Humidity Problem

[Subvet642]

Originally Posted by alfredo_buscatti

I think silicone is a good idea, but my first idea in pursuing leaks would be to test the rim for a faulty seal. I hear this is done by sliding a dollar bill into every space along the rim, and if it can be inserted at a certain place(s), get some sort of blue tape and make a patch for that area only, moving to the next place for the next test? I'm not too familiar with this. Do I have it right?

But it would not seem that sealing every joint with silicone should be cost effective and would not take much time? Why not do both fixes right now, especially if I want the humidor right by 2015

I believe the procedure is that if you're going to use painters tape to snug the seal, it is generally done on the whole perimeter; I would imagine with a single, long piece so as to not leave seams in the seal. That and silicone on the joints shouldn't cost more than a few bucks and take, maybe, a half an hour.

[alfredo_buscatti]

Does the silicone need to be food grade?
Does it matter that the masking tape be blue? Why is blue better?

Thanks!

[CigarNut]

Aquarium or food grade sealant is recommended -- it dries quickly and the odor will dissipate and not get into your cigars.

[markem]

Originally Posted by alfredo_buscatti

Does the silicone need to be food grade?
Does it matter that the masking tape be blue? Why is blue better?

Thanks!

painters masking tape (blue tape) has less adhesive and is designed to take off all the adhesive when removed. Regular brown masking tape residue can result in a vinegar-like smell such as I had with one I purchased.

[alfredo_buscatti]

I appreciate your input! I'll get the blue, which prompts another question. I've read that it should be applied as a single layer, without overlap, on all 4 sides. Yes? Mike

[alfredo_buscatti]

I have two humidors. All of my posts have been about the smaller unit. It failed to season after two weeks with a wet sponge. I then applied food grade silicone to all interior joints and inserted a wet sponge, but at the end of two weeks the sponge had become entirely dry and the rH was 58. In successful seasoning, at the close of two weeks, though less wet than when inserted, the sponge still has some moisture, and the rH is in the high 60s.

My latest intervention was to apply blue masking tape, and I have once more inserted a wet sponge; we'll see what happens at the end of two weeks. The lid now closes with a "whoosh."

I did perform the flashlight test but wanted to clarify the procedure, which I understand to be to put a flashlight turned on inside the humidor in a dark room and look for light at the seal. I saw none.

I am happy to report that my second larger humidor seasoned correctly, that I have transferred my cigars to it, and with beads it is maintaining 64 rH. Beads are magic.

Had I understood the correct outcome of seasoning and the procedures to achieve this at the start, it wouldn't have taken the two months of trial and error, and then coming to all of you screaming "help,!" which I very gratefully received, to season correctly. But I guess mistakes are for the learning

Thank you to all who have shared their knowledge!

[CigarNut]

Good news, Mike! Now it's time to have a cigar

[AdamJoshua]

Nice on getting it sealed and seasoned up, it is worth it to check out the links on Michael's sig line about how to care for your beads, that is how to adjust the RH of them, you don't want to just pour water on some of them, I have gone with the suggested method of using the fridge if they are too high for my likes or a damp sponge if they are too low RH. When I started I just sprayed them with water but it would seem too much water causing the thermal reaction and cracking a lot of them to crap.

[alfredo_buscatti]

Yes, time to light up to be sure. Last week I got

20 Don Pepin Original, Toro

On the way:

Partagas Lusitania (10)

Boxes:

La Gloria Cubana Figurado
Tatuaje Brown Label Regios
Avo XO Churchill

[alfredo_buscatti]

Originally Posted by AdamJoshua

Nice on getting it sealed and seasoned up, it is worth it to check out the links on Michael's sig line about how to care for your beads, that is how to adjust the RH of them, you don't want to just pour water on some of them, I have gone with the suggested method of using the fridge if they are too high for my likes or a damp sponge if they are too low RH. When I started I just sprayed them with water but it would seem too much water causing the thermal reaction and cracking a lot of them to crap.

Are all beads created equal? I got mine from Heartfelt. I've gotten good results with them. I used them exclusively when I smoked cigars exclusively (I also smoke the pipe). Sometimes I could go for months at a stretch with good readings. I get the bead cylinders, and the only complaint I have is that though clear and with holes, I have to take the beads out of the cylinder to rehydrate. I really can't see them good enough to apply water from the outside of the cylinder.

My method is to put them in a bowl very carefully as they share properties with Mexican jumping beads. I then use a medicine dropper to apply distilled water, carefully and slowly. Usually 3 medicine dropper-fulls get ~75% clear, that is hydrated.

But I read that you apparently do it more gradually with a sponge. I could research this but as I'm not sure if Heartfelt beads are different than those you advocate, I am equally unsure that methods you use will work for me.

I don't see that there is anything wrong doing what I'm doing however; you just have to go slow.

[stearns]

Don't know if it's the "proper way" to charge beads, but I just use a spritz bottle. for the vino, I open the door and mist some water on the inside of the door. for the cooler, I open the top and mist the underside of the lid. I've done the same for the inside of a glass-top humidor. then I close it up and let the beads/cigars spread throughout to absorb as needed. Usually doesn't take long, and since it's distilled water there is no residue left. been doing this for years with no noticable ill effects.

