Seasoning Question

[Jayson103]

I recently purchased my first 50 ct.(glass top) humidor. I'm using the Boveda Seasoning packets (2 of them). They have been in the humi for about 6 days now and the RH is only at 65%. Shouldn't it be shooting up between 75-80% during the seasoning process? Why is it staying at a constant 65%? Do I keep waiting, since it's a 10 day process, or ditch the packets and put the shot glass of distilled water and see how that works. Thanks for any advice! (and I also calibrated my hygrometer using the salt test)


I read this on another thread using the search function...would you agree with what he has to say?

Honestly, I don't think the seasoning packets will ever get the RH to 84% like what is printed on the packet. When I seasoned my first humidor, after 3 days it was at 70% and really didn't change much for two more days (day 5), that is why I decided I had probably seasoned the humidor long enough and took them out. Maybe if I had waited 10 days it would have got to 84%, I don't know. Personally, I wouldn't want my humidors to experience 84% humidity for that long.

[qwerty1500]

I have never used the seasoning packets ... so I'm certainly no expert. Nevertheless, I'm a big believer in being patient when seasoning a humidor and giving it the time to do it right. So, if the packet says give it ten days, I think that is what I would do. If that doesn't work, there will always be time after that to try the shot glass.

[Scimmia]

No offence intended, but it seems like the person you're quoting is just seasoning because he was told to and doesn't really get why he's doing it. The whole point of seasoning your humidor is to get water into the wood, so it's not trying to absorb water from your cigars. It's not that the RH needs to reach 84%, it's simply that you need to hold a relatively high RH for a period of time to get the correct amount of water into the wood.

With your situation of it staying at 65%, My guess would be that there's a small leak somewhere. You could do the seasoning at 65%, but it would take a long time, as the wood will absorb the moisture slowly at that point. I know a flashlight test is tough with a glass top, but it can work.

[Tidefan73]

Time is the key. You have to take your time to do it right. I've never used the seasoning packs so I don't know how long they take. Even use a shot glass will take a few days. Patients...time it will take.

[BroNeilson]

I wouldn't worry about it staying at 65 right now, when I was seasoning my first humidor it stayed at 65 and sometime drops down to 64 for a while, just takes a little bit of time. I took around 2weeks w/ a shot glass of distilled water to season mine, and it works perfectly now.

[wharfrathoss]

FWIW, i like to use a shallow dish of water to expose more surface area-makes it a little quicker IMHO

[Da Klugs]

Originally Posted by wharfrathoss

FWIW, i like to use a shallow dish of water to expose more surface area-makes it a little quicker IMHO

Plus a wadded up paper towel which increases the surface area by.... well ...alot. :d