Humidifier: Paradigm

[Mindflux]

I was down at my local Pipe World today asking about humidifiers.. I dont have a humidor yet, so I bought a humi-bag or something like that.

Anyway the guy at PW said that the "Paradigm" brand humidifiers with some special foam are the 'cats ass'. Since I'm new I figured I'd ask the general opinion of said product.

Thanks!

[colgate]

Originally Posted by Mindflux

I was down at my local Pipe World today asking about humidifiers.. I dont have a humidor yet, so I bought a humi-bag or something like that.

Anyway the guy at PW said that the "Paradigm" brand humidifiers with some special foam are the 'cats ass'. Since I'm new I figured I'd ask the general opinion of said product.

Thanks!

The special foam is prolly just florist foam. Most people around here buy the heartfelt beads. Foam is kinda tricky. You would need to get some solution, doh what is it called, at the Pharmacist to modulate the RH. Beads are a slam dunk.

[MikeZ]

The Oasis Foam requires a two part liquid for activation. The chemical is Propylene Glycol which is usually mixed half and half with distilled water. The chemical will release moisture or absorb moisture into the oasis foam when the relative humidityy varies from 70%.

The Heartfelt beads don't require an activator. Simply adding distilled water to the beads will allow them to release or absorb moisture as needed.

http://heartfeltindustries.com/store...77aa868de0a976

The Paradyme products you mentioned I'm not familiar with.

[Mindflux]

I was told these aren't typical Florist Foam.. but what do I know. :P

[Hammerhead]

Just get Viper's beads and save yourself a lot of headaches. It was at least a month or two before I even had a humidor of my own, but I knew from word 'go' that I'd be using the beads. In fact, I bought the beads before I even had my humidor!

But, if you HAD to go with a standard humidifier, the Diamond Crown are really the "cat's ass" because they require only distilled water.

[Mindflux]

obie-kabie on the beads y0. The only thing I dont like is how they can 'crack' from water addition.. :boggle:

[Nooner]

Originally Posted by Mindflux

I was told these aren't typical Florist Foam.. but what do I know. :P

The Foam in the Paradigm is a latex-type foam, not Oasis foam. It is supposedly impregnated with antibacterial humidity regulating compound and you just add Distilled Water. I had one and it is not worth it IMHO - as everyone else has said - just get beads...

[Nooner]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

Just get Viper's beads and save yourself a lot of headaches. It was at least a month or two before I even had a humidor of my own, but I knew from word 'go' that I'd be using the beads. In fact, I bought the beads before I even had my humidor!

But, if you HAD to go with a standard humidifier, the Diamond Crown are really the "cat's ass" because they require only distilled water.

I have a coupel Diamond Crown Humis too.. .they are OKAY... not as good at dialing in Humidity as beads though, the only poduct other than beads I would use is an active humidifier such as a Cigar oasis.

[Hammerhead]

Originally Posted by Mindflux

obie-kabie on the beads y0. The only thing I dont like is how they can 'crack' from water addition.. :boggle:

Only if you hit them too much, too fast. The trick is to mist them a little at a time, and let the moisture work through them. If you wet them too much, all of a sudden, they react too fast. It's kind of like dropping an ice cube in a glass of warm water. Slow and steady wins the race.

[Mindflux]

Originally Posted by Hammerhead

Only if you hit them too much, too fast. The trick is to mist them a little at a time, and let the moisture work through them. If you wet them too much, all of a sudden, they react too fast. It's kind of like dropping an ice cube in a glass of warm water. Slow and steady wins the race.

Yes but we're talking about thermal shock vs. absorption. IMHO there's no reason that I can think of that the beads should crack.

[cmiller]

If the outer layer of the individual bead absorbs a lot of moisture rapidly, faster than the moisture has time to migrate into the center of the bead I can see that happening.

[colgate]

Originally Posted by Mindflux

Yes but we're talking about thermal shock vs. absorption. IMHO there's no reason that I can think of that the beads should crack.

As IHT schooled me on this, I'll pass along. Never put water on heartfelt beads. It'll crack em. Just condition them with some wet foam (distilled water) or whatever next to them in a closed otherwise empty humi for a few days. They'll be charged and ready. But yeah the beads are the only way to fly.

[Roger Miller"]

Just for clarity, even if the beads crack they still work. FWIW

_____
rm

[Mindflux]

Originally Posted by Roger Miller"

Just for clarity, even if the beads crack they still work. FWIW

_____
rm

I'm sure they do, but I'm one of those guys that flips out when his car gets a rock chip or I lose a pen.. or ... a number of other examples.

[Smokin Toad]

I have a question..did some searching and got so much back I couldnt get thru it all.

Why does the humidifier have to have distilled water instead of regular water? I couldn't decide if it was something to do with evaporation rates or if plain water introduces to much "junk" to the humidifier.

Ideas?
Thanks!!