Cooler Questions

[chenvt]

So uhhh a friend of mine has capped out his/her cabinet and needs more room.. My friend needs to make room for some other purchases he/she made. Preferably he/she would like to get a cooler so it can be put away in a closet to hide the fact that he/she has so many cigars. He/she had some questions on coolers:

1) Recommendation for a cooler? He/she heard about an $85 one at Wal-mart

2) How many lbs of beads would be needed for that

3) are fans necessary as well?

4) how often does the cooler need to be opened? He/she goes away for 3-6 months out of the country which is why he/she bought a temp/humidity controlled cab

5) how many boxes will the above cooler hold?

[markem]

1) Recommendation for a cooler? He/she heard about an $85 one at Wal-mart
You want one with a good seal. I'd opt for a name brand, but prices vary widely, so shop around. I have a 50qt and a 100qt Coleman.

2) How many lbs of beads would be needed for that
http://heartfeltindustries.com/calculator.asp

3) are fans necessary as well?
Probably not

4) how often does the cooler need to be opened? He/she goes away for 3-6 months out of the country which is why he/she bought a temp/humidity controlled cab
I know people who don't open very often at all - a couple of times a year - and have no problems.

5) how many boxes will the above cooler hold?
What size did you buy and what are the dimensions?

[md4958]

Originally Posted by chenvt

4) how often does the cooler need to be opened? He/she goes away for 3-6 months out of the country which is why he/she bought a temp/humidity controlled cab

There is some debate about storing cigars for long term ageing in plastic bags. The theory is that you will have slower ageing, which will result in more flavorsome cigars. These cigars are sealed for sometimes decades and are supposedly exquisite.

My point is, I dont think 6 months unopened will be detrimental. Your cooler might smell a bit of ammonia if your cigars are still young when the cooler is first opened. When you get back, crack the cooler for a day or two to evacuate the ammonia smell if there is any... I think youll be fine

[Kreth]

What's with the sexual ambiguity? Is your "friend" Boy George?
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[wayner123]

Originally Posted by chenvt

So uhhh a friend of mine has capped out his/her cabinet and needs more room.. My friend needs to make room for some other purchases he/she made. Preferably he/she would like to get a cooler so it can be put away in a closet to hide the fact that he/she has so many cigars. He/she had some questions on coolers:

1) Recommendation for a cooler? He/she heard about an $85 one at Wal-mart
Any of the extreme type coolers. The ones rated to hold ice for 3 days or more.

2) How many lbs of beads would be needed for that
1lb has held for me quite well with a 100qt cooler. I only keep 1/4 of the beads wet and it holds for a few months with no recharging.

3) are fans necessary as well?
Necessary.. no, but it puts my mind at ease to have a oust fan in there

4) how often does the cooler need to be opened? He/she goes away for 3-6 months out of the country which is why he/she bought a temp/humidity controlled cab I would say as long as temps don't get too high, then there is no problem with leaving closed for that amount of time. The biggest problem would be to have a cooler closed for that long and temps getting high... think beetles

5) how many boxes will the above cooler hold?
My 100qt could hold easily 30 boxes or more. If you're talking about cabs, then adjust accordingly.

Lastly, you can do away with getting a cooler if you smoked more!!

[chenvt]

Originally Posted by wayner123

Lastly, you can do away with getting a cooler if you smoked more!!

I have no idea what you are referring to, but I'll tell my friend about it

[T.G]

RE OP's question #4

Just leave the water drain plug open on the bottom of the cooler. It'll allow enough airflow that you won't have an ammonia buildup. but not so much that the humidity is affected.

[CigarNut]

Originally Posted by T.G

RE OP's question #4

Just leave the water drain plug open on the bottom of the cooler. It'll allow enough airflow that you won't have an ammonia buildup. but not so much that the humidity is affected.

Why would you leave the drain plug open? When you buy a wooden humidor you are looking for something with a good, air-tight seal. A coolidor should be the same way - sealed. You would not put a drain-plug-sized hole in your wood humi, would you?

If you leave the drain open you will not be able to regulate your RH. That may not be a problem for you, depending upon where you live.

[T.G]

Originally Posted by CigarNut

Why would you leave the drain plug open? When you buy a wooden humidor you are looking for something with a good, air-tight seal. A coolidor should be the same way - sealed. You would not put a drain-plug-sized hole in your wood humi, would you?

If you leave the drain open you will not be able to regulate your RH. That may not be a problem for you, depending upon where you live.

Wooden humidors breathe. Plastic doesn't.

That's why.

[Thrak]

Originally Posted by CigarNut

Why would you leave the drain plug open? When you buy a wooden humidor you are looking for something with a good, air-tight seal. A coolidor should be the same way - sealed. You would not put a drain-plug-sized hole in your wood humi, would you?

If you leave the drain open you will not be able to regulate your RH. That may not be a problem for you, depending upon where you live.

Humidors are not air tight, they allow (or are supposed to) a small amount of air exchange.

[CigarNut]

A good wooden humidor does not allow enough are through the wood to be noticeable. What the wood in a wood humidor does is provide a source of moisture (RH), and "seasoning" for your cigars. When you consider the densities of the wood and any finish (varnish, lacquer) on the outside there is no air flow -- except from opening and closing.