[bobarian]

Originally Posted by stearns

Don't know if it's the "proper way" to charge beads, but I just use a spritz bottle. for the vino, I open the door and mist some water on the inside of the door. for the cooler, I open the top and mist the underside of the lid. I've done the same for the inside of a glass-top humidor. then I close it up and let the beads/cigars spread throughout to absorb as needed. Usually doesn't take long, and since it's distilled water there is no residue left. been doing this for years with no noticable ill effects.

I do this for my coolers and Vinotemps.

I have a tube of HF beads in one of my small humidors, I just take off the cap and spray the inside, one or two spritzes is good, then I just shake the tube up a bit to spread out the moisture.

[CigarNut]

Originally Posted by alfredo_buscatti

Are all beads created equal? I got mine from Heartfelt. I've gotten good results with them...

This is one of those "religious" issues. Every one thinks that the product they use (or sell) is the best and no other products are good enough.

Heatfelt makes a good product. HCM beads are also a good product. I prefer the latter myself

For me personally, I draw the line at Kitty Litter. Some people use it and are happy with it, but I find it difficult to call it a good product for cigar humidification. Those people that use it and are happy with it are free to continue to use it -- my opinion is not worth the electrons required to display it...

I also lump all those gels, PG solution and foam-based products into the "not very good for cigar humidification category". Most of those a designed to release moisture rather than regulate RH.

[stearns]

Originally Posted by CigarNut

For me personally, I draw the line at Kitty Litter. Some people use it and are happy with it, but I find it difficult to call it a good product for cigar humidification.

my sentiments exactly. I still cringe when I hear people talking about using the stuff. beads arent that expensive... come on man!

[alfredo_buscatti]

Again, I have two humidors, the larger made by Bourbon St, solid and well-made. All I had to do to bring it online was seasoning. The second smaller humidor has been much harder to make ready, plugging all inner seams with food grade silicone and then, so far, two hours of applying blue masking tape. When I first taped I simply applied it to all of the inner rim. As it still wouldn't hold humidity, I've been testing the joining of the outer rim with a business card, spot-fixing where needed, a layer at a time and then testing again not only the spot but the rest of the seal to ensure that I'd not caused another problem by the just applied spot fix. But the front still needs attention. In some places I have as much as six layers of tape.

I've probably tested it for two weeks with the wet sponge about four times.

The answer should have been to just chuck it at the start, being cheaply made and small. But this far in, I might as well go the distance; plus, I've learned a ton in the process.

[alfredo_buscatti]

Retracing my steps with the Bourbon St humidor. It measures 18 X 11 X 7 inches or 1400 cubic inches, and I have two Heartfelt bead cylinders in it, each good to regulate rH for up to 2000 cubic inches; I am generous with the beads to maintain stability. After an initial successful seasoning with the wet sponge inserted, the 24 hour test showed a decrease in the rH by 5 points, but although this was the maximum decrease permissible, it was still within range, so I put the cigars and the beads inside, and for about 3 weeks the humidity was stabile at 63 rH. Also, the hygrometer had been calibrated before any of the above was done.

But after these 3 weeks the rH went down to 61, and even though I spritzed both cylinders, it remains there. All this leads me to think that the initial seasoning was incomplete. It could be that the beads need more water added, but if I check them and find they are good, it must be the seasoning. It is a well-made humidor, my only detraction that instead of using solid cedar, it only has a lining 1/4" thick. Though I don't think that any joint is improperly made, leaking air, this could also be the cause of the problem.

To do:

1. do the business card test for proper closure of the lid. If this is a problem, have at it with blue tape
2. check the beads for proper hydration

If I don't find a problem there, re-season. If there is still a problem after re-seasoning, having already fixed the lid closure with blue tape, silicon the joints.

I just added a third medium-large used Diamond Crown humidor; at this point none of them are good, but heh, it's a learning process.

Comments by seasoned humidor guys most welcome.
'

[bobarian]

Rather than a business card, try a dollar bill. Its much thinner and should help to isolate the leak.

[CigarNut]

Originally Posted by bobarian

Rather than a business card, try a dollar bill. Its much thinner and should help to isolate the leak.

What he said! (Bob is wise!)

If there is any glass you need to check the glass-to-wood joints.

If there is no glass, try putting a bright flashlight inside and the put the humi in a dark room and see if you can see any light.

[alfredo_buscatti]

I just checked the lid seal with a business card, just before finding bobarian's recommend, and even with its added thickness found suspect places maybe amounting to 8 or 9" in total. You're recommending a dollar as that extra thinness provides a more stringent test, yes?

It's funny, but I could have spent $100.00 on 5 big tupperware bowls and have gone all the way on Tupperdores, but keeping my cigars in plastic long-term doesn't seem like the best solution. It's not aesthetically appealing, either. Eventually all three humis will be right and all my cigars will be in them, but in the meantime my tupperdore has been a godsend. Eventually it will only be used as a backup. Right now I only sporadically put beads in mine as it shoots the rH way up. Basically there're coasting on their own humidity!!

[alfredo_buscatti]

A new humidor I bought has the opposite problem than what I've described above. Instead of not holding humidity, its seal is so tight that I have to push the lid down to close the lid. It stops with about 1/4" gap. Testing all around the rim with a dollar bill shows that the seal is tight everywhere.

I don't think this humi will have any problem holding humidity. But from what I know, along with doing this it also works best when it allows some air circulation in from outside. Is this a problem?

Also, would this humi benefit from some sort of waxing such that it would close properly with the proverbial "whoosh?"

If it needs some work that is likely to be successful, I'd like to keep it as I got a fabulous deal, a Savoy XL Macassar for $148.00.