Dehumidifyeing a humidifier

[Ncpsycho]

New to the cigar game I used tap water to soak my humidifier - I just ordered a new humidor and don't want to taint it- how can I dry out the beads in the humidifier so that I can use a 50% 50% solution or distiller water? Don't want to waist the humidifier or the $20 for it................

[md4958]

Just for clarification. You purchased a new humidor, that you would like to use your old beads in. Those beads had been soaked in tap water, and you would like to know how to dry them out so that you can now use distilled water in them. Correct?

Dont use PG solution (50/50%) on the beads.

If that is your question, you can just take them out of your humidor and allow them to dry naturally. If you wanna speed up the process, you can use a hairdryer on them. Depending on the bead, you can also put them in the oven or freezer to dry them out, but you really have to be careful you dont destroy the beads.

If youre talking about the green foam "puck" then this is how you fix it. Remove it from your humidor, walk over to the trash can, insert in trash can, buy beads. That green foam is for keeping flowers in place, there are superior products to protect your cigar collection.

If that is not your question, can you please expand further?

[Ncpsycho]

Haha even being new i would never use the florist green puck lol- i have one of the 125 cigar size bead humidifiers - thanks ill try thehair dryer- why not use the 50% 50% solution - i thought that was better than distilled water to help with the possibility of mold ?

[T.G]

Beads are self regulating, there is no need for the PG solution and some formulations of beads can have their effectiveness actually reduced by the PG.

What brand of beads are you using?

BTW, when you get a chance, please stop in over in the New Inmates area and say hi.

[Ncpsycho]

Its the cigar savior 125 cigar brick style..... I just figured id soak it in thompsons 50%50% instead of distilled water ....... I also just ordered an xikar jar beads in case this one wasnt save-able

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Ncpsycho

Its the cigar savior 125 cigar brick style..... I just figured id soak it in thompsons 50%50% instead of distilled water ....... I also just ordered an xikar jar beads in case this one wasnt save-able

Neither of those are beads. Both of those are a super-absorbent polymer (SAP) gel. SAP is "preset", and I use the term "preset" quite loosely, to a specific RH and some brands / formulations of SAP gel can actually be damaged by PG.

Overall, SAP isn't very good at lowering the humidity in humidors when it spikes. It can, but it is not at all quick about it. In the big picture, it's only slightly better than 50/50 solution on the green foam brick.

Beads would be something from Heartfelt Industries or HCM Beads - both of which are capable of raising AND lowering the humidity in a humidor. They are different from each other in formulation and each has some advantages over the other, but ultimately, they both work in a similar fashion and are much more capable than foam bricks and jars of gel.

[Ncpsycho]

Ill look into that but the brick i decribed isnt foam- maybe brick was a bad description - its a clear plastic rectangle with small beads inside that plmp up when you soak them

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Ncpsycho

Ill look into that but the brick i decribed isnt foam- maybe brick was a bad description - its a clear plastic rectangle with small beads inside that plmp up when you soak them

You described it fine. I know that it's not foam. It's SAP gel. I was putting it in perspective, that it's not that much better than the green foam bricks that is meant for holding dried flowers. It's a polymer glop meant for shoving live flowers and plants into so you only have to water them once every few weeks.

[Ncpsycho]

Just read the hcm beads ....pretty cool the ones i have must be the silica type

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Ncpsycho

Just read the hcm beads ....pretty cool the ones i have must be the silica type

Nope. What you have is SAP, aka: "gel".

Silica beads don't expand when wet.

[Ncpsycho]

K and the SAP is bad? Or is it ok for now? The xikar jar is gel as well?

[T.G]

Originally Posted by Ncpsycho

K and the SAP is bad? Or is it ok for now? The xikar jar is gel as well?

SAP isn't "bad" per se, it's just exceptionally slow at absorbing excess humidity, nor is it very precise in what humidity it maintains - probably due in part to it's sluggish overall reaction times to humidity changes. That being said, some people have good luck with it under certain conditions.

Beads are faster to react, quickly releasing and absorbing humidity as needed and are usually rather accurate in what humidity they maintain.

Xikar jar, humicare jars, water pillows, and anytime you see something where the description includes the word "expands" or "absorbs 100x" or "soak in water" (beads would never be soaked), etc. you're looking at SAP gel.

[Ncpsycho]

Im going to see what size of the hcm beads i need - just mad i wasted my moneynon the brick.....

[pnoon]

Head over to the New Inmate forum and post an intro. Tell us about yourself and then read, read, and read some more. Lots of valuable info here and knowledgeable members.

[Ncpsycho]

Thanks

[md4958]

Adam knows his stuff, I would listen to him.

As far as beads go, Ive owned both Heartfelt and HCM, and I find HCM work better in MY humidors. Plus the developer (Shilala) and the current owner (CigarNut) are both active members here on Cigar Asylum, and are very helpful when trying to figure out what you need.