Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HELP!

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 04:38 PM

Alright, I'm in a bind here and I'm about at the point of going insane. I recently bought a 3,000 count cabinet. For humidification, I have a little over 4lbs of beads (some bags are 65% some are 70%). For some reason, the damn thing sat rock solid at 55%.

So I bought a hydra and filled it up and put it in last night. Since last night, the hydra has been going crazy. It keeps beeping every 2-3 hours like it's out of water. I have the hydra set to 65% and it has yet to reach that. Talk about frustrating. I go to fill it up, and it doesn't take anywhere near as much as it did when I started. Just now I moved the Hydra to the 2nd level of the cabinet and moved around the bags of beads. I will update the thread in a few hours with what the humidity is. I'm trying everything and I just can't get it to where I want it to be.

chippewastud79 · 01-10-2009, 04:39 PM

Have you calibrated your hygrometers and tested your seal?

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 04:40 PM

Dear lord.....

chippewastud79 · 01-10-2009, 04:41 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BengalMan

Dear lord.....

Just getting the question out of the way

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 04:46 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chippewastud79

Just getting the question out of the way

I actually just replaced the battery in my digital to hygro to see where that goes. It's been about a year since I've replaced the battery. Hopefully everything will even out by tomorrow morning, the thing I just don't understand is why the Hydra every two to three hours beeps like it's out of water.

01-10-2009, 04:49 PM

Is it seasoned?

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 05:07 PM

Yes

01-10-2009, 05:20 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BengalMan

Yes

Are you certain?

To me it sounds like the wood is still absorbing a ton of moisture, bringing the RH inside down to very low.

WhoDeySchenk · 01-10-2009, 05:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrell

Are you certain?

To me it sounds like the wood is still absorbing a ton of moisture, bringing the RH inside down to very low.

That's my first thought too. I would think something that size would take a LONG time to absorb and stabilize. My 150 ct. is still absorbing my humidity beads and it's only been a little over 3 months. But it's sitting low 60's w/ 70 humidity beads in it, and I'm refilling them once a week or two

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 05:55 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Darrell

Are you certain?

To me it sounds like the wood is still absorbing a ton of moisture, bringing the RH inside down to very low.

You could be right Darrell. If that's the case then I guess eventually it will even out. We shall see over the next few days. Just checked it, right now the Hydra is reading 58, the other digital is reading 52. At this point, I trust the Hydra a little more. Based upon what I've read, the digital on it is very accurate.

Footbag · 01-10-2009, 05:18 PM

I didn't think that you could use two different humidity beads, maybe someone in the know can weigh in about that.

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 05:53 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Footbag

I didn't think that you could use two different humidity beads, maybe someone in the know can weigh in about that.

Yeah, I've had two different kinds for some time now, it just evens out for the most part, my coolers were usually right around 67%.

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 06:36 PM

BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP

Stupid Hydra. I'm ready to spike this thing on the ground. lol. Just filled it back up and plugged in back in. When it started beeping it was up to 58, so were gaining ground at least. The little digital is still reading low though. I'm going to put the little digital in the Vino tonight over night. I know it's rock solid at 65%. See what it reads with the new battery in the morning.

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 08:43 PM

I'm convinced the Hydra is broken. The alarm just went off again, this time, the whole thing is still full, it won't even take water. Is there away to turn off the alarm on the Hydra?

MikeyC · 01-10-2009, 09:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BengalMan

You could be right Darrell. If that's the case then I guess eventually it will even out. We shall see over the next few days. Just checked it, right now the Hydra is reading 58, the other digital is reading 52. At this point, I trust the Hydra a little more. Based upon what I've read, the digital on it is very accurate.

The Hydra has a adjustment dial on it. So, unless you've calibrated it and adjusted it, I wouldn't trust it anymore than any other uncalibrated hygro.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BengalMan

I'm convinced the Hydra is broken. The alarm just went off again, this time, the whole thing is still full, it won't even take water. Is there away to turn off the alarm on the Hydra?

There's a little button on the side of my Hydra which turns off the alarm although I think it's a temporary off.

Dumb question, is this the new large Hydra you're using?

icehog3 · 01-10-2009, 09:17 PM

How long were you running at 55%? With a cabinet that large, it will take several days to bring it up to 65% if your cigars had all actually reached 55% RH.

BengalMan · 01-10-2009, 09:49 PM

It ran at 55% for about a week until I put the hydra in. I don't have a problem with the hydra taking time to bring the cabinet back up to 65%, that's expected as you said. The thing that I don't understand is why the stupid alarm keeps going off, especially when it doesn't even need to be filled.

Mikey, I'm using the smaller one, not the commercial. The original point of the Hydra was to help bring the humidity back up and maintain it. I have a ton of beads in there, I figured adding the Hydra would put things back where they need to be.

I guess now I have two new questions:

What's the best way to seal the doors on the cabinet if there is indeed a leak?
How do you calibrate the hydra? Just take take the top off and lock it in a tupperwear and salt test like usual? I guess I could also put it in a container with 65% beads for a few hours and see what it reads.

Thoughts?

Thanks everyone for their help thus far!

icehog3 · 01-10-2009, 09:50 PM

I don't have a Hydra....is the alarm designed to sound when the resevoir is empty, or when the humdior is below the set RH for a period of time?

MikeyC · 01-11-2009, 10:49 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by BengalMan

How do you calibrate the hydra? Just take take the top off and lock it in a tupperwear and salt test like usual? I guess I could also put it in a container with 65% beads for a few hours and see what it reads.

