I got a new humidor, what next?

There are really only a couple ways to get it that cool. I live in Phoenix so know all about heat, I personaly like my house around 70.

1. You can put your air down to 70
2. You can rig up a frigidor
3. you can take them to a local shop that has lockers, and rent a locker.

Other than that I cannot think of any other way to get the temps down since most of the west coast do not have basements.

By the way my wife is never happy with me keeping the house so cool, but I personaly hate a house that is to warm.

As Craig said, we live in Central Texas and know all about heat. I keep my humidor temperature at 70 by having our house thermostat set at 68 degrees. It a sacrifice I have to make to keep the temp. down in my humidors.



DL

I read on another forum that someone freezed water pillows and stuck them in their humidor to lower the temperature. Right now I'm getting 72 degrees constant in my three humidors.




DL

Has anyone read the summer 2008 issue of Cigar Magazine? If so, there's a heckuvan article regarding tobacco beetles that really brings the point of proper temperature in your humi to the fore. In short, tobacco beetles begin to fly at 71.5 degrees. At 70 degrees they never fly. This is according to David Mueller, president of Insects Limited, a pest control company. He did a lot of studying of the little devils. The article also describes the destruction the beetles can cause to your sticks and includes photos.

He says the beetles have to fly to mate and if the temperature is 70 or below, they can't fly. Of course, if they're dead they can't fly OR mate and it tells of ways to make 'em dead.

It's a really interesting article and reinforces the 65/70 or 70/70 rule regarding the state of your humi. As for me, the RH of 65% is no problem but keeping my humi at 70 or below in the summertime is practically impossible. I'm lucky to keep the interior of my home as low as 76 or 78 degrees in the summer. Winter is no problem. I keep the house at 68 in the winter.

I've read posts where folks suggest keeping your sticks in the fridge or freezing them to kill off the beetles should there be any present. I don't like either of those ideas. This article touches on them both and points out the bad side. It also touches on using heat to kill them off.

This makes a lot more sense to me and is easier than other methods to accomplish. The article suggests bagging up your sticks (or double-bagging, if you prefer) and placing them in a black plastic bag. Put the bag in the sun for about four hours on a good hot day and that should do the trick. Then, the only time it would need to be done again would be for any new cigars you obtain and before you put the new ones in your humidor.

Like I said, the article is really worth reading. It's in the Summer issue, 2008. I think the Fall issue is out now, or nearly out.

Marty

Is anyone having (or had) trouble calibrating a digital, adjustable hygrometer from Heartfelt? I can't seem to get it to read the same way twice in a row.

Marty

jlmarta said:

Is anyone having (or had) trouble calibrating a digital, adjustable hygrometer from Heartfelt? I can't seem to get it to read the same way twice in a row.

Marty

Click to expand...

Hey Marty,

I have three of those in three different humidors and have not had any trouble adjusting/calibrating them. Today, the temp and RH was the same on all three. I was happy! The only thing that I don't like about them is turning the little knob. It doesn't actually "click" indicating how many points you move it. It's kinda rough. But I have found them to be quite reliable.

DL

Well, I think I have a bad one. I can't seem to make it read the same way twice no matter what I do with the salt tests. I even tried using 65% beads in a ziploc bag with it to see if I could get it calibrated to 65%. No such luck. After 36 hours it was reading 86% and there isn't enough adjustment available to calibrate from that high a reading.

I've got a call in to Heartfelt. I've already talked to him once and we agreed I'd try some more tests. He said he'd replace it if it won't calibrate and I'm sure he will.

I just thought maybe some of the forum members might have some insight into a problem such as this.

Thanks much for responding.

Marty

Marty, I don't know if it matters, but I think I read on this forum to use kosher salt. I can't see how this would make a difference, but thats what I use.

I wonder if you took the battery out and adjusted several full turns to where the knob was about in the middle. If the Rh is reading 86, you would only need to turn 11 clicks to the left. You may also want to p/u a few new batteries from Walmart. It is to my understanding that weak batteries can cause innacurate readings. I'm sorry, I know its fustrating and you probably have thought of every possibility. I too am thinking you have a bad hygrometer. I know I certainly wouldn't trust the one you have.

One thing is for sure, Dave at Heartfelt will take care of you.


DL

You're right - Dave is taking care of me. When I told him I was still having problems calibrating the one I have he immediately said he'd send me another one. The guy is a real prince and I hope a lot of forum members read this and buy from him.

As for adjusting the one I have by 11 clicks, that isn't possible with the model I have. There are only five clicks either side of the center position. I've got the rectangular adjustable model. It's all academic now, anyway, since another one is on the way.

I even tried to calibrate the one I have using (first) a 1 oz. tube of Heartfelt's 65% beads and then (second) a half-pound pkg. of the 65% beads. If the beads are as accurate as everyone says they are I should have been able to hit 65% at some point.

Makes me wonder how far to trust the beads. I'm sure they're ok and will know for sure once I get a hygro that works.

Have a great day,

Marty

Barcochris said:

as long as you have enough beads you can trust them. I know that mine have been rock solid

Click to expand...

couldn't agree more

help!

cmontgomery said:

There are really only a couple ways to get it that cool. I live in Phoenix so know all about heat, I personaly like my house around 70.

