The Battle is good in this one. Wineador/RH

[tfraley]

The Battle is good in this one.

So I am undergoing an upgrade process as my old wineador compressor died.

I'm still trying to equalize everything in the new wineador before my new shelves come, and I start this over.


Magic Chef - MCWBC77DZC

I think things dried out a bit before being my old wineador broke down, and I don't know for how long. It could have been a month or two. I didn't pay attention due to the Pandemic upon us.

With that said I live in Socal / Los Angeles / Burbank
The wineador is sitting at 61F, which is the highest it can go. I didn't release that when I purchased it. I may have considered something else in the price range.

My Humidity keeps dropping to 45-53% ish. I keep adding some more distilled water to sponges I have throughout the humidor.

I have left my old beads in there (I do plan on pulling these) in addition to the new ones (which I doubled the needed amount) in hopes of equalizing everything faster, but I'm still adding water every night.

Not sure if it's the old cedar trays or the cigars absorbing, but it's been almost a week now.

I have new trays coming at the end of the month saying the 30th. I plan on grabbing a 20 pack for Boveda humidity packs and throwing them in their after wetting down the trays with distilled water.

Should I buy 65 or jump to 84% packs to kick start things.

So really was not trying to make a big deal of the ones that are in their now. But getting down to 45 humidity in their get's me worreid about the cigars.

I also still have the Johnson A419, I could hook that up in line and set it to a higher temp like 65 but wanted to try things without it for a while.

What do you guys think? Suggestions, comments, tips are all welcome.

 

[Boudie]

If the trays are dry they aren't doing you any good. Do you need all those trays right away. You may consider moving the unneeded ones to a well sealed tupperdore and let them acclimate on their own. Get your unit stabilized with fewer trays, then add your cigars and when stable move the other trays into the new unit. I think you are trying to season a lot of wood at one time and it could take a while.

 

[tfraley]

If the trays are dry they aren't doing you any good. Do you need all those trays right away. You may consider moving the unneeded ones to a well-sealed tupperdore and let them acclimate on their own. Get your unit stabilized with fewer trays, then add your cigars and when stable move the other trays into the new unit. I think you are trying to season a lot of wood at one time and it could take a while.

@Boudie
Thanks for the feedback. Maybe I am trying to do too much. These trays have been seasoned. I've had them over 8 years in my last wineador. With that said they may have dried out as I'm not sure exactly when my last one died.

I do have new ones on the way and planned to do just that before I put them in. I was just hoping I didn't have to put to much work into the old ones since I may not be using them after this.

But good point maybe just removing empty ones now. I thought the cedar helps it stabilize but if they. are dried out too much maybe it's just better to remove for now.

 

[Boudie]

You could save time by stabilizing with about half the current number of trays. When the new ones arrive gradually add to the system and swap out the old trays one or two at a time allowing the system to adjust.

 

[themaindude]

I was having wild swings in RH and condensation back in the day. It prompted me to put in a line thermostat to try and bring temp a little warmer so that there wasnt such a difference between outside and inside. It worked. I wound up relocating my stuff into a basement has a better temperature. now it is Rock solid all the time .

 

[tfraley]

@themaindude
Yhea I have a A419 Johnson from my last one but wanted a base before installing it in the new one if it was even needed.
With that said I went ahead and installed it last night and all wiped down the trays with distilled water, just in case.

 

[Nacho Daddy]

if your cigars are in cello,you have not lost too much.
if so, open the ends of the cello and let them gain moisture s-l-o-w-l-y

if not,you could over humidify and swell the ends which will lead to damage.
don't hurry to build back up, you could lose some sticks...…..good luck.