Lowering the RH is possible
OP, it appears Cigar Forums have been pretty dead for awhile; but on the off-chance that you're still around, I have a suggestion -- actually two -- for gently lowering the relative humidity in your Pelican case, and regulating it from there on out.
The first is to use one or two depleted (dried out) Boveda packs designed for the RH you prefer; I prefer 65%, you may be happier with 69%. (Boveda doesn't make a 70% version as far as I can tell.) The Bovedas are two-way humidification devices; that is, they can also
absorb excess water vapor when that's necessary -- as is your case. While the Bovedas are designed as disposable devices, they can actually be recharged (if needed) a few times by storing them in an airtight container with a source of water vapor that brings the RH higher than their "rating"; you may find this handy once you have the Pelican's RH under control.
The other solution is identical, except it uses dry humidity beads (I recommend Heartfelt,
www.heartfeltindustries.com). These are not the same as the jelly-like Humi-Care "beads", but rather porous ceramic beads that encapsulate mineral salts. Like the Bovedas, they provide two-way humidification. Heartfelt sells them in 60%, 65% and 70% versions, both in small containers and in half-pound and one-pound bulk bags. As far as I can tell, the Heartfelt beads
never wear out as long as they are used per instructions. (Don't over-saturate them, use only distilled water, remove any beads that become discolored by contamination.) When I switched from gel-jars to beads, I simply washed out the jars and poured the beads into those same jars -- cheaper than Heartfelt's devices.
But there is one other thing you should do, if you haven't already. Check the calibration of your hygrometer. (If it's a digital, replace the battery with a fresh one first.) It's entirely possible that your Pelican's RH is just fine and it's actually the hygrometer that's off a bit. You can do a traditional salt test: moist-not-soaked salt sealed into a small container with the hygrometer, check after 8 to 24 hours -- the hygro should read 75%. Or you can do what I do: calibrate twice, at 75 percent using salt (or a 75% Boveda pack) and again using a Boveda pack "rated" at your preferred storage RH. If the hygrometer is just a couple of points off and doesn't have a readout-adjustment, label it with a reminder of how much to add or subtract, such as "+1" or "-2".
Of course, I'm sure you already know that some cigar retailers run the humidification in their walk-ins a bit high to allow for people opening and closing the door throughout the day; and some online retailers occasionally over-humidify their cigars before shipping, to avoid the possibility of the shipment arriving dry. If you notice a swing of more than a couple points after adding new cigars to the Pelican, it may be that the new ones are slightly "wet". After all, cigars are really the best hygroscopic medium for buffering RH inside a humidor; the best part is, you can smoke the buffering medium!
