Ideal Relative Humidity

docbp87

So I just bought my first digital hygrometer today, and stuck it in the humidor I "inherited" from my father. I've been seasoning it with a shot glass of distilled water, the hockey puck in it, and a water pillow from a ccom shipping bag for a few days now. I put the hygro in tonight, and after about an hour I checked it. Temperature was in the low 60F range. Humidity was at 68%. I feel that I have seen people talk about their RH being anywhere from 65% to 75%. Is there a magic number? Is it safe to take my glass out, and start stocking if this is still the reading I get in the morning?

stephen_hannibal

mrpillow

Before you do ANYTHING with the humidor you need to calibrate your hygro.

docbp87

The shop I bought it from calibrated it.

mrpillow

Double check it anyways, it's not worth skipping and ending up a sad panda =(

kuzi16

docbp87

mrpillow:

Double check it anyways, it's not worth skipping and ending up a sad panda =(

How exactly do I do that?

kuzi16

KCW

I like 68%

xmacro

The preferred range for cigars is between 65% and 70%; both because it gives a nice burn, and it's low enough that beetles aren't much of a risk - once you're in that range, it really becomes personal preference as to what % you like (that said, there are some people who like tobacco kept at 73% or so - it's just preference). Tobacco beetles typically hatch above 75%, but have been known to hatch around 72% (never seen it myself, so this is second-hand hearsay)

cabinetmaker

I keep the bottom storage compartment at 68%, and the top shelves at 65%. IMO, they smoke better at 65%.

xmacro

cabinetmaker:

I keep the bottom storage compartment at 68%, and the top shelves at 65%. IMO, they smoke better at 65%.

How'd you manage that?! My top shelves are always higher than my bottom ones, and it kinda drives me nuts

docbp87

Thanks for the insight guys. I went back to my b&m this morning and asked how they calibrated the hygro they sold me... SALT TEST! This morning I woke up, and checked my humidity... 73% and 68 degrees F. I went ahead and took my extra humidification out, and put my 30 or so sticks in (50 capacity box). Five hours later, my RH is at 68%, and still 68 degrees F. I'm really excited, and glad that I let it season for a full five days.

Hugemoose

It does take a few days for everything to settle. Even after I seasoned my humi and put all my sticks in the humidity had to work its way around those new sticks. The salt test worked perfectly for me. Mine read 74% after about 24 and 36 hours. So I then knew it was reading 1 percentage point low. Since mine can't be re-calibrated I just know to factor in that 1 percent.

jlmarta

coachjamie

laker1963

coachjamie:

xmacro:

The preferred range for cigars is between 65% and 70%; both because it gives a nice burn, and it's low enough that beetles aren't much of a risk - once you're in that range, it really becomes personal preference as to what % you like (that said, there are some people who like tobacco kept at 73% or so - it's just preference). Tobacco beetles typically hatch above 75%, but have been known to hatch around 72% (never seen it myself, so this is second-hand hearsay)

Is it only the RH that effects when the beetles hatch? Or does temperature have to do with it also? I cannot keep my humidor below 73 deg right now. I have put it everywhere in my house. I would have to keep my house cooler than 73 deg to get the humi down.

Temps. above 75 are NOT good but as long as you can keep the RH below 75% you should be fine.

jlmarta

laker1963

docbp87

Well, I checked today, and everything seems to have settled perfectly. I have a little over 30 sticks in what seems to be a 60 or so count humi, and my humidity is standing firm at 66%, with a temperature of 66F! Very happy about this.