It's hard to put the Hydra in a "sealed" environment like a plastic bag or tupperware since it has to be plugged in and the fan may fun and the alarm may go off while you're calibrating. Instead I just put a digital hygro that I know is calibrated correctly next to it in the humi and then adjust the Hydra to read the same after a day of sitting next to each other. Then I check them both a day later to make sure they're still in sink. I repeat this process until they consistently read the same RH %.

Quote:

Originally Posted by BengalMan

Ok, since adding the sponges and all the beads and setting the Hydra to 65, the hygro on the Hydra is now reading at 67.8 and the damn fan has turned off for the 1st time since I've owned it. I think at this point, the best thing to do will be leave the sponges in there and the Hydra on for the next 3-5 days at least and let everything in there level out. I will update the thread tomorrow when I wake up and see where things are at. Thanks again for everyone's help!

It does sound like the issue could be that the cabinet walls are still absorbing water. While I haven't dealt with a cabinet (yet

) I do have a large humi which I felt got up to the proper RH level more quickly because I wiped down the walls & trays a few times with D-H2O not just once.

shilala · 01-10-2009, 08:56 PM

The hydra is doing exactly what it's supposed to do.
If the RH%age isn't rising in the vessel it's humidifying, it thinks it is empty and the alarm sounds.
It'll continue to do it until you plug up the leaks.
Sorry!!!

01-10-2009, 04:38 PM	#1
BengalMan Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ian Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,280 Trading: (10)	Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HELP! Alright, I'm in a bind here and I'm about at the point of going insane. I recently bought a 3,000 count cabinet. For humidification, I have a little over 4lbs of beads (some bags are 65% some are 70%). For some reason, the damn thing sat rock solid at 55%. So I bought a hydra and filled it up and put it in last night. Since last night, the hydra has been going crazy. It keeps beeping every 2-3 hours like it's out of water. I have the hydra set to 65% and it has yet to reach that. Talk about frustrating. I go to fill it up, and it doesn't take anywhere near as much as it did when I started. Just now I moved the Hydra to the 2nd level of the cabinet and moved around the bags of beads. I will update the thread in a few hours with what the humidity is. I'm trying everything and I just can't get it to where I want it to be.

01-10-2009, 04:39 PM	#2
chippewastud79 Fatter than you! Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Larry Location: A little place called home. Posts: 5,397 Trading: (44)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE Have you calibrated your hygrometers and tested your seal? __________________ If we weren't supposed to eat animals, then how come they're made of meat? You can never have too many cigars, they are like an investment in good times.

01-10-2009, 04:40 PM	#3
BengalMan Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ian Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,280 Trading: (10)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE Dear lord.....

01-10-2009, 04:49 PM	#6
Darrell Guest Posts: n/a	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE Is it seasoned?

01-10-2009, 05:07 PM	#7
BengalMan Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ian Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,280 Trading: (10)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE Yes

01-10-2009, 05:18 PM	#11
Footbag I Need My Space Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Adam Location: NEPA Posts: 1,216 Trading: (7)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE I didn't think that you could use two different humidity beads, maybe someone in the know can weigh in about that.

01-10-2009, 06:36 PM	#13
BengalMan Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ian Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,280 Trading: (10)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE BEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEP Stupid Hydra. I'm ready to spike this thing on the ground. lol. Just filled it back up and plugged in back in. When it started beeping it was up to 58, so were gaining ground at least. The little digital is still reading low though. I'm going to put the little digital in the Vino tonight over night. I know it's rock solid at 65%. See what it reads with the new battery in the morning.

01-10-2009, 08:43 PM	#14
BengalMan Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ian Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,280 Trading: (10)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE I'm convinced the Hydra is broken. The alarm just went off again, this time, the whole thing is still full, it won't even take water. Is there away to turn off the alarm on the Hydra?

01-10-2009, 09:17 PM	#16
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,440 Trading: (60)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE How long were you running at 55%? With a cabinet that large, it will take several days to bring it up to 65% if your cigars had all actually reached 55% RH. __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

01-10-2009, 09:49 PM	#17
BengalMan Have My Own Room Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Ian Location: Cincinnati, OH Posts: 1,280 Trading: (10)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE It ran at 55% for about a week until I put the hydra in. I don't have a problem with the hydra taking time to bring the cabinet back up to 65%, that's expected as you said. The thing that I don't understand is why the stupid alarm keeps going off, especially when it doesn't even need to be filled. Mikey, I'm using the smaller one, not the commercial. The original point of the Hydra was to help bring the humidity back up and maintain it. I have a ton of beads in there, I figured adding the Hydra would put things back where they need to be. I guess now I have two new questions: What's the best way to seal the doors on the cabinet if there is indeed a leak? How do you calibrate the hydra? Just take take the top off and lock it in a tupperwear and salt test like usual? I guess I could also put it in a container with 65% beads for a few hours and see what it reads. Thoughts? Thanks everyone for their help thus far!

01-10-2009, 09:50 PM	#18
icehog3 Admiral Douchebag Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Tom Location: Clermont, Kentucky Posts: 71,440 Trading: (60)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE I don't have a Hydra....is the alarm designed to sound when the resevoir is empty, or when the humdior is below the set RH for a period of time? __________________ Thanks Dave, Julian, James, Kelly, Peter, Gerry, Dave, Mo, Frank, Týr and Mr. Mark!

01-10-2009, 08:56 PM	#20
shilala Dear Lord, Thank You. Join Date: Oct 2008 First Name: Scott Posts: 13,721 Trading: (252)	Re: Hydra and 3,000 count cabinet and beads -- HE The hydra is doing exactly what it's supposed to do. If the RH%age isn't rising in the vessel it's humidifying, it thinks it is empty and the alarm sounds. It'll continue to do it until you plug up the leaks. Sorry!!! __________________