Heartfelt Beads, Frequently Asked Questions

[rick12string]

Hi folks-New to this site.

I, too, am a very satisfied bead user for about 5 yeasrs now. Just this morning, I notice that the beads are flaking and powdering. I searched the site and noticed that someone asked the same qudestion some time ago, but it was never answered. ("Is it anything to be concerned about that there is little white flakes falling out of my beads tube? There isn't massive quantities, but rather be safe than sorry as they say...".) Humidity is fine in both boxes so far. However, I wonder if I should rememdy this-perhaps the beads, like myself, are aging and need to be put out to pasture?

Final (and embarassing) question-My only problem with this system is keeping the aluminum bead holders securely attached to the top underside of tghe humidor. No matter how much belcro I paste onto them, they never adhere solidly. This leads, sometimes, to the humidifers landing on the cigars and causing mildew. Anyone have a fool-proof system to recommend?

Thanks so much-
JS

The beads are still good. The slight flaking or dusting is common, just clean it. Try adding water very slowly to reduce this.

To protect the cigars in my desktops with rectangular humidifiers attached to the lid I lay a thin sheet of Spanish cedar (the ones in cigar boxes) on top of the cigars directly under the humidifier (cut slightly larger than the humidifier). This protects the top cigars directly under the humidifier from getting too much humidity, any dust that may fall and also protects them in case the humidifier drops from the lid.
Hope this helps.

 

[jsecunda]

:thumbsup:

 

[Danilo]

My 2 pounds of beads have a bunch of bead dust in the trays they are in (I just figured from moving they break) so I left the dust in there... Never though to clean it out.
I think I still need another pound of 65% beads.

 

[Treinenwj]

I was told once the "dust" is busted beads from adding water too fast. Dunno if that's right or not.

Jsecunda, welcome to BOTL! Post an intro thread so you can tell us a little about yourself.

 

[vince]

couldn't help but throw out a word here.... heartfelt has caught my eye for about a year. I've been using cheap silica gel in 4 oz containers and have had pretty consisten results. the only problem is when there is a huge change in temp. I live in an end unit town home and keep my smokes downstairs in summer and up in winter. during the summertime, I like to conserve electricity, but my house will swing humidity drastically because of the AC and the condenser unit kicking on so often (moisture removal). I've had the problem recently of my smokes being dry near the top seal of my humi and wet near the bottom. lets see how heartfelts beads do the job in Illinois for a guy that can only afford a so so humi. Just put them in today, will followup soon.

based on the word out there from all my botls, I should be a happy smoker again soon. thanks! V

 

[Danilo]

if your humi does not seal well, you can use some weather striping to help fix the seal!!

 

[GoingPostal]

do the beads have to be exposed to open air to work properly. I keep the beads in the plastic tubes sold by heartfelt. I notice the cigars at the bottom of the humi tend to be a bit wetter. Nothing bad, they still smoke well. so if i put the tube at the bottom of the humi and cover/surround it with cigars will the beads do their thing or would the lack of air exposure not let them do their thing.

 

[onibakushinka]

Thank you for this write up, as someone just starting out this is invaluable information.

 

[TreeFrog Frank]

I'm having issues with my HF beads.

I switched to beads in January or February. I bought a tube of beads, 65% (blue cap) for each of my two humidors. Whenever I fill them, I get them about 70-75% clear. For the first few days, the humidity is dead-on 65%. After about a week, the beads are all white (opaque), and the humidity is down into the mid to high 50's. Of course, it has to be the humidors! So, both of them, I do the "whoosh" test. They seem airtight then. I do the dollar bill trick.. tight resistance all the way around both humi's. So, it appears they are airtight. I can put a Boveda pack into the humi... and it holds that humidity as long as I leave it in there. BUT, my HF beads are drying out after a week!! I don't understand what I'm doing wrong. And I do not take/put cigars in these humi's. I haven't added or taken away from the stash in them for quite a while. And they are just under capacity. They are both 25-50 count humidors.

Is there something I can do? What seems to be the issue with the beads? Any assistance you can give me would be greatly appreciated!! I've been pulling my hair out over this!

Thank you!!!

 

[Jfire]

does it have a glass top?

 

[twenty5]

Are you positive the humidors have been properly seasoned?

 

[ninjafox99]

It sounds like your humidor needs to be re-seasoned. i have a medium blue-cap HF beads for my 100 ct and it's holding up well. Good luck.

