Cigar Oasis XL Vs. Cigar Oasis XL Plus

**ryan54** · 02-02-2010, 11:40 AM

O so I get it, just forget the oasis and go with the Beads. Maybe I should try them in my desktop? I’ve noticed that in the winter time when it gets cold in my place which it does. It is hard to keep the humidity up. Some people have suggested to me to use one of these types of humidification devices to force the humidity up, because the evaporative systems don't work that well if it gets cold.

**Paddy** · 02-02-2010, 11:44 AM

Originally Posted by ryan54

O so I get it, just forget the oasis and go with the Beads. Maybe I should try them in my desktop? I’ve noticed that in the winter time when it gets cold in my place which it does. It is hard to keep the humidity up. Some people have suggested to me to use one of these types of humidification devices to force the humidity up, because the evaporative systems don't work that well if it gets cold.

The one thing I have learned on this forum is BEADS !
Everything else is a pain in the ass.
I used boveda packs in my desktop for months. They say they are good for up to three months. Sometimes they would only last one month. I switched to beads for my two desktops and wine cooler. Since that move I have had no problems and life is good.

**ashauler** · 02-02-2010, 11:59 AM

Originally Posted by ryan54

O so I get it, just forget the oasis and go with the Beads. Maybe I should try them in my desktop? I’ve noticed that in the winter time when it gets cold in my place which it does. It is hard to keep the humidity up. Some people have suggested to me to use one of these types of humidification devices to force the humidity up, because the evaporative systems don't work that well if it gets cold.

Does your wine-cooler have a fan that moves the air?
If yes, then beads distributed thorughout as described by Paddy will do the trick.

If no, then you need some way to move the air around inside the cooler....hence the need for the oasis or something similar.

**Paddy** · 02-02-2010, 12:50 PM

Originally Posted by ashauler

Does your wine-cooler have a fan that moves the air?
If yes, then beads distributed thorughout as described by Paddy will do the trick.

If no, then you need some way to move the air around inside the cooler....hence the need for the oasis or something similar.

exactly, When I looked for a wine cooler to transform into a humidor, they key part was an internal fan. With the Thermoelectric units you will have some condentation in the summer months when humidity is high. The good thing with the beads is you can hang one bag in front of the fan to catch any stray drops being sprayed by the fan. also the condensation will run down the back wall of the unit. After filling the drain hole with silicone lay another pound of beads in a mesh bag long the floor pushed up against the back wall to absorb any water that drips down from the fan. Most units also have a lock on the door creating a very air tight seal. I can leave my unit for months with no maintenence. Just set the digital thermometer , soak the beads and forget it. I have a large display digital hygrometer that I can see through the glass door. "Set it and forget it"~ was that Billy Mays or the Ronco guy?

**Shelby07** · 02-02-2010, 02:11 PM

The XL Plus is for larger humidors. Although they look the same the difference is in the way the air is routed through the unit.

I have the XL plus and the XL II. They work perfectly as long as you live in a fairly dry climate and you have zero faith in the accuracy of the humidity settings. I used a digital hydrometer to get an idea of where the unit should be set initially then made small adjustments over a couple of months until the cigars were just right for me. I haven't had to touch them in a couple of years, although the XL Plus has to be set at 71.5% to maintain about 65% RH.

**badwhale** · 02-02-2010, 02:19 PM

Originally Posted by Shelby07

The XL Plus is for larger humidors. Although they look the same the difference is in the way the air is routed through the unit.

I have the XL plus and the XL II. They work perfectly as long as you live in a fairly dry climate and you have zero faith in the accuracy of the humidity settings. I used a digital hydrometer to get an idea of where the unit should be set initially then made small adjustments over a couple of months until the cigars were just right for me. I haven't had to touch them in a couple of years, although the XL Plus has to be set at 71.5% to maintain about 65% RH.

That's weird. I took the foam out of my XL, and put 65% beads in it (and two more 1# bags elsewhere in the humi.) When everything's hunky dory, it sits there at about 66.8ish% (Which I figured was a calibration issue)

All my stuff smokes good.

Will

**Smoked!** · 02-02-2010, 02:46 PM

Originally Posted by Paddy

"Set it and forget it"~ was that Billy Mays or the Ronco guy?

Ron Popeil said it. His daughter briefly dated a trader on the Chicago Merc to whom I used to lay-off option spreads.
How's that for six degrees of... Kevin Bacon.

My difficulty, as regards humidity, is in keeping the RH low enough. I have a pound of 65% beads in a 3 cubic foot box and it still runs high on occasion. For instance, during yesterday's torrential downpour, that box went over 70%. Would a temperature controlled box solve that issue?

**Paddy** · 02-02-2010, 03:16 PM

YES, I think it would. That is why I went Wine cooler to begin with. In New England there is such a huge swing in temps & humidity. Winters are bone dry and the summer can be humid as hell. temps that run single digits in the winter to 100 F in the summer. I just set the temp to 67 F( that is the hightest temp on the unit.) My digital Hygrometer reads between 64 F - 70 F consistantly year round, with the Rh between 63-67 . I have left to go home to Ireland and come back 6 weeks later with NO change in the Rh.

**EdgeMan** · 02-02-2010, 11:50 PM

Originally Posted by Paddy

YES, I think it would. That is why I went Wine cooler to begin with. In New England there is such a huge swing in temps & humidity. Winters are bone dry and the summer can be humid as hell. temps that run single digits in the winter to 100 F in the summer. I just set the temp to 67 F( that is the hightest temp on the unit.) My digital Hygrometer reads between 64 F - 70 F consistantly year round, with the Rh between 63-67 . I have left to go home to Ireland and come back 6 weeks later with NO change in the Rh.

I want a wine cooler!