Humidity - Rise or Fall?

[scarhead]

And where to place your humidity source?

Does humid air rise or does it fall to the bottom of a humidor? This is an important question because it will determine where a humidifier is placed in the humidor.

Most desktop (i.e., smaller humidors) have the humidification source (usually passive humidification) on the lid, so when it's closed the humidity would obviously fall towards the bottom. Larger cabinet style humidors that use active humidification (Oasis or CigarSpa for example) have these devices placed at the bottom of the humidor typically. Walk-in humidors usually have the humidity expelled through tubes placed near the ceiling of the humidor.

My question is where should the humidity source (more specifically, the tube where the humidity exits) be placed in a humidor? From the above examples we see that they are placed in different sections. Does this mean that forced humidity (active) should be placed at the bottom because the humidity is being sent to the top and will eventually fall to the bottom? Or, is it the other way around?

 

[The EVP]

Humidity usually falls from top to bottom. In a small desktop humidor it probably doesn't matter much where you place your humidification device. If you have a cabinet, I'd probably spread it around.

I currently use a Trivoli Cab. In the box storage area, I have a Cigar Oasis Plus in the middle with a tray of beads each at the bottom and at the top. In the singles drawer on top, I have a 2nd cigar oasis along with 2 large pucks attached to the bottom of the lid. Is it overkill? Probably, but I'd rather be safe than sorry.

If you're talking about walk-ins, it depends. I've seen humidors with tubes that run from the unit to the ceiling and I've seen stores just use a floor mounted drub humidfier. When it comes to walk-in's, I would think cigar rotation and air circulation are more important.

 

[Tobacco Giant]

Humidity rises from bottom to top because humid air weighs less than dry air.

From another site:

Air is mostly nitrogen and oxygen... Nitrogen has an atomic weight of 7 while oxygen is 8... Water on the other hand is mostly hydrogen and oxygen... Hydrogen only has an atomic weight of 1...

So think of it like this...

A "molecule" of water is H20.. Which has an atomic mass of 10...

In air Nitrogen and Oxygen form pairs... (Nitrogen forms a triple bond and oxygen a double bond)
So you have N2 which has an atomic mass of 14 and O2 which has an atomic mass of 16...

hence the water molecules will "rise" amoung the Nitrogen and Oxygen molecules...

 

[The EVP]

Then why does rain fall down?

 

[Skitalets]

Air containing water vapor is heavier than air without (temperature being held constant of course). So humid air falls.

 

[ItalianCustom]

this is why clouds are in the sky and not on the ground...lol

 

[Tobacco Giant]

Thanks AZcigarnut for explaining scientifically that which I am completely incapable.

That being said, from personal experience my wineador consistently keeps space on the bottom slightly less humid than air up top.

 

[orangedog]

Although active cooling tends to bring humidity down due to condensation. Doesn't mean the humid air drops, rather the water does. I always keep part of my humi system at the top in my wineador.

 

[Altrain]

I have a passive humidification device at the bottom of my 150 count humi. Now that it stays cooler in my closet, the humidity is slowly rising without adding anything to it. I also rotate my cigars weekly since I'm at near capacity.

 

[scarhead]

Excellent responses...thanks for the information. I just assumed that humid air would fall because it is heavier. Again, I just assumed that humid air is heavier.

I have a cool mist humidifier that blows out mist. After getting in the air the mist begins to fall. Seeing this and assuming the above I thought that humid air falls.

All this thinking has caused me to want a cigar. Later.

 

[scarhead]

The specific reason why I am asking this is because I have a thought about humidifying a cabinet. I'm thinking about connecting a flexible tube to my passive humidifier and running it through the cabinet. Along the tube I would have holes so the mist/humidity would come out. Should the tube be placed at the bottom, middle or top of the cabinet? Ultimately, I'm wondering if the mist/humidity will fall or will it rise throughout the humidor?

 

[Tobacco Giant]

The specific reason why I am asking this is because I have a thought about humidifying a cabinet. I'm thinking about connecting a flexible tube to my passive humidifier and running it through the cabinet. Along the tube I would have holes so the mist/humidity would come out. Should the tube be placed at the bottom, middle or top of the cabinet? Ultimately, I'm wondering if the mist/humidity will fall or will it rise throughout the humidor?

We haven't answered that question yet?