Humidor, what am I doing wrong??

[T-Roy]

I have a simple glass jar type humidor that I use at work. For the last couple weeks, I was using a salt / water solution and it kept it around 70 %. I wanted to do better so I replaced that with a 50/50 water prop glycol mixture on a sponge in a soap dish. Now I can't keep it under 75% for the last couple days. What did I do wrong?? Too big sponge??

[heftysmokes]

if your old method kept it around 70%, put it back in...you might want to look into the heartfelt beads (do a search) if you want to make it easy...they seem to be the consensus choice of the board.

[T-Roy]

I'm trying to get by till Christmas when santa brings a new humidor! I even thought about throwing in some of those little silica gel things. My wife works in a drug store and they have these little cylindars that come in pill bottles that absorb humidity. Do these things regulate or just absorb??

[WOXOF]

I'm trying to get by till Christmas when santa brings a new humidor! I even thought about throwing in some of those little silica gel things. My wife works in a drug store and they have these little cylindars that come in pill bottles that absorb humidity. Do these things regulate or just absorb??

Those will only absorb moisture. How big is your humi-jar?

[kevin7]

Jars make poor humidors. A good humi lets air in and out. A sealed enviroment is not a good way to store/age cigars

[T-Roy]

The jar is all I had. I guess I could vent it to the world somehow. The jar is about 6" in diameter and probably 10" or so tall. It's one of those sealed jars with the clip on the top. Got it at Wal-mart for a few bucks. I would buy a humi, but my wife would sh*t a brick if she knew I bought one before Christmas. The setup I had before the sponge, was a simple bottom of a styrofoam cup with salt and distilled water. It kept it between 65% and 70% pretty easy. It would change as I added or subtracted cigars, but would soon settle down. I thought the Water / Propo Glycol was supposed to be better so I tried to change it.

I guess the simple setup was the best.

[paul01036]

I have had the same problem, only I could not get it above 60% I used a gel that I filled with distilled water. Now I'm right at 70-72%.

I see that most folks keep theirs at 65% instead of the 70%, I wonder does this help the life of the cigar? ensure there are no beetles?

what are the thoughts out there?

[WOXOF]

The jar is all I had. I guess I could vent it to the world somehow. The jar is about 6" in diameter and probably 10" or so tall. It's one of those sealed jars with the clip on the top. Got it at Wal-mart for a few bucks. I would buy a humi, but my wife would sh*t a brick if she knew I bought one before Christmas. The setup I had before the sponge, was a simple bottom of a styrofoam cup with salt and distilled water. It kept it between 65% and 70% pretty easy. It would change as I added or subtracted cigars, but would soon settle down. I thought the Water / Propo Glycol was supposed to be better so I tried to change it.

I guess the simple setup was the best.

I'll throw in a little something to help out in your sampler.

Be sure to ask Santa for some heartfelt beads to go with the humidor. Or at the very least, one of those puck-i-fiers or whatever it's called.

[Eville]

you need to season it first

[ashauler]

I have had the same problem, only I could not get it above 60% I used a gel that I filled with distilled water. Now I'm right at 70-72%.

I see that most folks keep theirs at 65% instead of the 70%, I wonder does this help the life of the cigar? ensure there are no beetles?

what are the thoughts out there?

I prefer lower humidity for smoking......just seem to smoke better and taste better. YMMV.

[heftysmokes]

i prefer lower humidity for smoking......just seem to smoke better and taste better. Ymmv.

+1 .