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Cigar Oasis 101

madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
Ok, I've had a Cigar Oasis for quite some time now and have learned a lot about it. I'm going to give everyone a 101 on it.
1.Never, ever, ever trust the hygrometer that is built into it. Everyone I've talked who has one is off at least 2% and there isn't a way that I've seen to calibrate it.
2.You don't need to buy the replacement water cartridges, just make sure you refill with distilled water. If the internal sponge starts to come apart, remove it and clean the cartridge out and fill the cartridge with beads(haven't had to do this myself yet but have heard this from a few guys).
3.The Cigar Oasis is an active humidification system, unlike the sponge, crystals, gels, or beads which are all passive systems. An active system pushes the humidity(water) out to the items(in this case cigars or cedar) where a passive system relies on the item which is less humid to draw humidity from them. The problem with a passive system is that you can not over-fill or under-fill your humidor it most remain at about 2/3 full. Adjustments can be made to compensate for an under or over full humidor with a passive system but I won't go into that here. If your humidor is over-full the passive system can not distribute enough humidification. If it is under-full your cigars will soak up too much water. With a Cigar Oasis whether your humidor has one cigar or is crammed to the point it barely closes it will put out the exact humidity needed. A humidor with the Cigar Oasis also recovers exponentially faster after being opened.
4. Issues with the Cigar Oasis.
a.It will NOT soak up any excess humidity caused by external sources, like beads will. For example if you live in a naturally humid region in the summer the cigar oasis will not do anything when mother nature makes the humidity in your humidor spike unlike the beads. For this reason I now have dry beads in my humidor and when they get completey soaked I will dry them out and put them back in.
b.The second issue is price($85-115). Don't skimp and get the personal if you can avoid it the XL Plus is only 10-15 dollars more and will work in a much bigger humidor just as well as it will in a 50 ct.
c.The only way to tell when it is out of water is to listen for the fan running non-stop. When you press the button that normally displays the RH it will display "H2O" but it only does so when you press the button there is no alarm or flashing or anything.

If anyone has anything to add to this or if you have any questions please feel free to add to this.
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Comments

  • urbinourbino Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,517
    Excellent info, madurofan! Thanks!

    I've only had mine a few days, and the only thing I can think to add is that the Oasis is noisier than one might expect, given the tiny fan. It's not obtrusive or anything, but if you're in the same room with your humidor when the Oasis kicks on, you will know it's running.

  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    This is very true urbino, put I like that. Also pay attention to my first post as I thikn of things I'll just edit it instead of posting new.
  • urbinourbino Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,517
    Will do.

    The thing that has me puzzled right now is why the Oasis still kicks on periodically, even though it's reading 77-79% RH. I know it won't reduce the RH in my humi like beads would, but why would it kick on when its own hygro says the RH is already way high? I mean, even if that hygro is wrong, it's still the one that controls the Oasis.

    If it was reading way low -- like 60% -- all the time and kicking on, that would make sense. I'd suspect my old humidor was leaky. But reading way high and still kicking on? I don't get that.

  • PKJHPKJH Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 11
    "The only way to tell when it is out of water is to listen for the fan running non-stop. When you press the button that normally displays the RH it will display "H2O" but it only does so when you press the button there is no alarm or flashing or anything." Thanks I was wondering how to tell. Patrick
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    urbino:
    Will do.

    The thing that has me puzzled right now is why the Oasis still kicks on periodically, even though it's reading 77-79% RH. I know it won't reduce the RH in my humi like beads would, but why would it kick on when its own hygro says the RH is already way high? I mean, even if that hygro is wrong, it's still the one that controls the Oasis.

    If it was reading way low -- like 60% -- all the time and kicking on, that would make sense. I'd suspect my old humidor was leaky. But reading way high and still kicking on? I don't get that.

    I've seen a couple other people have this problem with them when they were new, everyone I know of sent them back and got a new one while they could. Sorry to throw that out there but thats what I would do too.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    madurofan:
    urbino:
    Will do.

    The thing that has me puzzled right now is why the Oasis still kicks on periodically, even though it's reading 77-79% RH. I know it won't reduce the RH in my humi like beads would, but why would it kick on when its own hygro says the RH is already way high? I mean, even if that hygro is wrong, it's still the one that controls the Oasis.

    If it was reading way low -- like 60% -- all the time and kicking on, that would make sense. I'd suspect my old humidor was leaky. But reading way high and still kicking on? I don't get that.

