Bead problem..WTF!

[BamaDoc77]

Well, Ive got about 3lbs of 65% beads from heartfelt in my 150 qt cooler. Hygro is reading 73%. I have salt tested it TWICE this week. My desktop humi is chillin at 68%...WTF! Could I have possibly been sent 70% beads? I did NOT wet the beads when they arrived so they are NOT saturated..

[muziq]

Do you have much cedar in your cooler?

[BamaDoc77]

Originally Posted by muziq

Do you have much cedar in your cooler?

probably 20 full boxes and 6 cedar trays (full)

[muziq]

Where do you keep the cooler? And how often do you get into it? And how has the humidity been in your neck of the woods?

[BamaDoc77]

Originally Posted by muziq

Where do you keep the cooler? And how often do you get into it? And how has the humidity been in your neck of the woods?

I go into it probably daily....the humidity has been about 40% lately, the room stays b/w 65-68 degrees....

[muziq]

Originally Posted by BamaDoc77

I go into it probably daily....the humidity has been about 40% lately, the room stays b/w 65-68 degrees....

Might want to take the beads out for a while and let the RH level off slowly. Keeping the beads out will also allow them to lose a little of their charge as well. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

[BamaDoc77]

Originally Posted by muziq

Might want to take the beads out for a while and let the RH level off slowly. Keeping the beads out will also allow them to lose a little of their charge as well. I wouldn't worry too much about it.

I left em out for a couple of hours yesterday...may leave them out a full day and see what happens. Thanks.

[Smoked]

Where were the boxes stored before you added the new beads? It could be that the boxes have a higher RH and everything just needs time to adjust.

[Big D]

I don't have near the number of smoke in my cooler, but I have about half a pound of 65% beads in it and the humidity stays between 65-70%.
I wouldn't worry to much, and from what I have been told 70% is better for aging.
I have some cedar in the cooler, but the humidity hangs around 63-65% in my humis. Maybe the amount of cedar has something to do with it??

[Nabinger16]

Originally Posted by Smoked

Where were the boxes stored before you added the new beads? It could be that the boxes have a higher RH and everything just needs time to adjust.

I'm thinking possibly the same thing... If the majority of cigars and cedar boxes/trays have been stored in an environment with a RH higher that 65%, it will take some time for the beads to draw the humidity out.

If this is the issue, try using a blow dryer to dry the beads until they are primarily all white, that way they will absorb the RH.

[BamaDoc77]

Originally Posted by Nabinger16

I'm thinking possibly the same thing... If the majority of cigars and cedar boxes/trays have been stored in an environment with a RH higher that 65%, it will take some time for the beads to draw the humidity out.

If this is the issue, try using a blow dryer to dry the beads until they are primarily all white, that way they will absorb the RH.

thats a great idea!

[RPB67]

Originally Posted by BamaDoc77

Well, Ive got about 3lbs of 65% beads from heartfelt in my 150 qt cooler. Hygro is reading 73%. I have salt tested it TWICE this week. My desktop humi is chillin at 68%...WTF! Could I have possibly been sent 70% beads? I did NOT wet the beads when they arrived so they are NOT saturated..

They may need some time to stabilize in their new enviorment.

Dont soak them just wet them a bit and you should be good to go.

Your cigars,cedar and humi contents just need to all stabilize a bit.

Leave the cooler open for a couple of hours each day til the humidity comes down to where you want it. As dry as it's been here lately, it shouldn't take long. you might look for a battery powered "Oust" fan to place in the cooler to circulate the air, maybe draw some of the humidity out that may be settling to the bottom of the cooler.

[BamaDoc77]

Originally Posted by SvilleKid

Leave the cooler open for a couple of hours each day til the humidity comes down to where you want it. As dry as it's been here lately, it shouldn't take long. you might look for a battery powered "Oust" fan to place in the cooler to circulate the air, maybe draw some of the humidity out that may be settling to the bottom of the cooler.

Ive got 2 oust fans going...front vents removed (thanks Dremel) and have never wet the beads.....i took the blow dryer to the beads (on cool) and put em back in ....reading 69% as we type.

Originally Posted by BamaDoc77

Ive got 2 oust fans going...front vents removed (thanks Dremel) and have never wet the beads.....i took the blow dryer to the beads (on cool) and put em back in ....reading 69% as we type.

Now I know why you are saying WTF!!!

Looks like you have it under control for how it should be working, but something is sure throwing you a curve! I am running about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs in each of my 70 quarts (65%), and they both habitually run around 62-63%. I do not know any way to tell, after the fact, if the beads are 65 or 70%. Do you have more beads that you are sure belong in the 65% class that you can substitute for a while to see if there's a difference?

Just a FYI, the only time mine ran high, my maduros seem to be the cigars that I had to keep an eye on for mold issues. Caught a box of VSG's trying to turn on me, but was way early, and managed to correct the problems without any permanent damage. Better open all the boxes inside and check! Even if you are not worried, what the heck, any reason to view the goodies MUST be taken (I think that may be a "Man Law")