Need humidor help

**M00SE** · 10-05-2009, 11:20 PM

I bought one of them gel crystal things. I filled it like the directions said with 1/2 distilled water. It's been over 12 hrs and the hydrometer still reads about 62... Whats wrong with it? Need to get my cigars going again... Bought two more cigars today...

**heftysmokes** · 10-05-2009, 11:23 PM

Salt test your hygrometer (search for salt test) it may be a bit off.

And for the most part, 62% isn't a bad number. I like my ISOM's around there and for the short term I don't think it's going to damage your cigars keeping them at that level.

**Bluesmudge** · 10-06-2009, 01:46 AM

I use beads, but my humidor got to 62% within a few hours but then took about a week or two to finally stabilize at 65%.

**ashauler** · 10-06-2009, 06:06 AM

Originally Posted by heftysmokes

Salt test your hygrometer (search for salt test) it may be a bit off.

And for the most part, 62% isn't a bad number. I like my ISOM's around there and for the short term I don't think it's going to damage your cigars keeping them at that level.

+1 I keep all my humis between 60 - 65 rh.

**ggiese** · 10-06-2009, 09:00 AM

Originally Posted by M00SE

I bought one of them gel crystal things. I filled it like the directions said with 1/2 distilled water. It's been over 12 hrs and the hydrometer still reads about 62... Whats wrong with it? Need to get my cigars going again... Bought two more cigars today...

What was the reading before you put the gel crystal humidifier into your humi? You might have to get the thing up and running first. Hard to expect that it will instantly go to 70% if it was 40 before...

It may take a few days/weeks to get the inside stabilized.You might want to try wiping down the interior of the humidor with distilled water. Sometimes that speeds things up a bit. And once you reach the optimum reading - you have to maintain your humidifiers (don't let them dry out).

**ggiese** · 10-06-2009, 09:01 AM

Originally Posted by ashauler

+1 I keep all my humis between 60 - 65 rh.

60-65% when I plan to smoke 'em. 70% when I store 'em.

**ashauler** · 10-06-2009, 09:41 AM

Originally Posted by ggiese

60-65% when I plan to smoke 'em. 70% when I store 'em.

Yep, good point GG. I should have been more clear in my response.

**ggiese** · 10-06-2009, 11:20 AM

Also... The fuller you keep the humidor - the easier it is to maintain your rh. Keep that baby full of cigars!

**cinda** · 10-06-2009, 03:52 PM

Originally Posted by ggiese

Also... The fuller you keep the humidor - the easier it is to maintain your rh. Keep that baby full of cigars!

Do not let BW read this he doesn't need anymore incentives to keep restocking!

**M00SE** · 10-06-2009, 10:45 PM

but I do!

Good excuse to buy more, shouldnt take much, it's not a big humidor...

**MarineOne** · 10-08-2009, 11:51 PM

Originally Posted by M00SE

but I do!

Good excuse to buy more, shouldnt take much, it's not a big humidor...

Actually I've found that the medium and larger sized humidors are easy to maintain. I've had a few of the 50 count and smaller, and the RH swung wildly in them. I ended up raffling them off to soldiers who wanted to start off with a small humidor but didn't want to spend the money.

Also try the Boveda packs. A little on the expensive side, but you can pick your RH and then just swap them out every 2 to 4 months.

Kris