    I've seen a couple other people have this problem with them when they were new, everyone I know of sent them back and got a new one while they could. Sorry to throw that out there but thats what I would do too.
    youd think that forr $100 + it would work the first time...
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    You would think so! It does have a good warranty though, I think a bad batch snuck through.
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    i hope by the time i get to building a humi the "bad batch" has worked its way through.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Dude I am stoked about this humi you are building! I can't wait to see it.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    By the way urbino is yours the XL or personal?
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    madurofan:
    Dude I am stoked about this humi you are building! I can't wait to see it.
    gunna have to.

    most of my "project time" is spent on building my guitar right now. it could be a while. im very early in that project. ... I have a block of wood and some wire right now...
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Yea I need to decide what I'm going to do with this fridge ... if I'm going to fully convert it or not. hmmm decisions
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    i would. isnt that why you got it? dont go half way on it. take advantage of the great deal you got on it.
  • urbinourbino Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,517
    Mine's the XL Plus.
    madurofan:
    I've seen a couple other people have this problem with them when they were new, everyone I know of sent them back and got a new one while they could. Sorry to throw that out there but thats what I would do too.
    Apologies for using this kind of language, but: icky-poo.
  • urbinourbino Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,517
    kuzi16:
    i would. isnt that why you got it? dont go half way on it. take advantage of the great deal you got on it.
    Yes, that. Go for it. I think I'm going to get the Vinotemp 28 at Target next month. I got a raincheck for their sale price last week; it's good through the end of July. As hot as it is here for 4-5 months out of the year, I expect I'll need it.

    And ditto what maddy said about the humidor, kuzi. I'd love to see some pics when you get around to building it. I love anything made of great wood (we're talking plants here, people). Several years ago I got way into acoustic guitars; my interest was partly musical, but partly I was just fascinated by them as well-crafted wooden objects.

  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    urbino:
    Several years ago I got way into acoustic guitars; my interest was partly musical, but partly I was just fascinated by them as well-crafted wooden objects.

    im not that great of a guitarist but i have VERY high standars when it comes to quality. i suspect that with more practice ill have a good guitar or two and i may be able to make money.
  • urbinourbino Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,517
    I never could play worth a durn, but my guitar(s) always looked good. :)

    My appreciation for good woodcraft, btw, is another thing that drew me to pipes.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    I keep going back and forth on whether or not to convert it. The problem is that if I do that I could store too many cigars. I'd go broke trying to fill it. LOL
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    fill it slooooooooowwwwwwwly
  • urbinourbino Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,517
    Well, after shutting down the Oasis and leaving the humi lid open for an hour+ last night, then closing it up and starting the Oasis again, it seems to have stabilized around 74% this time.

    Maybe the problem is as simple as I had the humi too wet before I put the Oasis in it, and it just can't adjust. I'm going to try leaving it open for a while again tonight, then close it up before bed and see what it says tomorrow.

    Everybody cross your fingers and remember me to the deity of your choice.

  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    kuzi16:
    fill it slooooooooowwwwwwwly
    I wish I had the will power to do so. I mentioned the other night to my wife that maybe I should have a budget for my cigar purchases(this was after she told me that if I bought any more cigars in the next month I wasn't allowed to buy the motorcycle I'm searcing for right now). Her response was ... " You don't want a budget you want to know how much you can spend before I kill you." Smart girl.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    urbino:
    Everybody cross your fingers and remember me to the deity of your choice.
    ROFLLMAO
  • kuzi16kuzi16 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 14,471
    madurofan:
    Her response was ... " You don't want a budget you want to know how much you can spend before I kill you." Smart girl.
    yeah .... dont get killed. thats a bad thing
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Sad thing is she's just mean enough where she wouldn't put me out of my misery she'd let me hang on the edge of death for a few years. LOL god I hope she never reads any of my posts on here.
  • dep691dep691 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 311
    Madurofan about not having to replace the cartridge this is true but you left out that the sponge is actually antifungal. It prevents mold in the humidor and the cigars. So it is true about not replacing but I would just for the mold prevention.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Dep, the beads are anti-fungal as well thats why I said you need to refill the cartridge with beads. Unlike the sponge the beads more or less last forever.
  • dep691dep691 Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 311
    I didn't realize that, I read up on the beads and never seen that mentioned anywhere before. Thanks for the info.
  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    I was told by the original salesman that sold them to me the they were anti-fungal, anti-microbial, basically nothing can grow on silicone. Kuz, someone correct me if I'm wrong here.
  • urbinourbino Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 4,517
    Two points:

    I don't believe there's been a surface found, yet, on the planet that bacteria of one kind or another can't grow on. Especially one that has any moisture on it. (I used to teach microbiology.) Silicon very probably is a more inhospitable environment than most, but I'd be very surprised if it's true that "nothing can grow on it."

    Second, it sounds like you guys are describing two different things. With the foam, apparently it comes treated with something that both prevents fungal growth on the sponge itself, and is evaporated along with the water to prevent fungi elsewhere in the humidor. With the beads, OTOH, it's just the material they're made of that's inhospitable to fungi (& bacteria, apparently); since that obviously doesn't evaporate, presumably it wouldn't do anything to prevent growth elsewhere in the humi.

  • madurofanmadurofan Everyone, Registered Users Posts: 6,152
    Urb, Why the hell didn't you divulge that you taught microbiology previously! Dammit man you are our go to guy on the mold/fungus/other gross crap growing near my cigars now!
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