Help with humidity

[Biyobe-cl]

:support:

Hi everybody, I just recently purchased my first humidor and I'm having some troubles with the humidity staying at or around 70%. It is made to hold 150 cigars and I have about 70 in there right now. It has a lift out tray. Currently I cannot get the humidity above 62%. It usually hovers around 59%. I have a digital hygrometer and the 2 analog ones it came with and they all measure about the same so I'm pretty sure they are fine.

The humidor I have is: The Round El Rey from cheaphumidors and I took out the 2 round humidifier discs it came with and put in a Crystal 250 Humidifier and was still running at low levels so I added a 2nd humidifier Crystal Gell jar no luck...

I tried to add links to give the webpages of what I have, but I guess I need to have a certain amounts of posts....

Any suggestions??? I'm pretty sure the seal is good because when I close it I get that "woosh" of air leaving. Feel free to PM me or email me at biyobe@gathergrounds.com.

Thanks!!
Jason

[happy1]

Did you season your humi 1st.Put some extra beads in if you didn't

[BeerAdvocate-cl]

Maybe your hygrometer isnt calibrated correctly. If you are going by the cheap analog one that came with it, chances are it is not reading correctly. Shell out $20 and get a digital one. I recommend the one from Western Caliber.

[GatorMike]

1) Have you calibrated you hygro?
2) Are you using distilled water?
3) Is your hygro located near the humidification source?

[Big Bob]

Sounds like it did not finish seasoning or I would never put smokes in till It was at my humidity level. try what everyone has mentioned it sounds like the seal is good post a pic if you can.

[tx_tuff]

Season, season, season!

[Biyobe-cl]

hey thanks everybody for the many replies. I think I may have had an issue with the seasoning (as I'm entire sure what that means and the directions that came with it didn't mention anything about seasoning). I did get a seasoning thing when I ordered the humidor but the package said 82% humidity which I didn't end up using because I thought it needs to be at/around 70%.

What are the extra beads you are talking about? The hygrometer should be calibrated correctly. I purchased one of the calibration zip-lock bags so I didn't have to mess with the salt and used that for all three hygrometers I have. The directions said that after the 24-36 hours in the calibration bag to adjust the percentage to 70% if it didn't reach that point to adjust it. I do have a digital one and that is also reading the same as the 2 analogs.

Instead of the distilled water I have the solution that is the proplyen glycol. I have one humidifier below the lift out tray and the gel jar on the top next to the 2 analogs and the digital is fairly close.

I am at work right now but will post a pictures when I get home.

Thanks for the advise everybody and I look forward to any other suggestions you can give

-Jason

[Big Bob]

yup had to be seasoned.

[GatorMike]

Take your gars and humidification out and put the seasoning pack in. Everything should be fine in a few days.

[Big Bob]

put them in tupperware (unused) with the gel Jar.

[Big Bob]

Start praying they dont crack.

[Itsme-Speedy-G]

It sounds like you guys have given solid advise again. Lets hope there is no damage on his sticks.

[Biyobe-cl]

All the sticks so far are in good condition and I only have had about 20 in there for the last month or so... I just put another 40-50 in there last night so I better get them in some tupperware QUICK. They all still look fine and smoke fine... when I punch the ends I get a little cracking but nothing major yet....

I am definitely glad I found this website and am grateful for all the advise!!! I may have to stop and get a seasoning pack on my walk home from work... not sure if they one I have would still be good as it is over a month old.

THANKS EVERYBODY

[Itsme-Speedy-G]

Originally Posted by Biyobe

All the sticks so far are in good condition and I only have had about 20 in there for the last month or so... I just put another 40-50 in there last night so I better get them in some tupperware QUICK. They all still look fine and smoke fine... when I punch the ends I get a little cracking but nothing major yet....

I am definitely glad I found this website and am grateful for all the advise!!! I may have to stop and get a seasoning pack on my walk home from work... not sure if they one I have would still be good as it is over a month old.

THANKS EVERYBODY

Punches are cheap. If your punch is dull, replace it. Make sure you wet the cappa a little before you punch it.

[Webmeister]

You can expect some cracking if the cigars are dry - even with a sharp punch. Gel jar (or DryMistat) in the tupperware is a good solution for holding the sticks until the humi is ready to accept them. Just make sure not to over-humidify them, or to reconstitute them too quickly or the wrappers will split.