Humidity keeps going way above 70%

[BKSinAZ]

prometheus humidor with prometheus humidifier keeps going as high as 78 percent humidity.
I opened the humidor and waited till it dropped to 61% last night. This morning it was 74%.
I have not re-seasoned the box since I bought it 3 weeks ago.

I don't want mold, what should I do? Should I just leave the humidor open for a short while? What is the acceptable humidity range?

 

[Q_The_Cop]

How did you season it? Was it brand new/used when you bought it? How long did you season it before you but your smokes in it? Give us some more information, and we can help you better.

 

[BKSinAZ]

How did you season it? Was it brand new/used when you bought it? How long did you season it before you but your smokes in it? Give us some more information, and we can help you better.

I seasoned by rubbing Propylene glycol type of water (given with purchase of box). I was told I can use it every now and then, so I used it by wiping inner box down and filling the humidifer. It sat closed for about 2 days before putting cigars inside. Also, the humidifier was what came with the box. I bought brand new from a nice cigar shop. What is the acceptable humidity range?

My humidor: https://www.prometheuskkp.com/products/humi...lano/walnut.htm

The humidifier: https://www.prometheuskkp.com/products/humi.../optima-scs.htm

The propylen water solution: Was by "Xikar": http://www.amazon.com/Humidor-Solution-Pro...s/dp/B0007VWEQ0

 

[sigar_zealot]

It's easy to over soak those humidifying elements. My advice would be to remove the humidifier from the box for a few hours to let it dry out. You will find your box will remain more stable if you keep it a little fuller. I think you said you had about 3-4 cigars? Many of us here grew tired of battling these humidifying elements and switched to beads.

I find 65-70% to be best in our climate. Below 65% seems to split a lot of my wrappers.

 

[mp928]

Hey BK,

First thing, make sure your hygrometer is calibrated. When I first set up my humi, my RH was super high. I figured out my hygrometer was terribly inaccurate, and it was giving a false reading. Salt test the hygrometer (CLICK HERE) then, give it a few more days to settle down.

If the RH is still high, you can't go wrong with Viper's Humidity beads from Heartfelt Industries. They are effortless and will keep your RH at a constant 65 or 70 (depending on what you buy). You won't need much for your humidor. Most people like to keep their humidors at 65-70% RH, but usually not any higher than that

For the time being, you can buy a few Boveda packs if your local shop carries them. That could help stabilize the RH.

Nice humi by the way! Good luck with everything and let us know how it all works out

 

[BKSinAZ]

It's easy to over soak those humidifying elements.

Over soak a humidifier?? I did not do this yet, but I was told by the cigar shop to fill a tubberware bowl with distilled water and just throw the humidifier into it till it soaks up it's own capacity?

This webpage suggest same thing: http://www.cigarhumidors-online.com/cigar-...setup-0707.html


This first time, I turned the humidifier upside down and just poured the XiKar solution thru the holes of the humidifier till it started to run out the slots on top.

 

[BKSinAZ]

Hey BK,

First thing, make sure your hygrometer is calibrated. When I first set up my humi, my RH was super high. I figured out my hygrometer was terribly inaccurate, and it was giving a false reading. Salt test the hygrometer (CLICK HERE) then, give it a few more days to settle down.

If the RH is still high, you can't go wrong with Viper's Humidity beads from Heartfelt Industries. They are effortless and will keep your RH at a constant 65 or 70 (depending on what you buy). You won't need much for your humidor. Most people like to keep their humidors at 65-70% RH, but usually not any higher than that

For the time being, you can buy a few Boveda packs if your local shop carries them. That could help stabilize the RH.

Nice humi by the way! Good luck with everything and let us know how it all works out

This is a digital hygrometer: http://www.prometheuskkp.com/Merchant2/mer...ct_Code=HYGRO03
and I don't think it can be calibrated.

By the way, here in Tucson Arizona it is 19% humidity outside my home.

 

[Q_The_Cop]

It can be calibrated. Do the salt test on it, then hit the reset button. Search the building a humidor thread for the salt test. I don't think rubbing with PG solution was the thing to do. Don't know if it will hurt the cedar or not. Put the shot glass of DW in there and close the lid with the calibrated hygrometer. Then leave it alone. It'll come to RH but it'll take longer than two days.

Search for the Build a Humidor post should be stickied on top of this thread. It'll have all your answers.

 

[Rural Guy]

If you poured the PG solution in your humidifier until it was running out of it then you've put in too much.

Take out the water, take out the humidifier.

Give it a few hours and then only put back in the humidifier. Wait 24 hours, check the humidity. If it's high, repeat, if it's low keep it closed and check for another 24 hours.

Get more cigars to avoid humidity swings and buy some beads.

 

[MrAnderson41]

If you poured the PG solution in your humidifier until it was running out of it then you've put in too much.

Take out the water, take out the humidifier.

Give it a few hours and then only put back in the humidifier. Wait 24 hours, check the humidity. If it's high, repeat, if it's low keep it closed and check for another 24 hours.

Get more cigars to avoid humidity swings and buy some beads.

After reading this thread this was my thought as well. If you seasoned your box my rubbing it down with PG solution AND put your humidifier into a bowl of distilled water until it wouldn't soak up and more you have essentially completly saturated your humi. The humidifier is supposed to be able to absorb and release water as necessary to regulate the RH. If it is completly saturated, then it can no longer soak any mositure up and the fact you rubbed the humi with PG solution doesn't help matter either b/c now the wood can't absorb any excess moisture. Follow Rural Guy's suggestion.

