polymer crystals

[MountainPasser]

hi all,

I’ve added a cool new homebrew humidifier to my humidor. It’s Polymer crystals and the standard 50/50 PG solution. The crystals expand up to 400 times their original size. It’s a lot better than oasis foam because it holds so much more solution so you recharge it less. The cost of the crystals is almost nothing. $4.00 for a ½ pound bag about 3 cups of crystals. This is a lifetime supply times six.

I made the humidifier out of a bubblegum machine toy holder. All you have to do is drill 6 to 8 small holes in the clear part. Then put a pinch of crystals into a cup of 50/50 PG solution. After an hour put the crystals onto the toy holder and that’s it. It’s a simple quick and easy humidifier. You can also see when the level of water is getting low because it’s clear plastic.

You don’t have to use the toy holder an old film can or an plastic holder will work. I bet you could take the oasis out of an old humidifier and replace it with the crystals. The toy holder is just fun looking.

Mpass

 

[PuroBrat]

Where bouts do you get the Crystals?

 

[Shadow]

PB, you can get them at the Garden Centers at Lowe's or Home Depot, The product is called Soil-n'-Moist.

Before I switched to the beads that is what I used.

 

[PuroBrat]

Are they simular to Clammax? It seams like to me that once the chrystals were charged with 50/50 you should only have to add Distilled H2O for quite a while before needing more PG. But Beads are about nearly as cheap as 50/50 and Chrystals aren't they?

 

[MountainPasser]

I just refill with watter I don't think much PG is lost if any. I don't know much about the beads but I don't think you need PG just water. As for cost I dont know what the deads go for. The nice thing about the beads is if you want 65% you can get it. PG is 70%.

container $0.50
PG $0.25
water $0.03
crystals $0.05
-----------------
total $0.83

Mpass

 

[Wascal]

K L H

 

[PuroBrat]

Yeah, das pretty cheap. Cheaper 'n beads which if I am not mistaken are around $25 a pound, but a pound is a lot o' beads fer sure.

And you are correct about the 65% which is where I like to keep my humi.

Maybe I should see Vern

 

[emodx]

Here's the deal. If you buy pre-mixed, then it is cheap. But many want %65 w/ no head aches attached. After buying the smallest PG bottle, then buying distilled, then buying crystals, you are looking at 15 bucks. Then you gotta do the math and mix the PG/H2O to the right amount to get your crystal filled. Then after your H2O/PG evaporates, you have to do it again, but to remember that H2O evaps faster, and adjust your numebers depending on your crystal weight. Or you could just get Vern's product, follow his directions, and be headache free. NADA

Emo

 

[FatherTiresius]

Actually Emo, no ratio of PG to H2O will give you 65%. You need something else entirely (don't know what, but Vern apparently does). So if you want 70%, you can do it Mpasser's way, but to get 65% I know of no alternative to Climmax beads. (NADA either)

 

[PuroBrat]

Emo, buddy, I had the same thought you had, but then I decided not to post it in case I was wrong. Thank you for stickin your neck out

I was doubtful that PG could be adjusted that way. But one can wish right?

All jokes aside, Vern's 65% beads are so freekin cheap, why tempt disaster? ???

 

[MountainPasser]

I like the crystals, I think mainly because of the fiddle factor. Toying with stuff is part of the fun. I also made filters for my salt tank and I’m cutting the floorboards out of my mustang. Playing boy chemist is fun.

Mpass

 

[Wascal]

I wasn't going to elaborate on the KLH post but here goes.
First let me say I use Vern's product, have a pound in my coolerdor. Great stuff and very easy to use.

Kitty Litter .... you need the crystal kind, be sure to read the bag. Put the amount you want in a container, a dish of distiled water, a accurate means to gage the humidity, all in a tupperware box. When the humidity reaches the % you want take the KLH out and put in your dor. No, not as easy as Climmax, but at $5.00 for 3 lbs....

Several posts on this over at CF.


Wascal

 

[PuroBrat]

I was wonderin bout that KLH post, but feared sounding...well....dumb

So I refused to ask, thanks for the info Wascal

 

[Allofus123]

I'm going to echo Wascal.... I use cliMMax beads. Great product!

I have done some experimenting with KLH. If you have time to tinker and have a way to maintain the humidity you are after than you can make KLH work for you. I have an Oasis that I've set at 67% and placed some KLH in with it. If I didn't maintain it for at least 6 or 7 days after it reached my desired humidity it didn't maintain it after I removed it. It adjusted to the enviroment I placed it in.They have to be conditioned first.

I'm still experimenting with it a bit. I know of one person on here that is using it and has had no problems that I'm aware of. Don't know about the longivity of it yet. I've had my cliMMax beads for a long time and I know it works.

Assessment so far? Has worked at maintaining humidity once conditioned properly. Conditioning will be easy for some and difficult for others. Long term use questions unanswered. Much cheaper if your time conditioning them is not considered.

 

[Korryp]

Watersorb is a polymer that works really well. It takes a while to get it the right humidity but once there it holds real well.

Here is a URL for:http://www.watersorb.com/prices.htm

This takes some time playing to get it right but once there it is almost like the expensive beads.

 

[Wascal]

I got a pound of those watersorb thingies myself. Trying to work something with them and some wicking material. Got to work out a air flow solution too. Maybe should just go smoke a cigar and forget about it....





Wascal