Humidifying the Coolidor?

[Nurse_Maduro]

Ok, this may seem to be a bit of an oddball question. After seeing the stacks of humis and boxes piling up around me, I've decided to start a coolidor. I picked up a large, fairly flat 35 Qt, see-through jobbie. I know that eventually I'm going to need the heartfelts (not sure how many yet), but I know I can't afford them just yet...so my question is this:

If I simply open up a bottle of sterile water (not distilled, but something like this: ), would I have to worry about condensation building up inside the walls or ceiling of the coolidor? Or do you guys think that would hold me until I could afford the beads? I don't want to do the moistened paper towel thing because I'm afraid of the potential for mold growth.

[Snake Hips]

I imagine an open container of water would work. Just keep a hygrometer in there to keep it in check until you can get beads.

[hotreds]

Agreed! Just keep a check on the humidity!

[Yoda!]

Kitty litter (Exquisi Cat, Peal Fresh), 8 lbs for $10.00,

Take a heavy coffee mug, fill it half to three quarters full with the litter, and add your water until the beads become come translucent. Monitor with digital hygrometer. What is the RH% outside of the coolidor?

[Nurse_Maduro]

Originally Posted by Yoda!

Kitty litter (Exquisi Cat, Peal Fresh), 8 lbs for $10.00,

Take a heavy coffee mug, fill it half to three quarters full with the litter, and add your water until the breads become come translucent. Monitor with digital hygrometer. What is the RH% outside of the coolidor?

Runs around 55%, give or take.

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

[Yoda!]

Originally Posted by Nurse_Maduro

Runs around 55%, give or take.

Thanks for the responses, everyone!

With the outside RH% of 55% + or -, you shouldn't have any problems

[mikeyj23]

You could probably take a bottle cap of water and put it in the cooler and you'll have the humidity spike up in no time. Coolers keep humidity extremely well, especially once you get some beads in there. I think if you put the whole bottle in there, you'd see some unwanted high humidity readings before you have a chance to bring it back down.

[BigCat]

One other obvious point...careful leaving an uncapped bottle of water in the cooler. It gets knocked over and you might cost yourself more than the cost of the beads.

[Hermit]

I suppose it would evaporate slowly through the small restriction of the
mouth of the bottle, but plain water will just plain evaporate until it all
evaporates. There is nothing to regulate the humidity. Beads or PG in
foam only allow water to evaporate until it reaches a certain point. Like
was pointed out, it might also spill. In other words it's not a great idea.

[Dgar]

You might consider using the green florist foam, its whats in the majority of the foam humidifers. You can buy the foam at the florist, walmart, hobby lobby etc... soak it in distilled water.

[Nurse_Maduro]

Originally Posted by Dgar

You might consider using the green florist foam, its whats in the majority of the foam humidifers. You can buy the foam at the florist, walmart, hobby lobby etc... soak it in distilled water.

The knocking over thing has already been figured out. The florist's foam...does that pull humidity back into the foam like beads, or is it only one way (in other words, should I only partially soak it)?

Thanks again for the help guys. I really appreciate it!

[madurolover]

Originally Posted by Nurse_Maduro

The knocking over thing has already been figured out. The florist's foam...does that pull humidity back into the foam like beads, or is it only one way (in other words, should I only partially soak it)?

Thanks again for the help guys. I really appreciate it!

Florist foam is only one way. It will release humidity until it is dry. With the foam I would suggest you use PG solution to help regulate the RH and to also help keep down mold growth.

[Dgar]

I've used pieces of foam in tupperware containers that I have punched holes in the lids of.. if your over humidified just reduce the size of the foam...... if under humidified add more...... beads are the way to go no doubt, but a little florist foam and a careful eye, and you should be good.

Foam is very cheap, to avoid mold I just replace it.... I've never used the PG solution.

[NCRadioMan]

I use one small water pillow for each of my coolers and they stay rock steady 66%. A great $1 solution for humidification, imo.

[Hermit]

Another thing on the foam, don't get the kind that has flower
preservative in it. (There's also a dry foam, which doesn't absorb
water and is useless.)