Heartfelt beads suddenly not holding 65%

[lambing]

I'm using 65* beads, and they've been spot on - haven't budged off 65*.
Yesterday I noticed the RH in my humi had dropped to 61%. It had been about 6 weeks since I started using the beads, so I thought maybe they needed some water. I added a bit of distilled water, making sure there are still some "dry" ones in the tube.
This morning the RH is at 62%.

We are going through a cold snap in Northern California (well, at least it's cold for us). Would the colder temps affect the performance of the beads? The humi is in an interior closet inside the house, but it's still been cooler than normal.

 

[MichiganM]

I've never heard of colder temps affecting the beads. You probably went too long between adding water and the beads dried out. You added water yesterday and since then your RH in the humi has increased. I'd be patient and let the beads do their job. You should see your RH slowly increase until it hits the 65 area. And besides all that 62 really isn't that bad.

 

[David]

Although I am not using beads, when the temp drops in my finished basement, my RH will dip slightly also.

 

[Headbanger]

When temp drops, my rh drops a couple points. I'm not sweating it, sticks seem to be fine.

 

[lambing]

You probably went too long between adding water and the beads dried out.

Wouldn't the RH have slowly declined? This was a sudden drop from 65 to 61 in one day.

 

[MichiganM]

Ahh, my beads have never been hurt by colder temps which is why I'm excited by the soon arrival of my wine cooler. But it is true that it's harder to maintain higher RH in cooler air. In that case beads could be affected, mine never have. I've never gone below 60 though.

 

[MichiganM]

Wouldn't the RH have slowly declined? This was a sudden drop from 65 to 61 in one day.

I was probably wrong there. Looks like it's probably because of the cooler temps. It's just harder for a passive system to react quickly to cooler temps. Air density and absolute humidity come into play here. If you're back to 62 you should be ok though brother. That's really not that bad.

 

[Headbanger]

I don't look at hydro but maybe once a day. The outside temp drops in winter cause inside heat to go on a lot more. When that happens, rh in the room drops and am sure that affects my humi somewhat as well. I even have a oust fan in the 150ct humi, still drops a few points when the boss drops the temp in the office to 65 degrees at night. Sudden drop, I dunno. If the sticks are fine, I would not give it any thoughts. My new storage unit should also take care of that like Jason.

 

[caudio51]

Colder temperature will make it more difficult to keep the RH up in your humidor/coolerdor. Now if it was low and you add distilled water, it is not going to jump up over night. It may take a few days. So your best bet, add some water to the beads and wait a few days to see what happens. It could be a combination of the dry heat in your home plus the cooler temps drying out the humidor.

 

[lambing]

Just checked, and the RH is down to 60* (but it is exceptionally cold this morning)

 

[caudio51]

How is the seal on the humidor?

 

[Jwrussell]

Probably the cold. Temps do affect how RH reads for me. Also, be sure to check your hygro's to make sure they haven't drifted.

 

[Viper139]

Cold temps will effect the rh in your humi but it also sounds like you waited too long to rehydrate the beads. It will take some time for all of the contents of the humi to come up to the preffered rh level.

 

[RiverRat]

As we all know, Relative humidity is relative to the temperature. Here is a little chart I have. Perhaps some of you would like to have it, as colder (or warmer) temps will definately affect the RH reading on you hygrometer.

RH doesn't mean much if you don't know the ambient temperature and what difference that causes to the reading of your hygro...

<RiverRat the technical>

 

[caudio51]

good chart! :thumbsup:

 

[jcgoldner]

Deleted for mis-information by the author. Sorry Oprah!!!

 

[MichiganM]

As we all know, Relative humidity is relative to the temperature. Here is a little chart I have. Perhaps some of you would like to have it, as colder (or warmer) temps will definately affect the RH reading on you hygrometer.

RH doesn't mean much if you don't know the ambient temperature and what difference that causes to the reading of your hygro...

<RiverRat the technical>

RR, I've read in multiple locations that the theory you just went over is wrong. The following is from Cigar Nexus written by Steve Saka, a foremost expert in the field and a contributing author to many publications.

"Totally DISREGARD any table or advice explaining that the ideal humidity for storing your cigars changes depending on the temperature. This is a myth that sadly has been published in some otherwise respectable publications. It is based on the principles of absolute moisture content and not relative humidity. 70% relative humidity is 70% relative humidity regardless of the temperature hence the term "relative.""

Your chart is in relation to theories of air having more or less density based on temperature and therefore being easier or harder to hold more moisture. That has nothing to do with RH. 65 percent RH is the relative humidity of that recorded air regardless of temp. I hope you look into this matter further.

 

[MichiganM]

If you store at 60 degrees or below it takes over 100% RH, which we know is impossible.

If it's impossible, that would be your first clue that something doesn't make sense. I'm going with Steve Saka on this one fellas.

Edit: For further proof, why do you think there are no 80 percent beads. Alot of us store our cigars at around 65 degrees. That chart is just crazy.

 

[RiverRat]

MichiganM,
Steve S. may or may not be correct. All I know is this;

I store my cigars in coolers, and there is virtually no leakage.

I use Viper's beads, and the consistancy of my humidity is incredible.

When the temperature is 70º, my humidity reads 70%.

If the temp. drops to 65º, my humidity reads 82% or 83%. When the temp. rises back to 70º, the humidity reads 70%.

In the summer, if it gets to 73º, it drops to 65%. (+-1 or2%).

That's all I know, and I don't get anal about it, I've stored cigars for a long time, and I've come to learn that they don't have to be 'perfect' in either of those areas. A few percentage points just don't concern me.

I recently switched to Viper's 65% beads, so I have to compensate for that with the chart, but it seems to be consistent.

As I understand the concept, the relativity we're talking about is the amount of moisture the air will hold.

And air will hold different amounts of moisture at different temperatures, no? Ergo, the relative humidity of the air changes on a non-compensating device like a hygrometer as the temperature changes. {This is why the dewpoint changes as the temperature changes, if one is talking about the weather.} (Does that make any sense? I know what I want to say, but I'm not sure how to explain it.)

Please correct me if I'm wrong, perhaps someone should go over to CW and ask Prflani. A chemist I'm not!

<RiverRat the poor communicator>

 

[MichiganM]

Your hygro is reading 83 percent when you're at 65 degrees???? I've never in my life had that happen to me while at a cooler temp. Maybe less than the 65 it usually is, but never 83. I sense something is way off key here. Either way, I'll stick to Saka. Maybe some other brothers here can chime in...