Problem with my new humi?

[JJ Westbrook]

Guys, I know I am new here and I promise (as long as you don't intend to hold me to it) to begin bombarding the board with super-newbie questions. However, I am in a situation that I need some insight/advise on.

I have never owned a humidor before, because I have never bought more than a couple cigars at a time. Well I decided to take the plunge and I got one. It is not a really high priced one but it seems (to my un-trained eyes) to be of pretty good quality. It has a built-in analog hygrometer that you can see from the outside. I have had the box since Friday. The hygrometer was calibrated before it was sent to me (or so they said) and read just about 62% from the moment I opened the box. I have since prep'd the humidifier and installed it Saturday night after wiping down the inside of the box with distilled water. 24 hours later I refilled (actually probably over-filled it) the humidifier and put it back in the humi. And 24 hours later, that needle on the hygrometer STILL hasn't budged.

So, whaduya think? Have I got a cheap(-ly made) humi or a busted hygrometer? Both? Neither? a need for something ELSE in life to worry about?

I had hoped to get the humidity up a bit before my smokes got here so I could just pop them in and not worry about it. I am not so sure that is going to happen now.

Suggestions?

[bigpoppapuff]

did you set it up??......check the search function for the info...it's a question that has been asked and answered.....don't apologize vfor being a newbie....make sure you send cigars to the first five people that respond to this thread....

[cls515]

Your hygrometer should have at least changed its reading since all the water was added, even if it is not calibrated. You might want to invest in a digital hygrometer and heartfelt beads for a humidification device. I use this set up and I don't have any problems. It took about two days for the system to be "seasoned" and work like it should. What model humidor do you have?

[JJ Westbrook]

I called myself setting it up. I did search here and several other places on the web. Maybe I am not searching for the right thing, not sure. But what I did find pretty much followed along with the instructions that came with the humi. I followed them to set it up.

But I could not find anything to help me figure out if I did something wrong or if I have something broken.

Should I just be more patient and wait to see what happens? If so, how long should I wait? I wanted to run the salt test on the hygrometer, but I am not sure if I can take it out without harming it. Am just not sure what else (if anything) I can do to tell what is going on.


And for the cigars. Your choice of your favorite $10 cigar for the one who helps me square this thing away.

[cls515]

If your hygrometer gave the same recording before and after water was added to your humidor, I say your hygromoter is not working properly. I bought a digital Credo hygrometer which was giving like 90% humidity levels after I added water to my humidor. First, I wet down the cedar with water, then placed a bowl of distilled water in the humidor along with my heartfelt beads and digital hygrometer. I would actually do things a little differently now that I have gone through the process once. To find out if your hygrometer is working, order the Boveda pack and check the reading. Usually the hygrometer is held to the wood by an adhesive, so it should not be a problem taking it off and putting it back on. My apologies to you if that is not the case with your humidor.

[Bubba -NJ]

The built in hygrometer is probably glued in in some way , or just pressed in , try pushing it out a little at a time so you can do the salt test or just get a digital hygrometer . Try adjusting the screw on the back of the hygro to maybe break the needle free , it might be stuck . Most analog hygro's are junk , they use a metal spring to make the needle move , the only good kind use hair to move the needle and are much more accurate and expensive . Another test is the woosh test , open the lid and let go so it will close by itself , if it slams shut then the seal is not good but if it shuts gently with a woosh sound then the seal is excellent . If the lid slams shut then I would return the humidor , unless it was a gift . Also try sitting a shot glass full of distilled water in the humidor overnight to see if the needle adjust's , maybe the spanish cedar is really dry . If your cigars show up before you get the humi calibrated , just stick them in a cooler with the wrappers still on and sit a small dish of distilled water in with them . If you have a basement , check the RH down there , it's probably just about right or close , if it is you could just leave them in the basement . I'm no expert , these are just some thing's I've read lately on this board . Good Luck !

[SuperChuck]

Yeah, something you really want to do is place a bowl or small glass of distilled water in the humi for 12 or so hours.

I also suggest getting a digital hygrometer and heartfelt beads. It's a very small investment that will give you a LOT of peace of mind.

[JJ Westbrook]

Thank you all so much for the replies thus far. I was pretty much figuring that the hygrometer is broke (didn't think of it just being "stuck"). I have the glass of water in there with the humidifier for tonight and tomorrow. I do intend to get a digital hygro anyway but am still hoping this would will at least work (doesn't really HAVE to be all that accurate). I will order the beads at the same time. Thanx for the suggestions.


Tomorrow comes the fiddling with the analog if no change is shown by then.

[bigpoppapuff]

did you season the wood??....

[SuperChuck]

I was pretty much figuring that the hygrometer is broke (didn't think of it just being "stuck")

Now that you mention it, I had a similar problem with my analog hygrometer. It wasn't stuck, but every time I opened and closed the lid, it went up a couple ticks. If I opened and closed the lid a couple times, I could get it to go up 10 or so points. And you wonder why I got a digital one? :)

[JJ Westbrook]

I am not sure what is meant by "season the wood". Please explain. If this is the act of wiping it down with distilled water, then yes I did. Otherwise, I am not sure.

Also, I got home again at 1700 tonight and guess what. Yup, the dial was STILL reading 62%. So, I took the hygrometer out and found that there is no screw in the back so just on the odd chance that the needle was stuck, I tapped it a couple of times into the palm of my hand. Well, the needle did move. So (mainly to plug up the awful-looking whole in the from of my humi) I put the hygrometer back in. Oddly enough, when I looked at the dial after putting it back in, the needle was back very near where it has been all along. So, I put the water and the humidifier back into the humi. This was about 45 minutes ago from the time I am typing this. Already the hygrometer reading is climbing quickly. So much in fact that it is already reading 75%. So I have taken the water out (left the humidifier in) and have the lid open for a while to see if the dial is going to go down.

I am getting a digital hygrometer/thermometer as soon as I can so I am not even going to bother with testing the analog. I am just hoping it will settle and be safe to use till the beads and digital hygro gets here. Btw, anyone know where I can get them both from the same supplier? (especially one that takes PayPal).

My smokes did come today but I am storing them in a temporary state until I can tell if this humi is safe.

You all have been really helpful. I thank you so much. I really didn't know what to do with this thing and that is not a good place to be in when I knew I had 100+ cigars that would soon be looking for their new home.

[Bubba -NJ]

Go to heartfeltindustries.com for the beads and go to Bargainhumidors.com for the hygrometer - they have the Western Digital Caliber III for $14.95 . Both of these vendors take Paypal .

[cls515]

Right, Heartfelt has a cool new aluminum case which houses the beads. The block will humidify approximately 150 cigars efficiently, give or take a few cigars of course. I bought my Credo digital from ebay, and my beads from Heartfelt. And yes, seasoning is adding water so that the interior of the humidor will be the correct humidity level for cigars.