Just bought my 3rd humi and now new questions...

I already have two smaller humidors (25 ct and 50 ct) and seasoned them in the typical manner, i.e. dampen the wood with distilled water and leave the wet sponge for a day or two in an open plastic bag or whatever. Well, the instructions that came with the new box (a somewhat larger 200+ ct box) stressed DO NOT WET THE WOOD directly. Rather, charge the humidifiers and leave a shot glass of distilled water in the humidor until the humidity stabilizes. How does this sound to you folks? I tried it and right off the bat the humidity was 70-71% and hasn't moved for two days. Call it good or what?

One more question...Living in Central FL, my humidor temp is usually 76 to 78 degrees, not exactly ideal. Is there a rule of thumb regarding humidity levels for temps too high or low? I guess what I mean is should I adjust the humidity up or down for constantly higher temps? Humidity is cheap and easy, but without a damp cold basement to store my cigars I'm not about to air condition the house just to keep my smokes comfortable ... my wife won't let me :smiley36:


Thanks all!

I re-read the thread I followed a few years ago to season my other humidors and it seems the wetting the wood issue has since already been adressed. I think I'll just call it good and move on.

As for adjusting the humidity based on high temperatures, anyone care to comment? In my head, I'm thinking a lower humidity for a higher temp. Higher temperature air can hold more water. If 70/70 is optimal, wouldn't it be accurate to say a higher air temperature at a lower humidity would contain about the same amount of water per a given volume? I keep my humis at 65%.

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Originally Posted by kchunk

I re-read the thread I followed a few years ago to season my other humidors and it seems the wetting the wood issue has since already been adressed. I think I'll just call it good and move on.

As for adjusting the humidity based on high temperatures, anyone care to comment? In my head, I'm thinking a lower humidity for a higher temp. Higher temperature air can hold more water. If 70/70 is optimal, wouldn't it be accurate to say a higher air temperature at a lower humidity would contain about the same amount of water per a given volume? I keep my humis at 65%.

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60%-70% is going to be fine for the cigars. Anything in between is just a matter of personal preference...what people think makes their cigars smoke better. Your temperature is a tad high. Try putting your humidor in a central room of the house. If that doesn't help, other than buying a climate controlled humidor, just keep a close eye on the humidor, in the remote chance that you have a beetle outbreak.

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Originally Posted by kchunk

I re-read the thread I followed a few years ago to season my other humidors and it seems the wetting the wood issue has since already been adressed. I think I'll just call it good and move on.

As for adjusting the humidity based on high temperatures, anyone care to comment? In my head, I'm thinking a lower humidity for a higher temp. Higher temperature air can hold more water. If 70/70 is optimal, wouldn't it be accurate to say a higher air temperature at a lower humidity would contain about the same amount of water per a given volume? I keep my humis at 65%.

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Yes this is accurate, hotter air holds more water. However, the physical amount of water in the air is not important to the cigars, the relative humidity is. That's why its called relative humidity, and not absolute humidity. The RH will determine how much of the moisture in the air is transfered to the cigars, or vise versa. So 65% RH is 65% RH no matter what the temperature.

65% is fine. A lot of people prefer it that way. Basically its down to personal choice like drew said.

spiffy

Another solution:

1. Buy Coolidor.
2. Combine all contents from three Humidors into Coolidor.
3. Enjoy.

No need to season a coolidor. Just buy beads and sit back and relax.

Also, if you plan on storing your cigars at 76-78 degrees, I recommend storing them @ 60% humidity. The rule of thumb when it comes to humidity and temperature, is that the higher the temerature, the lower you want the humidity. Lower the temperature, the higher you want the humidity. When temperature increases, it produces more mosture, so you require something to obsorb more of the moisture so the cigars would not obsorb it. SO, if you were in 50 degree weather, you would prefer close to 70 percent humidity. This will try to balance out the environment for your cigars. Temperature expands or contracts cigars, while humidity moistens or drys cigars. Hope this helps.

