beginner over here!

Joined Feb 2016
14 Posts | 0+
Washington
Both new to the forum world and cigar world. I've been smoking cigars off and on for a year or two now. But got real into it when my wife got me a humidor for Christmas. Honestly, I just had some questions of humidors... if anyone is willing to lend a helping hand that'd be great!
 
Ask away and welcome ! Having caught the cigar bug big time some time ago, my suggestion is no humidor under 100ct. Go with coolers or plastic tubs for large storage and somewhere draw the line on where you stop buying and storing.
 
I had a rectangular humidifier and it worked fantastic for a couple weeks . A nice 70%! Then all of a sudden it wanted to jump to 72.73...74..75 rh. I pulled it out and put in the black ice 4 oz jar. All four pieces. Now it's hanging at 61% . I have about 20 sticks in there now... I seasoned it with some wipes I bought of cigars international.com. anyways, any suggestions as to what I should to do it it back up?
 
61 is not a problem. Have you calibrated the hygrometer ? Of all the humidification devices, I've found that beads work best, tho some like boveda packs just as well.
 
I have both digital and analog in there now. The analog is garbage. I've calibrated it a few times and it seems to just get stuck. Yeah, I have the black ice beads? They swell up probably 15 times their size... anyways, 61 won't make the smokes to dry? Or crack?
 
Now it's at 60%. Should I switch back to the rectangle humidifier?
 
Up to you, 60 is not a problem- I would be more worried about over 70RH. What's the temperature ? How many times a day do you open the humidor to check the RH ? How big is the humidor ?
 
I'm doing a test on both analog and digital hygromter . I'm out of town this weekend so I'll post once I get the results. Thanks for the advice!
 
The humidor is 100ct. Has a top tray and then a deep bottom.
 
If the humidor is not just about full, it will be less likely to hold humidity than one that is just about or completely full. Perhaps the humidity will adjust while you are away. A 4 oz black ice is supposed to be enough - tho I have no experience with that particular humidification device. 20 cigars is really kind of empty and low humidity outside of the humidor will exchange more with the inner air when the humidor is nearly empty.
 
Okay . Sounds like I'm just jumping the gun on my own diagnosis! Hah. I'll keep it posted with how it's going.
 
Well, you got me checking RH yesterday after I spotted one on my humidors dropping under 60. I think that hygrometer is recording a little low, but it was cigar watering time- with all but one tub under 63. Winter here is dry and the humidity in the house is usually in the 40s which tends to lead to drops in humidor humidity.
 
I did the test and my hygromter is above by 1%. Reading in at 76% for the salt test. I love in central washington and its very dry over here as well. Out humidity in the house is at just about 64% per our in house thermostat. So I'm just gonna tough it out and see where it takes me.
 
My humidity is in the 40's and 50's in the house and with below zero temps coming this weekend I should get the humidifier out and running. I saw an ad last night for boveda packs at $ 3.64 at Carey's Smoke Shop. If the shipping was lower I might have picked up a couple along with a little very expensive pipe tobacco. Not sure what they actually go for, I'll have to check on CI and C-bid.
 
I hear those boveda packs are almost better than any gel or beads as far as humidity control?
 
Not too long I think is fair to assume. Well, I'm still at 60%. I watched this video CI had on seasoning a humidor and in the video they have the same rectangle humidifier I have, and they pair it up with the blue beads from humi care at the same time. Do you know if this is wise to do? Cuz it's either way too high, or just too low.
 
Not familiar with Blue beads, but Heartfelt beads give off humidity when needed and absorb it when it's too high. I think Boveda does the same until they are dry and then they can be recharged (not sure how many times).