Need HELP with my first humidor

[jetfan247]

I just recieved my first humidor from a buddy of mine and I'm having a little trouble. I set up my humidor like I was told by wiping down the inside walls with distilled water and filling up the humidifier then I let it sit 24 hours. All was fine my digital hygrometer read 70% so I placed my cigars in the humidor. A day later I opened it up for a second and the humidity dropped to 67%. the next day to 65%. So I added more distilled water and basically repeated the same dropoff in humidity. Is it normal to have to add water every couple days or is my humidor not working properly?
Please help a beginner out,
Bill

 

[Blackwater]

I am not an expert on large humidors, but I bet most will tell you that 65% is perfectly normal. If it continuing to drop past 60%, then that may be a problem. Does it drop past %60 in a 48 hr time period? What is the size of the humidor? Was it used before your friend gave it to you? It may have a "leak" or a vent in the humidor which could let humidity escape. Your friend may have known about this and possibly was the reason it was handed to you. (but I dont want to speculate) What kind of humidification device are you using? What are you filling it with? What temperature are you keeping your humidor at? That can effect the humidity. I think that is enough questioning for now.

No, it is not normal to add water every couple of days.

Some of these questions may help us answer your problem. Others here are more experienced with humidors. Rest assured they can solve pretty much any problem related.

I guess I have the honor to welcome you to this forum. You have come to the right place. Glad to have you here. Enjoy!

 

[bildo792]

the first time you put cigars in a humidor it can drop. if you are checking it often that will not help. i would go get a jar of humi crystals from your local shop, or get the humi beads. it is much easier to use these. as for wiping down your humi with distilled water i wouldn't recommend that for the future. many people do it but it can warp the wood. the humi jars will keep your cigars at 70%. If it is a humi with 100ct buy 2 of them. i use these jars with holes drilled in the lid and a sliding device i created to keep my RH at exactly 67%. Im very anal about my cigars.
if you still have a prob with a low RH it may be your hygrometer. i don't want to blame your humidor because my cheapest humidors keep RH better than my expensive ones.

 

[cobsgirl26]

I was going to try and make a suggestion or two but it looks like these guys have you covered! I wouldn't worry about it too much. Like I've learned here, it isn't the end all be all of your cigars existence if they aren't kept at a strict 70%. I enjoy mine at that RH but it can get a little tough keeping it that high sometimes!

 

[Bloofington]

The lady is right, it seems as though everything's been covered. It may also be that you don't have enough cigars in your humidor. From my experience, they work best when they are as full as possible with cigars. I know because of financial considerations, that's not always possible.

Also rest assured, cigars can be kept for long periods of time at 55-60% humidity without "damage." What they will be doing is aging a little faster, that's all. Some cigars, like Cubans and Nicaraguan, will actually benefit from lower humidity levels, like 60-65%.

By the way, I'm a big Jets fan too, and have been one for the past 40 years. You'll be seeing a lot of my silliness next season. For some of this past season's silliness, see past pages under the topic of General Discussion. Remember, going into every season, the wise Jets fan predicts 0-16, and everything good after that is a gift from God. :cryinlaugh: :mrgreen: :rotflmao: umpkin:

 

[MasterShake]

i think it was mentioned elsewhere, but the boveda packets are really sweet
go to http://www.boveda-direct.com
really cheap, and really consistant
im very pleased with their performance

 

[Macallan]

where in your house are you storing your humidor and an important thing to cosider is where in the country do you live. Is it naturally dry there.

If you just seasoned your humidor and are just starting out these fluctuations are normal. Depending on the condition the cigars were in when they went into the humidor has a lot to do with it. Once placed in the box they will absorb moisture if they are a little dry which will bring down the humidity. But what you will find over time like Bloof siad that the more properly humidified cigars in the humidor you have the easier it is to maintain a more constant humdity. In the end the cigars almost act as a humdifier themselves as the absorb and release moisture.

 

[AndrewRKelsey]

I had the same thing happen when I first got my humidor. It's almost as if it needed a breakin period of a week or so. Now it works just fine.

 

[dbrad4d]

I have the opposite problem. My hygrometer reading creeps up to 74% or so and back down to 70%. Never been lower. When I firt set it up and had the humidifier in it it stayed anywhere from 75% to 80%. Ended up taking the humidifier out. I'm keeping my humi in the bedroom where it is the coolest. Any ideas?

 

[axegod75]

Are you using an analog hygro, and if so, did you calibrate it with the salt test?

 

[Bloofington]

He lives in Alabama. Big part of the equation.

 

[axegod75]

Good eye Bloof! I didn't catch that right away. Right now we have 31% humidity which is about 15% above normal :roll:

 

[dbrad4d]

I calibrated the analog hygrometer according to the instructions that came with it. I'm going to buy a digital later this week. We've had an exceptionally wet spring this year. Of course the humidity hasn't gotten to the 90%+ range here yet either. Not far off though.