Hi All,

Can't get my humidors to reach 70%.  I have 2 50 count humidors.  Both have the foam reservoir containers.  I fill them with humicare juice.  The humidity rises to 60% then over two weeks drops back to 50%....


I also add a tube of the "crystals" to help, but no luck.


They sit in my dining room where it's about 70-75 degrees.


Any thoughts?


Thanks

Assuming  its sealed and not leaking ...

I have used these :
http://www.cigarsinternational.com/humidification/90153/boveda-humidification-packets/

and these:
http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/categories.asp?cat=Humidity+Beads

but I like the Boveda ones the best

Conventional humidors are a bitch to maintain when the RL dips below 40%. This is why I love my coolidors.

Anyway... I still have 2 humidors and found that blue painter's tape is your friend. I added on the mating surface opposite the protruding lip. The blue tape adds just enough surface area to form a better seal around the lip.

1. Take everything out and put it in a plastic bag with the crystals, or tupperware.



2. Next find a dark room and grab a flashlight. Put the flashlight (in the on position)in the humidor, close the lid.



What do you see around the lid mating surface? No light ok good then proceed to 3.



If you see light you need to seal up those edges. The blue painters tape is a good start. Should seal all the gaps.



Keep repeating until you have no light coming through.






Shelves etc.. This is seasoning the humidor (should be done once a year)


With new humidors you may have to do it multiple times until the wood starts holding moisture.






When you do open in 24 hours, open it quick write down what the humidity is and close it back.





Report back with the results.




 

First, ditch the foam.  Use Heartfelt Industries beads.

I ran a bead of gorilla tape (1/4") or so along the lids of the humidors, similar to variant2's blue tape method.



I sanded the mold rings and rubbed them with isopropyl and let them air out.  The foam discs left a greenish ring around them on the floor of the cedar box.  Not sure why because I only used Humicare PG.... Anyway, I read up and the literature says that the alcohol will kill the mold (no mold on the cigars).






I put the hygrometer in a ziplock with a cap full of salt and water for 12 hours.  I read that this will indicate calibration or not (I never calibrated this originally).






Cigars are in a big zip lock with a PG "tube" filled with the crystals.






I put distilled water in small glass bowls and set them inside the humidors....  I read that wiping down is bad.. even though I've been told to do this (I did do this originally).






Thanks for the help.  






The cigars are individually wrapped in cellophane sleeves... they seem a little "springy" or spongy when you give them a squeeze...






I apologize, I really no nothing about the ins and outs.

Lighters

 


The best cigar lighters are torch lighters.  The "Scorch Torch" brand lighters on Amazon are fine (as low as $9) - I use them at the tarpon lodge I manage in Costa Rica (they wear out, but they get a lot of use).




At home I use a refillable butane torch I bought at Harbor Freight.  I do have to mind the flame.




Pipe lighters use a 'softer' flame - not confident that any 'good' pipe lighter would be a 'good' cigar lighter.




Don't use lighter fluid lighters unless ou use them to light a spansh cedar 'split' and then light your cigar with that.




Other -




The mold from your florist foam humidifier blocks is going to happen regardless of using the PG - which you are only supposed to use initially - then use distilled water - it's why no one should use those florist foam blocks.  The same is true of the gel jars.




Get your humidor to the "right" RH% (65%, 69%, 72% all have their followers) and let your sticks rest.




In the jungle in CR I have to use a cigar cooler (a Whynter CHC-120S) because the local humidity stays at 90%+ - so I hae to lower the RH 25% or so.  Is so humid that we have trouble keeping cigars lit!


 

A Google search on how to set up a humidor - ignore all humidity device suggestions except beads (cigar stores / online retailers push foam blocks / gel because they make money on them).

So tell me if I did this correct.

I put the hygrometer in a zip lock with a soda cap of salt and water.  Let it sit for 18 or so hours.  It reached 59%.  It should have read 75%... correct?


So I dialed it to 75%...


This may have been my problem..


Also, received the Heartfelt beads and filled the discs.

 
If your hygrometer was 16% off, wow!  What brand is it that is calibratable to that extent?  The Caliber IVs are only adjustable +/- 6% IIRC (worse I've had was a non-calibratable Caliber III that reads +4%..


So at 72% it would have actually been at 89%


I would cross-check it with a Bovedia calibration pack (or just a regular Bovedia pack).  I don't do the salt test because it isn't recommended for electronic hygrometers.  I calibrate against a 72% RH Bovedia pack for 24 hours (and against a thermometer for temp).

No name brass analog.  Came with humidor.  It just says humidor hygrometer.  It was, as far as I can tell, a Whitetail glass top 50 capacity from CI.  Came free with one of their promos.

I'd recommend you ditch that hygrometer.  It's very rare that one of those decorative dial-type analog hygrometers gives an accurate reading.  Especially on a freebie humidor.






Here's a couple of threads I've done on humidors - Travel Humidor - Pelican Case - both of these hold a constant 65% RH.




There are other look-a-likes, and a bunch with single review 5-star ratings, but these are really good.