Having trouble keeping humidity up

[shade]

I'm pretty new to smoking cigars, and got a Cuban Crafters humidor for Christams. If it helps, it's the one here : http://www.cubancrafters.com/products.php/item_id/280

I can't seem to get the humidty high enough. It seems to stay around 66%. I'm checking this with a Prometheus digital hygrometer. I did check the calibration, did the salt test for 6 hrs in a small piece of tupperware, and it read 76% which should mean it's pretty accurate.

I've been messing with it since christams, and have been getting pretty frustrated. I've put a bowl of distilled water in for a while to season it, & I've tried wiping it down with a lightly damp paper towel a bunch of times. Just can't get it to stay above 66% humidity.

The only thing I can think of is that I might have used too much propyl glycol. I didn't buy a 50/50 mix. Would too much PG cause the humidity to stay too low? If so can I flush it out of the humidifier or am I stuck buying a new one?

Any help would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks

[bigpoppapuff]

if it's at 66%,you're more than okay....i try to stay btwn 62-65%......relax....

[SuperChuck]

I use viagra when I have trouble keeping it up.

66% is fine. In fact, many people here shoot for about 65%. I find I get a much nicer burn at 65% than I did at 70%.

I suggest using Heartfelt's humidity beads to regulate humidity. They're pretty much fire and forget.

[shade]

Thanks. I was worried I HAD to have it around 70%.

I've checked out the humidification beads after reading about them here. I'd like to use them, but doubt I have enough room in the humidor. The 15 torpedo's it came with used up most of the space. I'll probably try them out whenever I pick up a larger humidor.

Another question though. Will the lower humidity limit how long I can store the cigars? I've read you can keep cigars almost indefinately with a humidty around 70-72%. Can you do the same with a humidty around 65% or will they dry out sooner?

Thanks

[nhcigarfan]

forever.They won't dryout at all if the humidity stays at 65% because they too will be at 65%

[stjohnroe]

I don't see that you have a problem, and what is the point of keeping a cigar forever?

[shade]

Thanks to everyone for the help. Good to know my humidor is working properly.

I'm not looking too keep them around for 20 years or anything, just want to make sure they'll keep till the weather warms up a bit. I've been smoking on the balcony, and we don't get too many warm days in January here in Chicago.

[bigpoppapuff]

please see the "how can i help" thread...loads of really good info....

[SuperChuck]

Phht, "until the weather warms up" is considered short-term in the cigar world.

In fact, I let my cigars rest for at least a week at 65% before smoking them. Most shops keep their cigars at 70%, so they need some time to dry out a little.

[Cheeze]

Thanks. I was worried I HAD to have it around 70%.

I've checked out the humidification beads after reading about them here. I'd like to use them, but doubt I have enough room in the humidor. The 15 torpedo's it came with used up most of the space. I'll probably try them out whenever I pick up a larger humidor.

Another question though. Will the lower humidity limit how long I can store the cigars? I've read you can keep cigars almost indefinately with a humidty around 70-72%. Can you do the same with a humidty around 65% or will they dry out sooner?

Thanks

You can buy a container from heartfelt that is made for a small humi. It is smaller than an ave. cigar. I would suggest to go ahead and purchase one, it would be the best thing you ever did.

[Bluenote]

You can buy a container from heartfelt that is made for a small humi. It is smaller than an ave. cigar. I would suggest to go ahead and purchase one, it would be the best thing you ever did.

I'm also a fan of the Heartfelt beads. They made my life easier.

[shade]

Well I started having a bit of trouble with the humidity again. I noticed last night that it was down to 61%. I think I'm going to try out the heartfelt beads that several mentioned here.

[SuperChuck]

Well I started having a bit of trouble with the humidity again. I noticed last night that it was down to 61%. I think I'm going to try out the heartfelt beads that several mentioned here.

Another soon-to-be-happy convert...

Do yourself a favor and learn to read the beads. They change color as they get dry/damp/wet. They should be damp all the time. That gives them enough "play" to humidify or dry the air in your humidor. Reading the color is the best way to judge the humidity in your humidor.

[Mazeman]

OK, I'm gonna go against the conventional wisdom here.

I've used the beads, and they were fine in the summer. I used about 50% more beads than calculated for the volume my humidor. When winter rolled around, and the house got really dry, it took a fair amount of time to keep the beads moist, and the humidity up. I was spraying them every several days; not exactly maintenance-free. So in winter, I'm using an OshKosh adjustable humidifier with a reservoir. Keeps the humidity around 70%, and I have not needed to refill it yet. In the summer, this same humidifier was keeping things *too* moist.

So my current strategy is beads in the summer, and OshKosh in the winter. I'm sure it depends on where you live, and what your humidor is like. And I suppose I could solve this by using even more beads, but this is what I've settled with.

So, I guess if you're going with beads, buy more than you think you'll need.

[shade]

Just wanted to let everyone know that my humidor is working well now with the hearfelt beads.

I think I had too much PG in the sponge that the humidor came with. When I first put in the beads, I left the sponge in there, and the humity didn't go up much. After I pulled out the sponge the humidity went up fairly quick. So I now have a working humidor full of cigars waiting to be smoked

On another good note, I just found a few places that allow cigar smoking, including my local pool halls. So no more freezing on the balcony. 10 mins away, pool, cigars, and killians on tap.

Thanks to everyone for the help.