1. You can put your air down to 70
2. You can rig up a frigidor
3. you can take them to a local shop that has lockers, and rent a locker.

Other than that I cannot think of any other way to get the temps down since most of the west coast do not have basements.

By the way my wife is never happy with me keeping the house so cool, but I personaly hate a house that is to warm.

Click to expand...

I live in Phoenix too. I'm brand new to the forums and really to cigars. I'm about a year in enjoying the nuances of them. The heat and lack of humidity is making me pull out my hair trying to keep my cigars safe. I got a nice hand me down humidor. I did the distilled water-in-a-dish trick for 6 days, then used a mister to additionally soak the wood and wiped the entire thing including the edges with the dampened towel. I have a block style bead filled "humacube" (http://www.cigarking.com/product_info.php?products_id=7014) and have 2 large pillows as well. In addition, I have the humidor filled 85-90% with cigar as recommended to me. The hygrometer I have it an analog so it may not be exact but I couldn't keep the humidity above 53% even with all of that. I began spraying and wiping daily and still nothing. My electric bill is ridiculous already and I keep the temperature set down to 78 in here (with our heat, the ac runs almost constantly). I finally got a room humidifier and have it blasting on high or medium and after a couple days, the humidity in the box is now 61% - What else can I do?

beinwalt said:

I live in Phoenix too. I'm brand new to the forums and really to cigars. I'm about a year in enjoying the nuances of them. The heat and lack of humidity is making me pull out my hair trying to keep my cigars safe. I got a nice hand me down humidor. I did the distilled water-in-a-dish trick for 6 days, then used a mister to additionally soak the wood and wiped the entire thing including the edges with the dampened towel. I have a block style bead filled "humacube" (http://www.cigarking.com/product_info.php?products_id=7014) and have 2 large pillows as well. In addition, I have the humidor filled 85-90% with cigar as recommended to me. The hygrometer I have it an analog so it may not be exact but I couldn't keep the humidity above 53% even with all of that. I began spraying and wiping daily and still nothing. My electric bill is ridiculous already and I keep the temperature set down to 78 in here (with our heat, the ac runs almost constantly). I finally got a room humidifier and have it blasting on high or medium and after a couple days, the humidity in the box is now 61% - What else can I do?

Click to expand...

First, get a digital hygrometer. The analogs are crap. Make sure you salt test your new hygrometer and make sure it is reading accurately.

You should also check your humidor's seal. Try the dollar bill test or the flashlight test if you can.

Emjaysmash said:

First, get a digital hygrometer. The analogs are crap. Make sure you salt test your new hygrometer and make sure it is reading accurately.

You should also check your humidor's seal. Try the dollar bill test or the flashlight test if you can.

Click to expand...

What is the dollar bill test? I'm guessing flashlight test is about putting a light in the humidor and seeing if I can see light coming from it in a dark room.

beinwalt said:

What is the dollar bill test? I'm guessing flashlight test is about putting a light in the humidor and seeing if I can see light coming from it in a dark room.

Click to expand...

Yep thats the flash light test.

The dollar bill test is to shut the lid on a dollar bill (half in, half out) and tug on it to see if it slips out slowly or wont move at all. If it slips out easily, your seal isnt very good.

Beinwaldt,

I am a member at Magnums. Should meet up there sometime, will go through everything with you. Barco should come also if he is allowed.

Thanks guys for all of the help. I have tried it all other than keeping the temperature set at 68. Jesus, that's why I moved out of Wisconsin. It's currently 80 degrees in my place and it feels nice. My AC kills my electric bill and I'd rather keep it under $200 a month if I can.
I am a big fan of Magnum's and love to do a meet up there. I joined a a club on MeetUp (http://www.meetup.com/westvalleycigarclub/) that has, appropriately, meet ups too.

I am going to have to face the facts though that my humidor simply isn't any good and buy a new one at some point. I just checked it and it was under 50% humidity now. I stopped buying cigars to keep in there so as I am down to around 20 or so in there, the relative humidity is getting worse. The sticks that I have left in there are cheap anyway but they are losing flexibility and getting pretty dry. (I'll offer them to friends when they come over! haha!)

-Bryan

beinwalt said:

Thanks guys for all of the help. I have tried it all other than keeping the temperature set at 68. Jesus, that's why I moved out of Wisconsin. It's currently 80 degrees in my place and it feels nice. My AC kills my electric bill and I'd rather keep it under $200 a month if I can.
I am a big fan of Magnum's and love to do a meet up there. I joined a a club on MeetUp (http://www.meetup.com/westvalleycigarclub/) that has, appropriately, meet ups too.

I am going to have to face the facts though that my humidor simply isn't any good and buy a new one at some point. I just checked it and it was under 50% humidity now. I stopped buying cigars to keep in there so as I am down to around 20 or so in there, the relative humidity is getting worse. The sticks that I have left in there are cheap anyway but they are losing flexibility and getting pretty dry. (I'll offer them to friends when they come over! haha!)

-Bryan

Click to expand...

Cigars tend to help keep humidity in humidors. That being said, You might want to try switching to a tupperware container in the mean time. The ones meant to store food usually have good seals. You can just throw your sticks and a boveda pack in there and you should be good to go. I've been using one for close to 3 years now as it is easier to keep in my dorm room.