Am I Doing Something Wrong?

[hypervista]

Hi guys, I'm new here and new to serious cigar smoking. I just bought my first humidor and am into the second day of seasoning it. It's a Diamond Crown humidor, which came with a Diamond Crown humidifier. I've noticed a significant leaking of water around the bottom portion of the vent area of the humidifier (the angled slots that have what appears to be a mesh absorbent matierial - the ones behind the metal slide for those familiar with DC humidifiers). I'd post a photo, but evidently I'm too new here.

I left the humidifier sitting face down on a paper towel for nearly an hour after filling and still get some significant leaking into the humidor after letting it "hang" from the inside lid for several hours. I'm not sure if I'm doing something wrong, or if I've got a defective humidifier.

I've searched this forum and other resources on the web and can't find any info on leaking DC humidifiers.

Thanks in advance for any and all advice.

[thebayratt]

Possibly you could be overfilling it. Water leaking/setting on the cedar could warp the wood.

[veteranvmb]

If you left it face down, for at least an hour, I dont see how its still leaking? I place all my humidifiers face down in a bowl of pg for five minutes, and let it soak up what it wants. I then place it on a towel and let it anything that wants to come out, come out. . I have close to ten humidors, and I always fear a leak, have never had it happen.
Are you sure you have a sponge or whatever is suppossed to be inside???

Much regards Jerry

[hypervista]

Originally Posted by thebayratt

Possibly you could be overfilling it. Water leaking/setting on the cedar could warp the wood.

Thanks thebayratt! I'll check that. I did fill it up pretty much to the top. The instructions were non-existent. I put a clean sponge under it so it's leaking onto the sponge and I've been drying the wet wood pretty regularly.

I'll empty some of the water out or it to see if that helps.

Thanks again for the response.

[hypervista]

Originally Posted by veteranvmb

If you left it face down, for at least an hour, I dont see how its still leaking? I place all my humidifiers face down in a bowl of pg for five minutes, and let it soak up what it wants. I then place it on a towel and let it anything that wants to come out, come out. . I have close to ten humidors, and I always fear a leak, have never had it happen.
Are you sure you have a sponge or whatever is suppossed to be inside???

Much regards Jerry

Thanks for the reply Jerry. The Diamond Crown humidifier fills from the top (screw cap). I can't see inside of it so I'm not sure if the absorbent matierial is in there or not. I'm going to follow thebayratt's suggestion and take some of the water out of it (I did fill it right to the top).

Thanks!

[hypervista]

Okay.... I emptied some of the water out and it isn't dripping anymore. However, there are some water beading up on the outside of several of the slots... just hanging there waiting to ruin some of my smokes..

I was looking through some of the humidor photos on another section of this board and noticed that at least one guy uses two large 72 Humidipaks, and a lot of guys have jars of beads. Maybe I'll just ditch the DC humidifier all together.

I think my humidor is seasoned and ready to go. It's keeping a steady 75RH all day (empty). I have my cigars stored in two of those large A. Fuente humidor bags with some humidipaks. So I'm in no big hurry to move them to the new humidor, especially since I have this isse with my humidifier. Maybe I'll order a new humidifier and see if that works better.

[phresh]

Have you checked the seal on the screw cap? Maybe it isn't sealing properly. I've never used this humidifier before but it seems that a screw on cap could be a possible cause for a leak. If you decide to change it heartfelt beads rock.

[hypervista]

Thanks phresh. I have checked the screw cap and it seems to seal pretty well. I don't see any wetness between the cap and the vents, where the water is beading. I think it's coming through the mesh and beading/dripping from there. Odd thing is, there is a blue tint to the water that is beading up (I can see the blue color when I dry it with a paper towel).

<edit> I just ordered some heartfelt bead products. Thanks for the suggestion. </edit>

[hypervista]

Update - This DC humidifier is definitely defective. I got up this morning to check it and sure enough, dripping water into the bottom of the humidor. This after emptying the darned thing half-way last night. I've sh!tcanned it.

I've put two Humidipak 72s in the bottom (under the rack) and it seems to be holding at 75% RH (time will tell). I've also ordered some heartfelt bead products and will give that a go.

Thanks all for the responses.