Question about beads...

[JezterVA]

Do any of you primates have any experience with THESE , and if so, can you offer any comparisons between them and the Climmax beads? I've read all of the positive reviews on Climmax, but these are on sale by about 30% compared to the competition. I'm going to need about 2-3 pounds and these would be a significant dollar savings if they are comparable as I need to humidify ~30 sq. ft.

I recently scored a cabinet humi from ebay and now I need to work on stocking it up. I'm making the switch from a 40 ct. that has long ago overflowed thanks to Satan and I need to get the cabinet into an operational state.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Steve

[cmiller]

Originally Posted by JezterVA

Do any of you primates have any experience with THESE , and if so, can you offer any comparisons between them and the Climmax beads? I've read all of the positive reviews on Climmax, but these are on sale by about 30% compared to the competition. I'm going to need about 2-3 pounds and these would be a significant dollar savings if they are comparable as I need to humidify ~30 sq. ft.

I recently scored a cabinet humi from ebay and now I need to work on stocking it up. I'm making the switch from a 40 ct. that has long ago overflowed thanks to Satan and I need to get the cabinet into an operational state.

Any feedback is appreciated.

Steve

In an older thread here: http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthr...779#post148779 it seems that the opinion was they are about the same.

[SDmate]

try this thread, viper will set ya up mate
http://www.clubstogie.com/vb/showthread.php?t=9483

[JezterVA]

Great info in both threads....And I usually know better and do a search prior to my questions.

In the event that I stepped on Viper's toes, I appologize. It wasn't intended.

Cheers!!
Steve

[JezterVA]

Hmmmm, after further calculation. The upper portion of the humi is 22 cu.ft. and at 1 pound per 5 cu. ft., I'm gonna need 5 pounds of beads to stay on the safe side.

To those that are currently using beads.....How much mass/space do 5 pounds of beads take up?? And would the more experienced folks possibly recommend another alternative than beads in this particular case?

[cmiller]

Originally Posted by JezterVA

Hmmmm, after further calculation. The upper portion of the humi is 22 cu.ft. and at 1 pound per 5 cu. ft., I'm gonna need 5 pounds of beads to stay on the safe side.

To those that are currently using beads.....How much mass/space do 5 pounds of beads take up?? And would the more experienced folks possibly recommend another alternative than beads in this particular case?

Don't know the answer to the volume question but another alternative for that big of a humi might be a cigar oasis or other electronic system. You would need to wire the humi for electricty though. A drawback to the cigar oasis is that they expect you to buy their refill cartridges but I hear that some (all?) of them can actually be refilled with distilled water. There are other exectronic systems as well out there. Look arround at the larger cigar websites.

Hope that helps

[calistogey]

Have used Verns beads on my desktops for over 3yrs with great success. I recently picked up a pound of these when I started noticing fluctuations in my new cab(which btw has elec. humidification). It has only been about a month and its holding steady at 64-65. Will probably have to try Viper's beads some time.

[cmiller]

Originally Posted by calistogey

Have used Verns beads on my desktops for over 3yrs with great success. I recently picked up a pound of these when I started noticing fluctuations in my new cab(which btw has elec. humidification). It has only been about a month and its holding steady at 64-65. Will probably have to try Viper's beads some time.

I guess it bears mentioning that (most) active humidification systems only add humidity, the don't remove excess humidity

[Hammerhead]

Just to request a clarification, do the traditional PG/H2O systems (Credo, foam, et al) also extract humidity, or do they just release it as needed?

[Viper139]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

Just to request a clarification, do the traditional PG/H2O systems (Credo, foam, et al) also extract humidity, or do they just release it as needed?

PG/H2O does not absorb moisture it only gives off.

[Hammerhead]

Dave, thanks. That's what I thought. I have 3 of those tubes filled with the 65% beads I bought from you in my humi, and it's a wonder. Pretty much rock solid at around 66% for weeks. The beauty of having them in tubes, is that I can yank one out and throw it in a ziplok with my smokes when I need to travel, and not worry about it.

Hey, what's the story with those 'packs'? Do they also absorb and desorb, or is it a 1-way evaporation only? Not that I'm ever giving up my beads, mind you! Just that I'm curious, and fascinated, as all hell.

[Viper139]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

Dave, thanks. That's what I thought. I have 3 of those tubes filled with the 65% beads I bought from you in my humi, and it's a wonder. Pretty much rock solid at around 66% for weeks. The beauty of having them in tubes, is that I can yank one out and throw it in a ziplok with my smokes when I need to travel, and not worry about it.

Hey, what's the story with those 'packs'? Do they also absorb and desorb, or is it a 1-way evaporation only? Not that I'm ever giving up my beads, mind you! Just that I'm curious, and fascinated, as all hell.

My apologies but what do you mean by "packs"?

[Hammerhead]

Dave, I found the maker of the packs I was thinking of. They are 2-way, but they only have an effective life of about 6 months. Pah.

http://www.humidipak.com/

[dannyboy]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

Dave, I found the maker of the packs I was thinking of. They are 2-way, but they only have an effective life of about 6 months. Pah.

http://www.humidipak.com/

They say they only have an effective life of 6 months, but I have heard a few people mention that they can recharge theirs. After all, it is a 2-way system, so putting it in a very humid environment will cause it to re-absorb moisture and live longer than 6 months. From the reports I have read, this seems to work and the life of these packs is extended quite a while, if not indefinitley. General consensus is that the 6 month thing is a way to get you to buy more every 6 months or so. But I agree...the beads are the way to go

[pyrotech]

Re: PG solutions, it is my understanding that a 50/50 PG/water solution does actively reabsorb excess moisture over the 70% RH .

I quote from Bob Curtis's Cigar smokers FAQ: "To put it more simply, PG is a hydroscopic substance - It absorbs moisture from the environment (like a salt shaker does in humid weather). The distilled water evaporates until the ambient humidity approaches 70%. At that point the PG won't allow any more moisture in the air. Conversely, if there is too much moisture in the air, the PG solution absorbs the excess, bringing the system down to 70% as well."