Humi too humid?

cigar-noob said:

My humidor is reading at 74% but my cigars feel as though they are too humid. They smoke way too slow and extinguish frequently. I know that the reading of 74 is accurate, but none the less I think it is too humid for me. How can I lower the humidity in the humidor?

thanks,
Marc

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first how do you know that the reading of 74 is accurate?

Did you remove the humdification devise?
What type is it?
Are you using PG in it?

Also, are you using a credo or beads?
How many cigars do you have in the humi?
What max count size is the humi?

I think if you put a dry sponge in your humi that will help lower the %.

I'm in the camp of letting your cigars tell you the condition of your humi. I do the "pinch" test. If they are spongy = too humid. If they are hard (like wood) = too dry. My humidor is at 65% right now (that's the level I like it at.)

Good luck!

CC Started you in the path of justice! There is a sticky link for the Hydrometer callibration, this is critical. After performing the Hydrometer calibration test, you will find out just how accurate your hydrometer is. If it's the cheapy analog one that comes with the humidor, they have a tendancy to be very inaccurate, up to and over 20% off. When you finish the test anything above or below the 75% realative humidity that should be generated during the test will be how far off you hydrometer is. ( EG - the reading is 79 then you know to subtract 4 from the reading to get your actual reading).

In regards to your sticks burning bad and being to "wet" I would recommend leaving your humidor open for a few minutes or hours to let the humidity drop and then close it back up again, but I highly recommend you do the calibration test first, so you have a better idea of whats going on in there.

Brenda mentioned Humi beads, this is a great way to reglate you humidity as the beads are designed to keep a specific humidity range and are relatively inexpensive to buy.

Hope that helps, There is more then a truckload of info on this topic as it's one of everyone's first questions when they get their first humidor. Do a search through the forum on Humidors, humidification, hydrometers and things of the sort, and you will return a few nights reading!! :lol:

I maight also add a purchase of a digital hydrometer will usually present you with much more accurate readings, but don't forget to calibrate them as well.

Once again, hope it helps, and welcome to the club!!
Paul

Take your humidification device out of your humidor and then keep it open for a day or two. You want to keep your humidity at 62-65 percent if they are non Cubans, 58-62 for Cuban cigars.

The Master said:

You want to keep your humidity at 62-65 percent if they are non Cubans, 58-62 for Cuban cigars.

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I agree 100% - funny I have been dropping the rh in my cabinet over the last year - 60% has tasted very good.
The few NC's I have are rare cigars that I doubt I'll ever smoke.
I do not believe storing them at 60% will hurt them -
I think they will age slower - last longer!

The Master said:

Take your humidification device out of your humidor and then keep it open for a day or two. You want to keep your humidity at 62-65 percent if they are non Cubans, 58-62 for Cuban cigars.

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Thanks Master, I think I have been worrying about that way too much, as soon as my Humi drops to 60, I have been recharging the sponges, but I guess that really isn't necessary. I think I need to pay more attention to how the cigars feel, and less on the numbers.

I just finished recalibrating both hygrometers, and they are 100% believe it or not, so 60% really is 60% and now I think that is just fine!

It's how they smoke!

I find more flavor at the right rh -
if it is too low they burn a little hot & taste sharper
too wet and they are muted - lack flavor.
Just right & they are all smiles