But, in the end, it's all about how much you enjoy the cigar. You may find that you prefer 65% humidity when temperature is steady on 78 degrees. Play around with it. I prefer 65% humidity and my temp is normally 70-75 (a bit high, but that's the best I can do at my condo, but I have had no issues with my cigars also).

Andrew

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Originally Posted by spiffykyle

That's why its called relative humidity, and not absolute humidity. The RH will determine how much of the moisture in the air is transfered to the cigars, or vise versa. So 65% RH is 65% RH no matter what the temperature.

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Doh! Surely I know what relative humidity means, I guess it just didn't click until I heard someone else say it. :smiley23:

That was a perfectly clear explanation and I should have known that. Thanks!

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Originally Posted by FunkyCold5

Also, if you plan on storing your cigars at 76-78 degrees, I recommend storing them @ 60% humidity. The rule of thumb when it comes to humidity and temperature, is that the higher the temerature, the lower you want the humidity. Lower the temperature, the higher you want the humidity. When temperature increases, it produces more mosture, so you require something to obsorb more of the moisture so the cigars would not obsorb it. SO, if you were in 50 degree weather, you would prefer close to 70 percent humidity. This will try to balance out the environment for your cigars. Temperature expands or contracts cigars, while humidity moistens or drys cigars. Hope this helps.
Andrew

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See, I don't think this is right. An increased temperature doesn't produce more moisture at the same RH as a lower temperature.

RH measures the ratio of water vapor in the air to the maximum amount of water vapor possible. True at higher temperatures there is physically more water in the air, but the RH is the same. Absolute humidity measures the physical amount of water in the air. Weather forecasters use RH, not AH, because RH is an indicator of precipitation or fog. RH also affects the dew point (saturation temperature of the air). The RH dictates how much water will be absorbed/released by the air, not the temperature.

So while a high RH may feel differently in hot weather, that only applies to humans (and maybe animals). A high RH makes it harder for sweat to evaporate because the air doesn't need any more water so we "feel" the moisture more, but really we are only feeling our own sweat.

When it comes to humidors, 65% will have the same effect on cigars at 50 degrees as it will at 75 degrees.

Though I whole heartedly agree with Funky's recomendation of a coolerdor.

spiffy

I live just an hour south of you, so I have pretty much the same temp. problems you do. I never really worry about humidor temp. within reason. I didn't even turn on the A/C until July and will turn it of as soon as the nightime temp. drops below 70. I keep my A/C set at 80-82when it is on. Just keep your cigars in the coolest room in your house, usually the north east one. Second, keep them away from an outside wall or direct sunlight from a window even for short periods. And yes, use beads. I know they can be a bit pricey but use them. I keep a few containers of them 'dry' so I can put them in any humidor that is getting too humid. Sometimes new boxes can be so wet they will sent your RH up when you first put them in and sometimes you can just put too much moist air in your humidor just by opening it daily to get out smokes.
Just as a note, if you want your wife to let you run the A/C, tell her how much the excess humidity is ruining all her precious things. Photos hate high humidity and any cloth items such as clothes, linens, and towels will get musty smelling in a very short time at RH above 80%. Some molds will even start to grow also, many of them invisible until they spore (then the turm black or brown usually). Also dust sticks to surfaces and makes them harder to clean when the R/H is high. If you have any furniture made of particle board (most stuff that is laminated is) it too will absorb humidity and become weak. Book shelves will sag, table tops will develope warts, ect. And besides 80 degrees is not that bad of a temp when you come in from the utside where it is 90.
Good luck!
Gene :smiley37:

First off, forget humidors, go buy a big xtreme cooler from coleman, the kind that keep ice for 7 days in 90º heat. Keep your smokes in there. They'll not only keep things air tight, they'll help with more consistent temperature regulation. All coolers are on sale now, so why not. Also, get the humidity beads if you haven't already from heartfelt industries. (Sorry is any of this is repetitive, but I just saw 3 humidors and thought to myself, cool-e-dor).