yet another humidity issue

[Flare88]

Hey guys, I recently bought some 70% rh beads from heartfelt (designed for up to 300 cigars) I just brought my humi up to college and set it up here but I seem to be having a humidity issue. It could be due to the temp but I really dont know. I got some pix, hopefully they will help.

http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/1414/mydc0111fu4.jpg my humidor
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/1628/mydc0112gg5.jpg bead placement
http://img143.imageshack.us/img143/74/mydc0109cs6.jpg analog hygrometer
http://img151.imageshack.us/img151/6894/mydc0110kd5.jpg digital temp/hygro (at 65F/60%)

 

[Matthew]

Can't tell much from the two pictures I could see, but it looks like you've got very few cigars in there. You are trying to humidify a lot of empty space. It is easier to keep a full humidor at the right humidity than a mostly empty one. Put more cigars in there or something else like an empty cigar box or cedar spacers to take up more space and absorb more humidity.

 

[Headbanger]

What is your issue?

 

[GatorMike]

Looks like your rh is low by 10% of where you want it. Was your humi seasoned prior to putting in the beads? How much distilled water did you add?

 

[Flare88]

my humi was seasoned correctly and to mathew, thats only half of the cigars in there. The photo of the beads only shows half, it has a shelf in it with plenty more cigars. I just added more water too. I'll re-upload the pix later.

 

[Headbanger]

Just remember beads are a passive way to add RH or remove it. Allow plenty of time to distribute or can add small Oust fan to help. I hope you used distilled water, not tap or spring water.

 

[Flare88]

of course i used distilled, i forgot about oust fans, is there anywhere online to find em?

 

[CWS]

ANy grocery store. Oust is the air fresher fan run by a battery. Just dont add the juice.

 

[GatorMike]

Unless you want your cigars to taste like "fresh spring meadows" Lol.

 

[Flare88]

I keep adding more distilled water to the beads. Is there such thing as over hydrating the beads to the point where they dont do thier job?

 

[Matthew]

No. They will absorb as much as they can and that's it. I hate to say this, but just give it some more time and don't open the lid to check. Maybe check it every 72 hours.

 

[Jwrussell]

Sounds like you've done everything right so I'll ask the not so obvious-obvious question. Have you checked the seal on your humi? Put it in a dark room, stick a flashlight in the humi (turned on) and close the humidor. If you see light you have a seal issue.

ETA: Checked out your picture, you'll have to figure a way to cover up the glass top.

Another question, what brand or where did you get this humi? Is the glass top actually glass or is it plexi?

 

[Flare88]

I solved the problem! It was a simple matter of creating a passage for the humidity to travel from the first tier to the second. Thanks for the tips guys. (this thread can be closed now)