Hate to post this, but Im kind of freaked (Low humidity)

[adsantos13]

Any words of wisdom would be greatly appreciated here guys.

The Rundown:
I have two humidors, both desktops, one a 50 count, the other a 100 count. For the previous ~9 months, I have had them stored in a basement apartment in my parents house where Ive been staying with my wife while we renovated our apartment. The temperature down there was a pretty consistent and in the lower 60's. I have the 65 beads from heartfelt in both and since I switched over to them my RH has been unwavering at about 67.

So, last week we moved into our place, and my humidity has dropped into the 58 RH range in BOTH. I keep them in the coolest location in the apartment, which is a hallway away from windows and direct sunlight. The apartment is kind of hot (like most in NY, TOO hot, somewhere between 75 and 80 degrees). I added a 10 pack of sticks to the larger humidor about a week ago, but other than that they contain about the same amount they had before. Last night, I checked the beads (which are spread out through the different trays in the larger humi) and they seemed about 50/50 white/clear, so I added some fresh distilled water. Tonight I checked again and the smaller humi had dropped another couple degrees in RH and remained at around 58 in the larger one. Yet, the beads were about 70/30 clear/white so just about perfect.

So, sorry for the essay but Im a little freaked. Espiecially since I have a box of 25 arriving which I had planned to add to the larger humi (thus filling it).

Right now, I am about to go hunt down a cooler and construct a coolerdor because I am very much a better safe than sorry type. My question is, what do you all think might be the problem. Is it the higher temp in the apt? If this is the case, what will happen when I am forced to turn on the heat when the temperature finally goes into the normal winter range (its been unseasonally warm here in NY). I fear it will be quite hot in the apt and this might excacerbate the problem. If the seals on the humi's are bad, I probably would of noticed, but then again, they were previously in a basement where the RH was probably higher than normal. Im quite confused...

Help!

[croatan]

First, I'd salt test your hygrometers to make sure they're accurate. Next, Id check the seals on the humidors by putting a flashlight in there while the room is dark. After that, I'd try wiping the insides down with distilled water. If none of those steps solves your problem, then I'd add more beads or go the coolidor route where you know you'll have a tight seal and a more controlled environment.

Personally, I don't mind a humidity around 58-60% and keep most of the cigars I'm going to smoke soon in that range.

Good luck and let us know how it goes.

[adsantos13]

Thanks for the reply Croatan...Ive never stored anything lower than 65 and its good to know that some prefer keeping their sticks in the high 50's! I guess Im just conditioned to think that below 60 is a danger zone of some sort.

I forgot to mention, I salt tested the hygo's a while back and they are both a couple degrees low and Im factoring that in.

I ordered a pound of beads a couple minutes ago and will probably just construct a coolerdor when they arrive. When my latest box purchase arrives Im going to throw it in a large tupperware container with a boveda pack in the interim.

I just smoked a cigar out of the large humi and it smoked nicely and it felt nice and firm yet not too much so, which made me feel better about the situation psychologically. Smoked perfectly and Im a little calmer. I just hope to get this under control so I can have some piece of mind.

[Fumioso]

I have a cheapo humidor that leaks like crazy that I keep "everyday" sticks in. The humidity in there is usually in the 50s, and the sticks smoke fine. I wouldn't want to keep my long-term storage stock at a humidity that low, but after seeing how little a ten percent difference on the low side affects the cigars, I don't worry about it any more.

[mhillsing23]

If you know you have the right amount of beads, I would trust 'em. It would be a good idea to salt test your hygros though.

[JPH]

My

It prolly can't be the seal of the humidor because then your beads would be all white...not stay at 70/30

If you keep adding water to the beads and or wiping your humidor down with distilled....eventually you will overdue it and your humidity will be too high.

My recomendation:

If you have 2 digital hygrometers...salt test both of them (though salt testing never works for me), or just put both inside the same humidor..and..Trust the beads and know from now on what you need to subtract or add...[I have one hygro off by 5%...it always reads 60%...even when my "working" hygro is in the same collerdor with it, it reads 65%...so thats a way of knowing]...If your beads are at 70/30 and holding...your at the correct %rh IMHO.

