Can I use Heartfelt's bead calculator to figure Kitty Litter requirements?

Bob Luken

I'm thinking about using kitty litter in my coolidor. Can I use Heartfelt Industry's calculator http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/calculator.asp to figure out my Kitty Litter requirements? Are they basically equal, or do I need more or less KL compared to Heartfelt beads? Any advice would be welcome.

Gray4lines

Bob Luken

Gray4lines

Bob Luken

Gray4lines

Good question! Mine is a little but high, only because I added a little bit too much water and the cooler seals so well I am shooting for 68% but so far it has stuck right at 69-70%. I have heard of people "training" KL to set at a specific rh, but Im not sure how this works. I use Mimi litter, but exquisicat is another commonly used brand. Any no scent, 100% silica kl will work.

Bob Luken

Gray4lines:

Good question! Mine is a little but high, only because I added a little bit too much water and the cooler seals so well I am shooting for 68% but so far it has stuck right at 69-70%. I have heard of people "training" KL to set at a specific rh, but Im not sure how this works. I use Mimi litter, but exquisicat is another commonly used brand. Any no scent, 100% silica kl will work.

Cool. I'm thinking of trying 65%. I'm studying Catfish's thread on seasoning humidors with Kitty Litter even though he mentions he's not really addressing coolidors. Trying to see how to get the RH I want. I'm wondering if there's a big difference between 70% and 68% as far as smokeability. I've been at 70 for a long while now and I'm ready to try something different. A few of my smokes have draw problems and problems staying lit and I'm told I'd be better off with a lower RH. Had a Padron 5000 maduro last night that just didn't want to burn.

Gray4lines

Bob Luken:

Gray4lines:

Good question! Mine is a little but high, only because I added a little bit too much water and the cooler seals so well I am shooting for 68% but so far it has stuck right at 69-70%. I have heard of people "training" KL to set at a specific rh, but Im not sure how this works. I use Mimi litter, but exquisicat is another commonly used brand. Any no scent, 100% silica kl will work.

Cool. I'm thinking of trying 65%. I'm studying Catfish's thread on seasoning humidors with Kitty Litter even though he mentions he's not really addressing coolidors. Trying to see how to get the RH I want. I'm wondering if there's a big difference between 70% and 68% as far as smokeability. I've been at 70 for a long while now and I'm ready to try something different. A few of my smokes have draw problems and problems staying lit and I'm told I'd be better off with a lower RH. Had a Padron 5000 maduro last night that just didn't want to burn.

I bet you will have better burns with a slightly lower rh. I think even a couple % can make a difference. I think the KL will pretty much hold at however much water you put in. I keep the cooler slightly high (for me) since it is for aging, and I wont typically grab a cigar out of it to smoke.

ddubridge

Bob Luken:

I'm thinking about using kitty litter in my coolidor. Can I use Heartfelt Industry's calculator http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/calculator.asp to figure out my Kitty Litter requirements? Are they basically equal, or do I need more or less KL compared to Heartfelt beads? Any advice would be welcome.

this is how I started and what I suggest to people who ask how much, but like Gray mentioned, the more the merrier. If you'd like, I'd be happy to send you some to try. Let me know how much you need.

Bob Luken

ddubridge:

Bob Luken:

I'm thinking about using kitty litter in my coolidor. Can I use Heartfelt Industry's calculator http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/calculator.asp to figure out my Kitty Litter requirements? Are they basically equal, or do I need more or less KL compared to Heartfelt beads? Any advice would be welcome.

this is how I started and what I suggest to people who ask how much, but like Gray mentioned, the more the merrier. If you'd like, I'd be happy to send you some to try. Let me know how much you need.

Thanks so much for the kind offer but I'll pick some up at walmart tomorrow

jadelt

Bob Luken:

I'm thinking about using kitty litter in my coolidor. Can I use Heartfelt Industry's calculator http://www.heartfeltindustries.com/calculator.asp to figure out my Kitty Litter requirements? Are they basically equal, or do I need more or less KL compared to Heartfelt beads? Any advice would be welcome.

My experience is that I need three or four times the KL as beads..... dont get me wrong, I like KL but the real estate it takes up in my humi isnt worth it to me...... I will stick with beads. If I had a big cooler I would use KL.

Cigary

I use to use HF Beads but converted over to KL 2 years ago and never looked back. I have 28 humidors of all sizes and what I've learned and what works well...when it comes to calculating "how much" just use 1 and 1/2 times more KL and you will be fine. The reality of using KL is you want as much surface area exposed of the KL for it to work efficiently....that means you use a container that is about 1/2 inch high and as long or wide as you can get depending on the area of your humidor. Spritz DW over the litter and let it sit for a few hours and see where you RH is....if it's not where you want it the more DW sprays ( I generally spritz 2-3 times for each % that I need for it to come down )

Bob Luken

Cigary:

I use to use HF Beads but converted over to KL 2 years ago and never looked back. I have 28 humidors of all sizes and what I've learned and what works well...when it comes to calculating "how much" just use 1 and 1/2 times more KL and you will be fine. The reality of using KL is you want as much surface area exposed of the KL for it to work efficiently....that means you use a container that is about 1/2 inch high and as long or wide as you can get depending on the area of your humidor. Spritz DW over the litter and let it sit for a few hours and see where you RH is....if it's not where you want it the more DW sprays ( I generally spritz 2-3 times for each % that I need for it to come down )

Good info. Thanks. Does it matter whether the KL is placed High or low in the coolidor or humidor?

Bob Luken

Cigary:

I use to use HF Beads but converted over to KL 2 years ago and never looked back. I have 28 humidors of all sizes and what I've learned and what works well...when it comes to calculating "how much" just use 1 and 1/2 times more KL and you will be fine. The reality of using KL is you want as much surface area exposed of the KL for it to work efficiently....that means you use a container that is about 1/2 inch high and as long or wide as you can get depending on the area of your humidor. Spritz DW over the litter and let it sit for a few hours and see where you RH is....if it's not where you want it the more DW sprays ( I generally spritz 2-3 times for each % that I need for it to come down )

Good info. Thanks. Does it matter whether the KL is placed High or low in the coolidor or humidor

Cigary

It really depends on the amount of product you have in whatever humidor you have or wineador. Let's say you have a 300 count humidor/tupperador....I use about 2 cups of KL in a shallow container and that takes care of that. If you have a windeador that has different levels and can hold ( 28 bottle ) then I'd put at least a cup and a half at the top and middle and bottom and that again...works because you have coverage. The nice thing about KL is that it's cheap and as I said a general rule of thumb tells us use 1 and 1/2 times the amount you'd use beads for. In a coolerador I have put 2 cups in the bottom and 2 at the top and it stays rock solid at 65% for me.

Bob Luken

Bump for Nathan. See? It wasn't that long ago that all I wanted to ask about was Kitty Litter and how to get started using it. Now I'm preachin' the virtues of KL every chance I get.