 

[TreeFrog Frank]

One of the humidors is glasstop, and it seems to hold the humidity longer than the non-glasstop.

Yes, they were seasoned a long time ago. Maybe I'll try re-seasoning them.

 

[SuprHasan]

This thread rocks! Just read all 20 pages in 1 sitting.

New to BOTL. Smoking for 10+ years and only regularly in the last 2 years.

Started with a 50ct humi, small round foam and analog hygro. Ditched the foam and hygro for 1lb HF 65% and digi hygro. Rock solid RH. :starrylov

Found it too hard to maintain temps in Sydney as we get between 13 and 40+ deg c so I bought a 28 bottle wine cooler.

Too hard to maintain good RH in the cooler (40-50% with drain plugged and the whole 1lb in a tray at the bottom) so I just put the wole humi in the cooler and hey presto!! Solid 18 degC and 66-67% all year round.

Next project is 2lb 65 or 70% HF and try to get the cooler to maintain good RH for extra storage without buying another humi.

I'll post a pic of the setup when I've got 5 posts.

-------------------------------------
SuprHasan

 

[iCraig]

This thread rocks! Just read all 20 pages in 1 sitting.

New to BOTL. Smoking for 10+ years and only regularly in the last 2 years.

Started with a 50ct humi, small round foam and analog hygro. Ditched the foam and hygro for 1lb HF 65% and digi hygro. Rock solid RH. :starrylov

Found it too hard to maintain temps in Sydney as we get between 13 and 40+ deg c so I bought a 28 bottle wine cooler.

Too hard to maintain good RH in the cooler (40-50% with drain plugged and the whole 1lb in a tray at the bottom) so I just put the wole humi in the cooler and hey presto!! Solid 18 degC and 66-67% all year round.

Next project is 2lb 65 or 70% HF and try to get the cooler to maintain good RH for extra storage without buying another humi.

I'll post a pic of the setup when I've got 5 posts.

-------------------------------------
SuprHasan

Hey man... welcome. Be sure to introduce and tell us a bit about yourself over in the Introductions forum: http://www.botl.org/community/forums/forumdisplay.php?f=23

 

[Ed Monton]

Which heartfelt beads for a 1 cubic ft tupperdore. This will be for box storage. Should I go with 65% or 70% Heartfelt beads? Why? This will be in the basement where the temperature stays consistently 70F all year round.

 

[sonarman]

Which heartfelt beads for a 1 cubic ft tupperdore. This will be for box storage. Should I go with 65% or 70% Heartfelt beads? Why? This will be in the basement where the temperature stays consistently 70F all year round.

In my opinion the only reason for 70% is so retailers and online distributors can have the added humidity when shipping or to make up for lackluster storage of the client, if they dont smoke them or have storage for them. That being said I used to store mine at 70% and found they tasted off and burned like hell. Ill forever be a 65% guy. Just my 2 cents opinions may vary.

 

[megladon8]

It seems to me that it is perfectly acceptable (and more economical) to just buy a big bag of beads and put them in a clean dish in the humidor, rather than buying one of those fancy-shmancy pucks or bead sheets.

 

[stroke]

It seems to me that it is perfectly acceptable (and more economical) to just buy a big bag of beads and put them in a clean dish in the humidor, rather than buying one of those fancy-shmancy pucks or bead sheets.

I'd suggest using stockings for the simple fact that if you accidentally bump an open dish you may have quite the mess. However, I know plenty of guys that use the open dish and it works great. I personally use the stockings. I think the open dish or stocking will actually be more effecting than pucks or sheets because there's more ventilation. I guess if you had a humi that was frequented by others or a display humi and wanted it to look presentable you would get them, but other than that I see no need for them.

 

[thegoldenmackid]

I'd suggest using stockings for the simple fact that if you accidentally bump an open dish you may have quite the mess. However, I know plenty of guys that use the open dish and it works great. I personally use the stockings. I think the open dish or stocking will actually be more effecting than pucks or sheets because there's more ventilation. I guess if you had a humi that was frequented by others or a display humi and wanted it to look presentable you would get them, but other than that I see no need for them.

I agree. I use trays in the bottom of my Edgestar where the only time I go down to the bottom is to recharge the beads. Pucks and stockings in my humidor.

From experience, beads make a mess and aren't fun to clean-up.