Humidor Seasoning

[kn1v3s0ut]

I bought a 5 Vegas combo humidor sampler from ci recently to begin my first permanent humidor. I started seasoning the 100 ct. box last Friday morning, wiped it down with a sponge soaked in 50/50, then left the soaked sponge in the bottom on a bag all weekend.

This Monday morning the sponge was still pretty saturated (thought that was strange). I removed it and loaded the 30 cigars in. Right now I'm calibrating a digital hygrometer but the crappy one that came with it says that the RH is only 49% currently. I have a 4oz humi-care jar in it currently and that's it. From what I've read here the board highly recommends the heartfelt beads. I do plan on getting some.

Am I on the right track? Will the RH steadily come up or do I need to add to what I'm doing with the jar? I could add the sponge humidifier that came with the humidor I suppose. Any other things you all recommend?

Thanks!

[badwhale]

I bought a 5 Vegas combo humidor sampler from ci recently to begin my first permanent humidor. I started seasoning the 100 ct. box last Friday morning, wiped it down with a sponge soaked in 50/50, then left the soaked sponge in the bottom on a bag all weekend.

This Monday morning the sponge was still pretty saturated (thought that was strange). I removed it and loaded the 30 cigars in. Right now I'm calibrating a digital hygrometer but the crappy one that came with it says that the RH is only 49% currently. I have a 4oz humi-care jar in it currently and that's it. From what I've read here the board highly recommends the heartfelt beads. I do plan on getting some.

Am I on the right track? Will the RH steadily come up or do I need to add to what I'm doing with the jar? I could add the sponge humidifier that came with the humidor I suppose. Any other things you all recommend?

Thanks!

Sounds like you're on the right track. After calibration, see what the digital says. Beads are a good idea, and give it some time to see where your smokes are adjusting too (i.e. keep smoking them to see how they're running)

Will

[Devil Doc]

Don't make any assumptions about your humidor until you calibrate your hygrometer. You should have done this first.
Get beads and save yourself a lot of aggravation. PG is ancient and inferior technology.

Doc.

[ashauler]

I assume the 50/50 is a PG and distilled water mixture.....it would have been better to wipe the walls of the humi with plain ole distilled h20.

[kn1v3s0ut]

I assume the 50/50 is a PG and distilled water mixture.....it would have been better to wipe the walls of the humi with plain ole distilled h20.

Yes PG. Whoops.

[Tdre977]

I have the exact same humidor, its a nice looking piece. I have a small box of beads in it and it keeps 65 consistently. As for the hygrometer that comes with it, I checked it vs my calibrated digital, not even close.

[kn1v3s0ut]

Agree with you there. I got the calibrated digital hygrometer in there yesterday afternoon, checked it this morning, and it was sitting at 69 / 72 RH. That's 23% off from the crappy hygro that came with it.

Will I have a problem with the RH being 72? Seems a little high. Should I do anything else right now or just let it ride?

Thank you all.

[badwhale]

Will I have a problem with the RH being 72? Seems a little high. Should I do anything else right now or just let it ride?

Thank you all.

It's a little on the high side, but I don't think you're in danger of a science experiment. Smoke them, and see how they burn. If you have a real tight draw, or you get a lot of wrapper cracking, you're probably running too moist.

Will

[ashauler]

Let it ride for awhile while you do the test smoking whale suggested. Keep in mind that you want consistency and slooooow changes to your rh.

[kn1v3s0ut]

Got it. Will be smoking a lot over the next four or five days so they will be put to the test.

I would think they are reabsorbing what was lost in shipping?

What can be done if I determine they are too wet? Until I receive the beads I ordered, it's either humi-care jar or no humi-care jar.

[mail man]

I had the Humi-Care jar in mine, and could not get it to go down, so I took it out, and the RH steadied out...only for a short period of time, I ordered the beads, and haven't had a problem yet.

Maybe try and put a piece of plastic wrap over the humi-care jar, and poke one or two holes in it till the beads come in.

[ashauler]

Got it. Will be smoking a lot over the next four or five days so they will be put to the test.

I would think they are reabsorbing what was lost in shipping?

What can be done if I determine they are too wet? Until I receive the beads I ordered, it's either humi-care jar or no humi-care jar.

Dry-box the cigar you want to smoke for a day or so before you smoke it if you think they are too moist, or are smoking poorly.

[kn1v3s0ut]

I ordered the 70% beads, thinking maybe I should have done 65% now.

[kn1v3s0ut]

Smoked quite a few cigars this weekend from the new humidor. Even at 73% or 74% RH they did fine. I am thinking once I get the heartfelt 70% tube going (just dropped it in a few minutes ago) the sticks will do great.

I added a syringe full of distilled water to the tube, and to be honest, I don't get the whole clear/white color difference. It looks the same to me. The tube seemed to fill up and there was no or very little rattle left to the contents so I assume the beads inside now are hydrated.

Does all that sound good to you all? Or do I need to do something different?