 

[grateful1]

If you poured the PG solution in your humidifier until it was running out of it then you've put in too much.

Take out the water, take out the humidifier.

Give it a few hours and then only put back in the humidifier. Wait 24 hours, check the humidity. If it's high, repeat, if it's low keep it closed and check for another 24 hours.

Get more cigars to avoid humidity swings and buy some beads.

After reading this thread this was my thought as well. If you seasoned your box my rubbing it down with PG solution AND put your humidifier into a bowl of distilled water until it wouldn't soak up and more you have essentially completly saturated your humi. The humidifier is supposed to be able to absorb and release water as necessary to regulate the RH. If it is completly saturated, then it can no longer soak any mositure up and the fact you rubbed the humi with PG solution doesn't help matter either b/c now the wood can't absorb any excess moisture. Follow Rural Guy's suggestion.

Yup.

I've never heard of rubbing it with glycol solution...only anti-freeze.

 

[Devil Doc]

Save yourself lots of aggravation; shit can the PG and buy some of Viper's beads. I don't anyone who stills uses PG.

Doc.

 

[BKSinAZ]

Save yourself lots of aggravation; shit can the PG and buy some of Viper's beads. I don't anyone who stills uses PG.

Dofc.

where do I buy Viper's beads and how much for a desktop hummy that has 50 stick capacity?

If you poured the PG solution in your humidifier until it was running out of it then you've put in too much.

Take out the water, take out the humidifier.

Give it a few hours and then only put back in the humidifier. Wait 24 hours, check the humidity. If it's high, repeat, if it's low keep it closed and check for another 24 hours.

Get more cigars to avoid humidity swings and buy some beads.

ok.. then can you explain the proper proceedure for filling a humidifier?

Did I ruin my box by seasoning it with PG solution??

 

[cpprhead59]

Save yourself lots of aggravation; shit can the PG and buy some of Viper's beads. I don't anyone who stills uses PG.

Dofc.

where do I buy Viper's beads and how much for a desktop hummy that has 50 stick capacity?

Your answer lies within the link.

Heartfelt

This is "vipers" company. You will find all of the information you need here. Find the measurements of your humi and plug them into the calculator to get an idea of the amount of beads you will need.

Also, nothing wrong at all with getting more beads than the calculator tells you within reason.

EDIT - Spelling and also to add that I also have the beads and love them. The customer service at vipers company is top notch.

 

[themoneycollector]

I'll put in another plug for heartfelt beads, they are the best. Go for the 65% ones and they have a little bit of %-swing

 

[BKSinAZ]

What is the recommendation?, the flat bead case or the round bead humidifier from Heartfelt?

 

[Nashkicker]

I just got the tubes and thay are working great for me. I dont think you can go wrong with heartfelt.

 

[Rural Guy]

Save yourself lots of aggravation; shit can the PG and buy some of Viper's beads. I don't anyone who stills uses PG.

Dofc.

where do I buy Viper's beads and how much for a desktop hummy that has 50 stick capacity?

If you poured the PG solution in your humidifier until it was running out of it then you've put in too much.

Take out the water, take out the humidifier.

Give it a few hours and then only put back in the humidifier. Wait 24 hours, check the humidity. If it's high, repeat, if it's low keep it closed and check for another 24 hours.

Get more cigars to avoid humidity swings and buy some beads.

ok.. then can you explain the proper proceedure for filling a humidifier?

Did I ruin my box by seasoning it with PG solution??

What is the recommendation?, the flat bead case or the round bead humidifier from Heartfelt?

Just pour on a little bit and wait for it to soak in, repeat until it looks damp, and only do it until you get the beads.

I'd advise buying a pound or more at a time. It's way more than you'll need now but you can take a few and put them in some pantyhose (even open up your humidifier, take out the sponge, fill some pantyhose with some beads and put that back in your humidifier case) and then you have some for a travel tupperdor or if you expand.

 

[MrAnderson41]

Save yourself lots of aggravation; shit can the PG and buy some of Viper's beads. I don't anyone who stills uses PG.

Dofc.

where do I buy Viper's beads and how much for a desktop hummy that has 50 stick capacity?

If you poured the PG solution in your humidifier until it was running out of it then you've put in too much.

Take out the water, take out the humidifier.

Give it a few hours and then only put back in the humidifier. Wait 24 hours, check the humidity. If it's high, repeat, if it's low keep it closed and check for another 24 hours.

Get more cigars to avoid humidity swings and buy some beads.

ok.. then can you explain the proper proceedure for filling a humidifier?

Did I ruin my box by seasoning it with PG solution??

What is the recommendation?, the flat bead case or the round bead humidifier from Heartfelt?

Just pour on a little bit and wait for it to soak in, repeat until it looks damp, and only do it until you get the beads.

I'd advise buying a pound or more at a time. It's way more than you'll need now but you can take a few and put them in some pantyhose (even open up your humidifier, take out the sponge, fill some pantyhose with some beads and put that back in your humidifier case) and then you have some for a travel tupperdor or if you expand.

I'd like to add to this that if you did not charge the sponge with PG then you are O.K. to use PG directly on the sponge now. If you did use PG on the sponge already you need to "clean" it out by rinsing it throughly with distilled water and then let it dry. Once you have a clean dry sponge you can put the PG on the sponge until it appears wet. I do this for 3/4 of the sponge (image a pie or pizza with 1/4 of it missing). The 1/4 missing i leave dry. Now let the whole thing sit for about 30~45 minutes to allow it to soak/drip, put it in the round "puck" and your in business.