Humidity Too High (Rant)

jlzimmerman

I've been more or less wrestling with my humidity for over a month now. I received my first humidor as a gift and I took the time to break it in, season it, yada yada before I put smokes in it. The humidity has always been high. I was not able to calibrate the analog hygrometer because it is built into the box. During the break in period the hygrometer read around 80-82%. After break in it lowered to about 78% after I stocked it with some smokes. It is a 50-capacity humidor and had about 20 smokes in it. One day recently I noticed mold growing on one of the smokes. I waged war. I took my humidifier out to dry a bit, unwrapped the smokes that still had cello on them, and inspected the humidor for additional nasties (mold) or other problems. While leaving the humidor lid open and humidifier out for a while, the hygrometer still read around 62%. Can the hygrometer be that inaccurate?? I live in South Florida so I know it's a bit more humid here but that is rediculous. Now, with all the cello off my smokes and humidifier almost dry as a bone, the hygrometer reads around 74%. I've ordered another 15 smokes to help absort the humidity and maintain balance. I'm just wondering if the hygrometer is that screwed up and I'm actually starving my smokes for humidity. I guess I'm going to have to get a digital to know for sure. Anyone else have similar problems with the humidy being too high?

jihiggs

analogue hygrometers are only worth their value as scrap metal. I've never seen one that was accurate. Go to radio shack and buy a digital one, calibrate it and record what its off by and write it on the device. Shouldnt be off by more than a few notches up or down. Then you will know you have some accurate tools. Now, if you are seeing mold building up, you might actually have an over humidity problem. do the cigars smoke well?

jlzimmerman

Thanks for the input. Yeah, I know mold is a classic sign that there's too much humidity in the humidor. That's one thing that made me wonder that the hydrometer was in fact accurate. It may actually be 78% humidity if mold has started to grow on one of my smokes. Yeah, the cigars smoke well.....they burn even and draw fine, although there was one or two where the wrapper started to curl outward halfway through the smoke. I don't know what that means.

ashmaster

I also live in So. Fla. so I know what your feeling. To start with I totally agree with jihiggs about getting rid of the analog hygrometer.

The question that comes to mind is what type of device are you using for humidity? I'm using Heartfelt 65% RH beads for my humidors and I have an average reading of 69%.

By the way....where abouts are you in So Fla?

CigarStudent.com

good advice...if you use the 65% or even the 60% beads...i would just put them in there dry at first...let them soak up and even out your humidor. Also, def. go with a digital hygrometer, but make sure you test calibrate it...most..and i mean most digital hygrometers are off...the only accurate one i have ever seen is the prometheus. Note the difference on your digital and mark it on some tape or something and affix it to your hygrometer. After a while, you will find you can give your hygrometers away if you use enough beads...they work exactly as they say they do.

jlzimmerman

ashmaster:

....where abouts are you in So Fla?

Port Saint Lucie. I talked to a couple guys at the SmokeInn this weekend and they said temperature can also have an effect on the humidity, the hygrometer, and/or mold growth. The home office is where I keep my humidor and it does tend to be the warmer than most of the other rooms. I moved the humidor to one of the cabinets in the living room as it is cooler there. I'm still going to get a digital, calibrate it, and see where the humidity is at. I've had the humidifier out for 4 days now and the humidity has been steady at 71%....or so says the hygrometer. I read a post where someone mentioned the dollar bill test. Before I do it, is the bill suppose to slide easily through the crack or no? I assume that it is.

ashmaster

The more resistance you have when pulling out the bill the better the seal.

CigarStudent.com

jlzimmerman:

I read a post where someone mentioned the dollar bill test. Before I do it, is the bill suppose to slide easily through the crack or no? I assume that it is.

You would be hard pressed to convince me to rub a bacteria infested dollar on my humidor. Just do a drop test...lift your lid up 2 to 3 inches and drop it...you should hear a whoosh accompanied by a soft landing...if you hear a wood on wood hard landing...you have a seal that is too loose. weather stripping comes in handy for loose seals.

jlzimmerman

CigarStudent.com:

You would be hard pressed to convince me to rub a bacteria infested dollar on my humidor.

Oops. Too late. I did the dollar test last night in a few places and my humidor started pulling off the stand before the lid would release the grip on the bill. With so much emphasis on a good seal, how is a humidor supposed to breathe? I've read countless times how a humidor needs to slowly circulate air so where's the fine line for a good seal but letting your smokes breathe?

kuzi16

if you ever open your humidor, it will breathe. if you have a walk in humi or a 300count or more you put oust fans in there. (minus the scented part)