What's new

will new bovedas not absorb moisture?

Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Joined
Feb 8, 2015
Messages
118
I have some small containers with bovedas and some new cigars and humidity is in the 70's, even though the Bovedas are 65%. One of these cigars smoked terrible last week when I tried it, it was all plugged up and took forever to get better. So I thought I'd put them away for a while but I checked the humidity yesterday and today and humidity is at 72. Last time I calibrated this hygrometer 3 weeks ago it was within 1-2 percent.

For the moment I just dry-boxed all the cigars inside empty cigar boxes inside a wine cooler. I'm hoping they dry out, but I don't understand why the Bovedas, which are supposed to be foolproof, aren't working the way I want.
 
Rating - 100%
40   0   0
Joined
May 11, 2013
Messages
4,095
Location
Calif
If your cigars are sitting at 72 % rh, and they are in small containers maybe it will take a while for the cigars to give up the moisture and the Bovedas to soak up the excess rh. Maybe it will just take more time than you thought.
 

King Kill 33

BoM Dec '13
Rating - 100%
367   0   0
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
8,173
Location
Minot, ND
If they are new cigars, would that mean you bought them at a B&M? Also not sure of the small containers actual size, but your cigars could have been high humidity when you bought them and because the boveda doesn't react quickly especially in a small volume, you could just be up against time. If you weren't opposed, maybe salvage a small piece of cedar from the inside of the box and toss it in the container. This may help balance the humidity. Or by using a larger container, it might bring your humidity down quicker too. All that said, my guess is that the cigars could be the issue.
 

King Kill 33

BoM Dec '13
Rating - 100%
367   0   0
Joined
Feb 19, 2013
Messages
8,173
Location
Minot, ND
If your cigars are sitting at 72 % rh, and they are in small containers maybe it will take a while for the cigars to give up the moisture and the Bovedas to soak up the excess rh. Maybe it will just take more time than you thought.
^ya, what he said..!
 
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Joined
Feb 5, 2015
Messages
61
Location
Massachusetts
It is also possible the bovedas are saturated and can't really absorb more.
I think this can happen. I noticed this over the summer in a 50 count humidor. At the time I had 69% Boveda and after about 3 weeks of humid summer weather, my RH climbed up a couple points. I ended up switching to 65% and then to a wineador with kitty litter.
 
Rating - 100%
49   0   0
Joined
Sep 12, 2014
Messages
498
Location
Los Angeles
Yes, from a B&M. All the long-fillers I've bought from them have had hard draws.
Sounds like the sticks are a little wet when you're buying them. Just takes time to adjust. I've heard it suggested that a cigar will gain or lose 1% per week. Also, if you are having temp swings it could mess with the humidity in your container.

The Boveda will absorb the excess humidity but can only do so much. If it feels like it's about to burst try swapping it out with a new one.
 
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Joined
Feb 8, 2015
Messages
118
I think this can happen. I noticed this over the summer in a 50 count humidor. At the time I had 69% Boveda and after about 3 weeks of humid summer weather, my RH climbed up a couple points. I ended up switching to 65% and then to a wineador with kitty litter.
Yeah, that's exactly what's happening... the humidity is actually climbing in the little container I keep the bundle it.

I'm using two 8 gram packets in each container. Neither of them look swollen but maybe they are saturated. They definitely aren't the least bit dry (no stiff bits).
 

Rupe

Suburban robot that monitors reality -BOM Feb.'13
Rating - 100%
401   0   0
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
25,105
Location
Winona, MN
My Guess is that the cigars were oversaturated at your B&M and it is just going to take some time for them to self correct. I have seen this happen at several B&M's where they try to compensate for the humidor being opened a lot and end up over humidifying. One time I bought a bundle of smokes from a place in Indy that took me almost 3 months to get to a decent RH!

Also if you are only using the 8 gram Boveda packets they are probably to small to efficiently draw the moisture out. My thought is that to really do it correctly you should use the large (60 gram) packets rather than the little ones.
 

Rupe

Suburban robot that monitors reality -BOM Feb.'13
Rating - 100%
401   0   0
Joined
Mar 16, 2012
Messages
25,105
Location
Winona, MN
Yeah, that's exactly what's happening... the humidity is actually climbing in the little container I keep the bundle it.
My guess is that the reason it is climbing is because the cigars are so saturated that your hygrometer is reading the extra moisture they are giving off. Time and patience will make everything better eventually.
 
Rating - 0%
0   0   0
Joined
Feb 8, 2015
Messages
118
yup, that's what I just decided to do in fact: dryboxing. The B&M must be keeping all their cigars overhumidified because several different brands I have bought have all been poor smokers. I bought two Eileen's Dreams from them and both were plugged, and their bundled coronas all have a tight draw. The only decent smokes I've gotten have been short-filler.

I don't like busting a lung to puff on a cigar, I guess some people just don't give a crap.
 

sofc

I hate E and Chef
Rating - 100%
276   0   0
Joined
Feb 18, 2010
Messages
8,280
Many people don't smoke cigars bought at stores for a while just because of that reason.
 
Top