opening/closing humidor

[ZachF88]

It's been super dry here (25%-30%) and every time I open the humidor, the rh drops to like 55% or below. It seems like it takes around 1-2 days for the humidor to gain the proper amount of humidity. Is this normal?

[maninblack]

How long you keeping it open? and it sounds like you don't have a good seal.

[icehog3]

My large cabinet might drop 6-7 points from opening it for a couple minutes, but it is back to the set RH within a minute or two...sounds like you definitely have a problem.

Do you have the proper amount of beads/humidifying device for the size of your humidor? Might want to add a little extra

[T.G]

While that is a long time, without knowing what more information type of humidification device you are using, if it is properly sized for the humidor, and a few other minor factors like the temprature, how tightly packed the humidor is (airflow restrictions) type of humidor, etc... It's hard to provide any specific advice other than to pick up some blue masking tape and start taping. If that doesn't work, try green, red or pink (in that order).

[kenstogie]

Try raising the RH in your room before opening it if possible (a CLEAN vaporizer works good), add more of your chosen RH device (i highly recommend the beads)

These ideas only address the symptoms not the actual issue but it's a start.

[ZachF88]

I'm using two 100/65% Puckifiers for a 100ct pyramidal humidor. I have checked the seal using the dollar bill test and everything is tight (couldn't budge the dollar bill out). Temp has been around 68F. Humidor is pretty tightly packed, but has some room to breath.

Also, the only way to get the proper rh quickly is to stick a water pillow in there for an hour.... then it stays at that level until I open it again. I only keep it open from 30 seconds to 1 min.

[T.G]

Do you use 50/50 PG/H2O in the credos and if so, have you been using it for a long time?

[ZachF88]

I must also add, this has to be one of the best forums I'm on. Whenever I have a question or problem, I always come back to my thread about an hour later and find multiple useful posts. Just wished my other forums (mostly car)were like this.

[ZachF88]

nope, just 100% distilled water.... Been using them for 8 months.... I only have problems when the ambient humidity gets this low....

[T.G]

Ok, well that rules out them being saturated with PG since PG evaporates more slowly than water. Sounds like the problem is just simply that the credos don't put off humidity very quickly - not much you can do about that besides switch to a different humidification device.

Might be a longshot, but it might be your hygrometer. The two I have, one likes to take its sweet time reading correctly while the other gives me a proper reading within minutes.

[CigarNut]

You might try adding more beads (pucks, otherwise). The more beads you have the better buffer your humidor has against the changes caused by opening and closing.

[mosesbotbol]

If the humidor is full, I would not worry. It takes a bit for the cigars to dry out. Desktop humidors work much better when they over 50% full.

Think about buying cigars at the local B&M. They're removed from what's typically an over humidified environment, placed in a plastic bag for what could be days, and they still smoke well. Temporary changes in RH isn't going to destroy your cigars. Think about what you're trying to accomplish with a humidor. You're attempting to create a small little temperature/humidity controlled world...for about $100 depending on what you've budgeted. It's never going to be perfect all of the time. I'm having the same issue with my 100 count desk tops as far as maintaining RH in a room with ambient humidity in the 30% range. I'm just finding that I need to keep a closer watch, and check the humidity every couple of days instead of once a week or so. Each time...I'm having to recharge the foam puck. I saturate that, and have 2oz of 65% beads in with it (sometimes I recharge, sometimes I don't), to stabilize and maintain the RH I want.

[bobarian]

Cello on?

[ZachF88]

I'm running two hygrometers (one analog and one digital). they are both dead on the same. None of my cigars have cello on them (I have actually never purchased a cigar with cello on it)

[CigarNut]

Have you salt-tested your hygro's to see how accurate they are? If not, I would recommend that you do it.

[ZachF88]

yeah, I salt tested them back in Dec.

[CigarNut]

You might want to salt-test them again. That's 3 months give or take -- which is about the half-life of he battery on the digital one. As the batteries age the hygro's accuracy alter's.

If the hygro's are accurate then as I said before I would add more humidification (pucks, beads, or whatever your preference is... although I am somewhat biased )