A little help please

[jmatkins]

I have a question that a few of you might be able to help me with. I have a 48qt cooler in the basement and I can't get the humidity above 33%. I live in New England and the basement is about 50 degrees and I have floral oasis which I mixed with PG solution and distilled H2O, and I have 2 jars of crystals which are desined to keep it at 70%. I have a couple of cedar cigar boxes that I had from other purchases and have the loose cigars in them. I have a good seal on the cooler but I don't know what else to do. Could my basement be too cold to keep the humidity up or am I just screwing things up . Thanks in advance fo rany kepl you could give a nuckle head.

 

[acaffey]

Analog or digital hygrometer?

 

[texas_stang]

First you need to check you hydrometer, then you need to buy some beads:yes: from http://www.cigarmony.com. I use a cooler with 65% beads and have zero problems.

 

[David]

As others have stated, I would check the hygrometer. I would be highly surprised if 33% is correct with what you stated you have in there.

 

[David]

If it's an analog, toss it and get an adjustable digital from cigarmony.com.

 

[jmatkins]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049773&cp=2032060.2032339&parentPage=family

This is what I bought this summer. Digital.

 

[Boppa-Wasch]

If it's an analog, toss it and get an adjustable digital from cigarmony.com.

Adjustable digital is the only way to go! :thumbsup: Be sure to get the calibration kit too. That way you will be able to check the old one too.:applause: eace: I am relatively new here...but.....I tend to listen well when the "olde timers" give advice!

 

[David]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049773&cp=2032060.2032339&parentPage=family

This is what I bought this summer. Digital.

Ok...then it is digital. The next step is to determine if it is accurate. Have you tested it either via a salt test or Boveda pack?

Perhaps you have a defective one? I have never heard of such a low reading. For example, I pulled a digital out of a desktop last night to take upstairs to begin a salt test. After pulling it out, it sat on the bar for a good half hour before I ventured upstairs. It was reading 40% when I went up. That is 40% ambient so I have a problem believing that 33% is correct in that cooler.

 

[Boppa-Wasch]

Be sure you have a good battery in the sending unit too.

 

[acaffey]

http://www.radioshack.com/product/index.jsp?productId=2049773&cp=2032060.2032339&parentPage=family

This is what I bought this summer. Digital.

I looked into those and have heard that quite a few of the units are returned because they don't function correctly and have something like +/- 6% accuracy. Do you have another digital hygro that you could put in the cooler temporarily to check the reading?

 

[David]

I would go as far to say that if you took a cooler, added a couple of boxes of sticks, and put no humidification in there at all, you would still be in atleast the mid 50% RH based just on the fact that it is a cooler!

 

[Jwrussell]

I agree with David, that sounds VERY low. The temps down in the 50's will certainly add a bit more of a challenge in keeping your RH up, but not to that extent I wouldn't think. I would follow the others advice here and salt test/calibrate your Hygrometer (there's no D in that word :wink to see how far off it is from actual. If it turns out it's that far, you an either live with it and remember to add XX% to it everytime, or get yourself a new one. ALso, as has been stated, it might help to replace the battery.

 

[cf2112]

Here's a trick I learned
1) take cigars out of cooler VERY IMPORTANT
2) fill cooler with distilled water (see why removing cigars is important)
3) put cigars back in and close the lid

No need for digital or analog them puppies will be plenty moist:eyepoke: :rofl:


Sorry couldn't resist. I'm betting the batery is going bad in one or both of the units

 

[ToranoFan]

Here's a trick I learned
1) take cigars out of cooler VERY IMPORTANT
2) fill cooler with distilled water (see why removing cigars is important)
3) put cigars back in and close the lid

No need for digital or analog them puppies will be plenty moist:eyepoke: :rofl:


Sorry couldn't resist. I'm betting the batery is going bad in one or both of the units

lol... and the mold will add a whole new flavor profile :headroll:

 

[kirscovitch]

dont have a cooler as of yet, but i definatly know beads are the way to go. they made a world of difference in my desktops.

 

[CWS]

dont have a cooler as of yet, but i definatly know beads are the way to go. they made a world of difference in my desktops.

I switched out all my desktop plastic credos to the aluminum ones filled with beads from Heartfelt. Never a mold problem again.

 

[caudio51]

Get the hygro calibrated, get some beads and you should be good

 

[jmatkins]

I wanted to say thanks again, I did a little quick test today. I just brought my cooler upstairs in the kitchen today and it is now reading 27%, so I think it is just bad. I will be ordering a new on this week.


Thanks

John M

 

[Headbanger]

The sticks would be dry as a bone if they were 27%. You should be able to tell now if the RH is good how well the sticks are smoking. Too dry will burn fast and/or hot and be harsh. Too wet will burn slow, uneven, and/or go out. Feeling the sticks by gently rolling in your fingertips to see if they feel right. Or gently press in slightly one less costly stick. It should bounce right back into shape if the RH is proper or close.

 

[Wasch_24]

John,
Have you verified the accuracy of your hygro?

Like Steve said at ~30% your cigars would be very brittle and smoke terrible.