If you scan the forums -- those people with coolidors that live in climates with temperature and/or RH swings have their coolidors sealed.

Look, you don't have to seal it, but if you don't seal it and you live in an area with temp and/or RH swings, then you will not be able to maintain a steady RH in your coolidor.

[madwilliamflint]

I just embarked on this escapade as well.

There's a 70 quart Coleman on amazon for a sliver under $40. With amazon prime I got that with free shipping. It comes out to a little under 2.4 cubic feet. I can vouch for the seal, it's pretty definitive.

I just (an hour ago) got my 1 pound of heartfelt 70% beads, which is rated for twice that volume, so they all went in (in a drawstring bag which I set in an empty cigar cask from J&R.)

$100 for the whole thing (including the xikar hygrometer that's coming in a couple days.) As to how much it holds? I can't imagine. Several hundred cigars. Most of mine are loose, and in tupperware trays (I cut 1" by 6" holes in the sides for air flow) that use space with remarkable inefficiency (until I get a job and can afford cedar.)

I'm going to post something more comprehensive later on. But I saw this thread and figured it'd be a good place to share some details.

[NCRadioMan]

You can get the 120qt Polar Igloo on the Walmart site for $59.

For humidification, I use one small water pillow for my Coleman Extreme 78qt coolers. I usually refresh the water in those once a month and so far, I haven't had to use anything in my 60qt Igloo Cube. It has been full and left shut for almost a year and rh is a steady 64%. I need to open it soon though to change batteries in the wireless hygro.

i have question as well since i just put my cigars into a coleman as well and it seems that i have problems with humidity as well....

i have the famous shilala beads. 3 packs of them wich should be more than enough but they cant seems to do the job. this may be a stupid question.... no it IS a stupid question but do i need to put water with them the first time?

now another one, keeping the cigars into a 5er bag is correct right? it does not stop the humidification huh?



I R stupid

QQ

[wayner123]

Originally Posted by pgagnon

i have question as well since i just put my cigars into a coleman as well and it seems that i have problems with humidity as well....

i have the famous shilala beads. 3 packs of them wich should be more than enough but they cant seems to do the job. this may be a stupid question.... no it IS a stupid question but do i need to put water with them the first time?

now another one, keeping the cigars into a 5er bag is correct right? it does not stop the humidification huh?

I am not familiar enough with Shiala beads to comment. You could send him a PM and ask.

As to storage, the 5 Finger bags are fine. I believe a certain butler keeps his cigars this way.

[md4958]

Originally Posted by pgagnon

i have question as well since i just put my cigars into a coleman as well and it seems that i have problems with humidity as well....

i have the famous shilala beads. 3 packs of them wich should be more than enough but they cant seems to do the job. this may be a stupid question.... no it IS a stupid question but do i need to put water with them the first time?

now another one, keeping the cigars into a 5er bag is correct right? it does not stop the humidification huh?



I R stupid

QQ

Shilala beads should be ready to go as soon as you receive them. You should have gotten them in double ziplocked baggies right? Whatever RH% you purchased, thats what they will be at.

Just toss them in there and close the lid... set and forget.

Originally Posted by md4958

Shilala beads should be ready to go as soon as you receive them. You should have gotten them in double ziplocked baggies right? Whatever RH% you purchased, thats what they will be at.

Just toss them in there and close the lid... set and forget.

i should have left them in the bag?

if not well i placed 3 bag of 8 oz and they humi is still DROPPING under 55% and i readjusted my hydrometer twice already

[chenvt]

Originally Posted by pgagnon

i should have left them in the bag?

if not well i placed 3 bag of 8 oz and they humi is still DROPPING under 55% and i readjusted my hydrometer twice already

I think you have to see if the environment the beads are in is too dry.. Also look at the beads.. if they look dry, it means they don't have any water to let moisture out..

Coolers have nothing to absorb and hold moisture.. So if you put cigars and beads in there straight, unless you have the cooler packed with smokes, the RH is likely to drop..

I recommend to start off with, you fill that sucker up with empty cigar boxes, take a damp cloth over the wood, and let it sit in there for a bit.. And put a dish with distilled water and sponge in there.. the wood will help absorb the moisture..

[MNSmoker]

Originally Posted by pgagnon

i should have left them in the bag?

if not well i placed 3 bag of 8 oz and they humi is still DROPPING under 55% and i readjusted my hydrometer twice already

No, you take them out of the ziplock bags once you receive them. If you need to raise the humidity in your cooler, place a dish of distilled water in your cooler and your beads will absorb the water and increase your humidity. Keep the water in your cooler until you reach your desired RH.

If you're still having RH problems after you recharge your beads, you might be having an issue with the cooler.

[CigarNut]

Originally Posted by pgagnon

...i have the famous shilala beads. 3 packs of them wich should be more than enough but they cant seems to do the job. this may be a stupid question.... no it IS a stupid question but do i need to put water with them the first time?

QQ

Do NOT put water on Shilala's beads! If your humidor/coolidor is sealed then shilala's beads will work fine. Make sure that all the seals are good and that the there are no leaks. If necessary, through some calking or sealant around the drain plug.