To recharge or not recharge..that's the question.

**LawDog2006** · 04-26-2009, 06:53 PM

Alright, this may just be a newb being a newb, but bear with (yes I searched the forum and didn't find anything on page one - see newb being lazy newb).

I've had my humi 1/4 filled for the last few weeks and have had a good 67%Rh going (it's been using Heartfelt beads). Well I finally got enough smokes to fill it completely (thank HeftySmokes and the awesome newbie sampler), and now the Rh has dropped to about 55%. I figured that this was just a factor of the smokes pulling in some of the humidity and it would take a little while to get up to the 65 or so that I like to keep them at. However, it has been 4 days and they RH is still down.

So, should I recharge the beads or show I be a patient newb and relax? I don't want these great smokes to go stale.

Thanks for the help wise and learned forum brothers and sisters.

**bigwhiteash** · 04-26-2009, 07:10 PM

You can spray them with distilled water and stir, repeat until about half of the beads are clear.

Should bring things back to normal for ya!

**Eville** · 04-26-2009, 07:15 PM

If the majority of them are still clear, just wait. If that is not the case, do as BWA said.

**LawDog2006** · 04-26-2009, 07:16 PM

Oh, here's a picture.

**LawDog2006** · 04-26-2009, 07:17 PM

Originally Posted by bigwhiteash

You can spray them with distilled water and stir, repeat until about half of the beads are clear.

Should bring things back to normal for ya!

How do you stir them? It doesn't appear that the end caps are supposed to come off.

**LawDog2006** · 04-26-2009, 07:18 PM

Originally Posted by Eville

If the majority of them are still clear, just wait. If that is not the case, do as BWA said.

Well I none of them really appear clear. I assume they won't be as clear as glass but was thinking they would be opaque enough to see something in the middle or the other side.

**Eville** · 04-26-2009, 07:29 PM

I believe the ends do come off. When they are wet, they are pretty much crystal clear.

**ggiese** · 04-27-2009, 08:43 AM

The ends do come off - they are just plastic caps.

The dried beads look frosty - wet beads look fairly clear.

When it's time to recharge - spread the beads out on a paper towel, and spray them generously with distilled water (you'll hear them cracking on popping - and some may fracture). You can pick up a small sprayer at a local craft store for about a buck. Load them back up into the tube and close the end. Whallahhh!!!

**pmp** · 04-27-2009, 02:14 PM

This is one of the reasons I recommend gel to my customers who purchase desktops.

Don't get me wrong the beads work but this is one of the downsides to using them. I've been using them for years and I'm still not sure sometimes when to refill them.

Oh and to answer your question...be a patient noob and relax. Your beads have to have time to release the stored humidity. If your humi goes for several days without increasing then it might be time to recharge your beads.

**LawDog2006** · 04-27-2009, 02:17 PM

Originally Posted by ggiese

The ends do come off - they are just plastic caps.

The dried beads look frosty - wet beads look fairly clear.

When it's time to recharge - spread the beads out on a paper towel, and spray them generously with distilled water (you'll hear them cracking on popping - and some may fracture). You can pick up a small sprayer at a local craft store for about a buck. Load them back up into the tube and close the end. Whallahhh!!!

This helps. I've just been spraying the tube and turning it. Most of the water probably isn't reaching the inner beads. Thank you inner bead master.

**Eville** · 04-27-2009, 02:26 PM

How can you not be sure when to refill the beads? If your humidity is dropping and the beads are white, add water. If your humidity is too high and the beads are dry, let them air out a bit. If your humidity is where you want it, keep the beads in that condition. It really isn't that difficult. Sorry if I sound like an ass, but it isn't a difficult concept to implement once you have been given directions.

**JStrider** · 04-27-2009, 11:03 PM

When my humidity starts dropping I usually put a shot glass of water in the humidor for a few days and roll the beads around in their container a bit every day

doesn't really seem to spike the humidity... but I don't think it fully charges the beads either... but this way they don't crack and split... so I figure they will last longer doing it this way.

**pmp** · 04-29-2009, 02:51 PM

Originally Posted by Eville

How can you not be sure when to refill the beads? If your humidity is dropping and the beads are white, add water. If your humidity is too high and the beads are dry, let them air out a bit. If your humidity is where you want it, keep the beads in that condition. It really isn't that difficult. Sorry if I sound like an ass, but it isn't a difficult concept to implement once you have been given directions.

Humidity can drop because of a poor seal, seasonal changes, additions or subtractions to the contents of the humidor.

Simply stating that its time to refill your beads when your humidity drops is idealistic and will probably work a percentage of the time but realistically, there is no clear way to measure when they are actually depleted. This is a real downside to beads.

