads.  I think 8 ml will be just right.
So, if there is someone who's just getting beads, keep that in mind: 8 ml for 2 ounces

 

[2K6TBSS]

Keep in mind, if the beads were already charged (clear when you got them), then adding water might have been part of the problem.  You only want about 60-75% of the beads clear, and the others to be white.