humidity dropping question

[jsaland]

Hey folks...I'm new around here, so I apologize for what might be a silly question.

Before getting my first humidor, I've just been using a tupperware container.

I had a jar of Madelaine's crystals, and with one or two cigars in there, it hovers at around 71%.

Now I added a whole box in that same tupperware, and the humidity dropped to 50%. A day later, it's up to 60%. Is that natural to have such a drop when bulk is added? Do I need more humidification devices in there?

[skibumdc]

Originally Posted by jsaland

Hey folks...I'm new around here, so I apologize for what might be a silly question.

Before getting my first humidor, I've just been using a tupperware container.

I had a jar of Madelaine's crystals, and with one or two cigars in there, it hovers at around 71%.

Now I added a whole box in that same tupperware, and the humidity dropped to 50%. A day later, it's up to 60%. Is that natural to have such a drop when bulk is added? Do I need more humidification devices in there?

Very normal. Basically the cigars wre a bit dry and sucked up all the humidity in the tupperware, at which point the cyrstals released more until everything starts to stabilize.
Just make sure it does stabilize.

[jsaland]

Originally Posted by skibumdc

Very normal. Basically the cigars wre a bit dry and sucked up all the humidity in the tupperware, at which point the cyrstals released more until everything starts to stabilize.
Just make sure it does stabilize.

thanks skibum. about how long should should I expect that to take?

[skibumdc]

Originally Posted by jsaland

thanks skibum. about how long should should I expect that to take?

Hard to say, but overnight should be good.
Can you recharge the crystals or are the use once throw away kind?

Check and see if they need to be recharged, but most likely everything will stabilize on it's own to the prescribed humidity.

[jsaland]

It's a jar of madelaine's crystals. they're definitely not in need of recharging yet from the looks of it.

[jsaland]

well 8 hours later...and i'm still hovering at the same spot!

this is a tupperware we're talking about! what gives?

[Texan in Mexico]

Originally Posted by jsaland

well 8 hours later...and i'm still hovering at the same spot!

this is a tupperware we're talking about! what gives?

In my experience we tend to overdo instead of letting the product and nature run its course.

The best advice is to leave it for a couple days unless the levels are such that they will damage your sticks.

If you are opening and closing to check humidity that will have an effect as well.

Let them sit and see how they are tomorrow - if they are at 60% or 65% they will be fine, you will find that many here store their sticks at 65%...

Good luck and let us know how it goes!

[fulloflead]

Originally Posted by jsaland

well 8 hours later...and i'm still hovering at the same spot!

this is a tupperware we're talking about! what gives?

Because you're opening it too much.
The best thing you can do for a humidor is keep it closed.
Seriously. It sounds silly/simple, and it took me a while to accept that and keep my nose out of my humidor, but once I did, I stopped having "issues".

Now, I have "storage" humidors that stay closed for weeks or months at a time and others I go in and out of. Even those, I only open once a day or once a week and keep a stash in a travel humidor for the week.

.