I'm pretty sure it's a hygrometer issue.....or MAYBE you didn't season it properly...Though I doubt that considering ....again ...your beads would not hold constant at 70/30

K bye...Time for class.

Oh yeah and if you didnt have enough beads ....they also would be all white ....trying to keep up with the %rh....So you prolly have enough.

[Demented]

Humidity level RH, is relative to temperature and moisture.

Given the amount of moisture in a confined space remains the same, as the temperature goes up the RH drops, the same is true in reverse.

A fast way to check a hygrometer; wrap it in a cloth damp with distilled water, wait 30 minutes check the reading. If it's in the 90% - 95% range your good to go, if not adjust your hygrometer or make a note of how much it's off.

Over the years I've had a number of humidors with built-in hygrometers (one where the back was open so it could be adjusted), these hygrometers can be checked with a ziplock bad, distilled water and a sponge.

Hold a ziplock bag against the side of the humidor, using a stylus (i.e. your thumbnail) mark the bag around the hygrometer. Cut a hole in the bag so the sponge can come in contact with the vent holes inside the humidor.

Dampen the sponge with distilled waterm brace it against the inside of the humidor, close the lid and wait at least half an hour to check the reading. If the reading is other than 90% - 95% adjust the hygrometer or make a note of how much it's off.

I've noticed some humidors can take a while to settle in after being moved.

If your cigars are good, the hygrometer is spot on and the beads look good, rather than worry, I'd keep an eye on it for a while before making any changes.

Dmntd

[KASR]

All the great advice has already been given - so I'm with them. Look into possible leaks.

[adsantos13]

Guys...Thanks a lot for all the advice! It is greatly appreciated!

[JPH]

Relative humidity is not affected by temperature..We have discussed this point time after time here at CS. Just thought I should add my

Humidity yes.....Rh..no

[Demented]

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu...ic/relhum.html

An excerpt;

If the air is gradually cooled while maintaining the moisture content constant, the relative humidity will rise until it reaches 100%.

RH is the level of Humidity, Relative to the temperature.

Temperature goes down - Humidity goes up / Temperature goes up - Humidity goes down, so long as the amount of water vapor in the environment remains constant.

Dmntd

[Da Klugs]

Originally Posted by adsantos13

I ordered a pound of beads a couple minutes ago and will probably just construct a coolerdor when they arrive. When my latest box purchase arrives Im going to throw it in a large tupperware container with a boveda pack in the interim.

Coolers are best for this. Static humidity environment, somewhat of a temperature buffer. Get a big one and just throw the desktops in it. They have the added bonus of having "the best" smell when you open them up.

[JPH]

I have seen this formula before....do a search in CS for "relative humidity and temperature" and you'll see what I'm talking about.

Originally Posted by Demented

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu...ic/relhum.html

An excerpt;

If the air is gradually cooled while maintaining the moisture content constant, the relative humidity will rise until it reaches 100%.

RH is the level of Humidity, Relative to the temperature.

Temperature goes down - Humidity goes up / Temperature goes up - Humidity goes down, so long as the amount of water vapor in the environment remains constant.

Dmntd

[drneves7]

Originally Posted by Demented

http://hyperphysics.phy-astr.gsu.edu...ic/relhum.html

An excerpt;

If the air is gradually cooled while maintaining the moisture content constant, the relative humidity will rise until it reaches 100%.

RH is the level of Humidity, Relative to the temperature.

Temperature goes down - Humidity goes up / Temperature goes up - Humidity goes down, so long as the amount of water vapor in the environment remains constant.

Dmntd

This is true if maintaining a constant moisture content. But with the beads there isn't a moisture constant there is just the opposite. If not mistaken that is the Big upside to beads is they can adjust the rh in a negative and positive amount. Thats just my


adsantos13 are you always checking them at the same time during the day. Maybe they are still adjusting from a tempature swing like first thing in the morning or at night. Just a thought.

[Charles]

My I had issues (rh kind) with my small desktop humi as well. Now I use it to store my pipe tobacco. As soon as I seasoned my large vick humi properly, rh problems went away. Large humi full of sticks = fairly steady rh in my humble opinion.

Go for the coolerdor. Follow the directions that have been posted in the stickies and your problems will go away.