**NullSmurf** · 04-29-2009, 02:59 PM

Spray? Shit...I soak mine. Ambient RH is in the 30's here. My beads never absorb. They always output. I fill a drinking glass with distilled, then dunk my tubes. I shake the excess off, then put them back in. That lasts me about 2-3 weeks.

I'm going to take the opportunity to "answer" the gazillion hygrometer questions. Whether yours reads right on the money or not is not as important as watching when they start to drop. That is what I'm watching. Dropping RH tells me its time to recharge my beads. Otherwise, I trust the beads.

**Shelby07** · 04-29-2009, 04:15 PM

Originally Posted by NullSmurf

Spray? Shit...I soak mine. Ambient RH is in the 30's here. My beads never absorb. They always output. I fill a drinking glass with distilled, then dunk my tubes. I shake the excess off, then put them back in. That lasts me about 2-3 weeks.

I'm going to take the opportunity to "answer" the gazillion hygrometer questions. Whether yours reads right on the money or not is not as important as watching when they start to drop. That is what I'm watching. Dropping RH tells me its time to recharge my beads. Otherwise, I trust the beads.

Well, yeah... if they're always soaked of course they'll never absorb.

Seriously, I think that the beads do need to be able to absorb some moisture even here in Denver. Unless you keep a constant temperature in your house (assuming your humi is pretty airtight) the RH can rise quite a bit at night when the temperature drops.

Right on with the money with the hydrometer answer. Screw the actual reading... watch the cigars themselves to determine the "optimal" reading, then recharge when it drops.

**craig** · 04-29-2009, 07:48 PM

Originally Posted by JStrider

When my humidity starts dropping I usually put a shot glass of water in the humidor for a few days and roll the beads around in their container a bit every day

doesn't really seem to spike the humidity... but I don't think it fully charges the beads either... but this way they don't crack and split... so I figure they will last longer doing it this way.

Best answer

.

Reference: CCI Technical Bulletin #10, Silica Gel, 1984 ISBN: 0-662-53370-4
An oldie, but the most-referenced scientific publication in the field. Government here runs on a cost-recovery basis so it isn't free. I bought it; can't really say it is worth the money, but it should be available in a University or museum library. https://www.cci-icc.gc.ca/bookstore/...ry-e.cfm?id=18

(Mind you, I just get out a spray bottle of distilled water.)

**Eville** · 04-29-2009, 08:19 PM

Originally Posted by pmp

Humidity can drop because of a poor seal, seasonal changes, additions or subtractions to the contents of the humidor.

Simply stating that its time to refill your beads when your humidity drops is idealistic and will probably work a percentage of the time but realistically, there is no clear way to measure when they are actually depleted. This is a real downside to beads.

I disagree. There is a very clear way to measure when they are depleted. They turn white. The reason for the beads being white doesn't matter as far as the beads are concerned. The only reason they will turn white is if humidity in the enclosure has dropped below whatever level beads you have. It makes no difference why the humidity is lower, only that it is. That is when water needs to be added.

If they are all clear, it means humidity is too high and you need to let some of the water out of the beads by putting them in front of a fan, setting them out, etc. Again, it does not matter what made the humidity raise, the fix is the same.

**Humidor Minister** · 05-03-2009, 02:15 AM

Another thing I've had happen. When my battery gets low, my hydrometer starts to read very low. Usually around 45% humidity. Might be time to salt test your gauge as well.

**pmp** · 05-05-2009, 11:14 AM

Originally Posted by Eville

I disagree. There is a very clear way to measure when they are depleted. They turn white. The reason for the beads being white doesn't matter as far as the beads are concerned. The only reason they will turn white is if humidity in the enclosure has dropped below whatever level beads you have. It makes no difference why the humidity is lower, only that it is. That is when water needs to be added.

If they are all clear, it means humidity is too high and you need to let some of the water out of the beads by putting them in front of a fan, setting them out, etc. Again, it does not matter what made the humidity raise, the fix is the same.

Moving from slightly opaque to slightly translucent is hardly a "clear way to measure". Its much too subjective and really not quantitative in any way whatsoever.

The change in the cystals is much more definitive which makes them my suggestion for anything under 300 ct.

I have a lot of customers who swear by them too.

**bigwhiteash** · 05-05-2009, 11:53 AM

Crystals are useless to me, they have no ability to absorb excess humidity, something we have plenty of here in the south.

Beads are very easy to use, they can be placed nearly anywhere, they're adaptable to changing seasons, (Basically, I keep them dry in the summer, and wet in the winter), and worry free... when My rh starts to drop, I just spray them down a bit. Simple!