Son of a ...

[chefchris]

Sounds like the Spanish Cedar in your humidor dried out. You might want to rewet the sides and top with distilled water.

there is no spanish cedar in there. it's the plano field box that i'm using. all plastic.

[Desert Rat]

You are defeating the purpose of the beads by having a constant water source in a humidor.

Inside a humidor is a "closed" environment. No water in and no water out (or very little and very slowly). The water inside the humidor eventually balances between the cigars, the wood, and the air.

By placing an unlimited amount of water in the humidor, the cigars and wood will act like a sponge and absorb water until they are saturated (or just plain too wet to smoke). This is where beads come in. Beads help "balance" the water in the humidor by absorbing or releasing water at a specified Rh. Many, some, most people find that putting 65% beads in a humidor will create an atmosphere that keeps the cigars at a moisture content where they will burn nicely and taste good.

From what I read, new people would do better to throw the damn hygrometers away, invest in a healthy amount of beads, and a humidor/cooledor that makes a tight seal. Nature will do the work-its really that simple.

Another point is to FILL the humidor with cigars. They are your best moisture reservoir. You cannot throw 25 cigars won on C-bid at all different moisture levels into a 150 ct humi, then open and close the thing 40 times a day and expect a "constant" Rh.

Have fun, you'll figure it out .

[Shelby07]

You are defeating the purpose of the beads by having a constant water source in a humidor.

Inside a humidor is a "closed" environment. No water in and no water out (or very little and very slowly). The water inside the humidor eventually balances between the cigars, the wood, and the air.

By placing an unlimited amount of water in the humidor, the cigars and wood will act like a sponge and absorb water until they are saturated (or just plain too wet to smoke). This is where beads come in. Beads help "balance" the water in the humidor by absorbing or releasing water at a specified Rh. Many, some, most people find that putting 65% beads in a humidor will create an atmosphere that keeps the cigars at a moisture content where they will burn nicely and taste good.

From what I read, new people would do better to throw the damn hygrometers away, invest in a healthy amount of beads, and a humidor/cooledor that makes a tight seal. Nature will do the work-its really that simple.

Another point is to FILL the humidor with cigars. They are your best moisture reservoir. You cannot throw 25 cigars won on C-bid at all different moisture levels into a 150 ct humi, then open and close the thing 40 times a day and expect a "constant" Rh.

Have fun, you'll figure it out .

This is exactly right. The cigars are drawing in the excess moisture while the beads keep the surrounding air at a constant humidity. As long as the cigars keep absorbing the excess humidity, the beads will keep the ambient humidity at 65% as they were designed to do.

Get rid of the shot glass.

[chefchris]

done

[cinda]

wow I did not think he was going to listen there for a moment..that shot glass was like his blankie

[hex1848]

I've found that over time, the beads do tend to loose humidity. I just keep a capped water bottle in the corner of the coolidor (it's square/rectangular, fits perfectly). When I notice the humidity start to go down a bit more then I would like it (I'm talking weeks here), I'll take the cap off the water bottle for a couple of days until the humidity gets back up.

It works good for me.

[Shelby07]

I've found that over time, the beads do tend to loose humidity. I just keep a capped water bottle in the corner of the coolidor (it's square/rectangular, fits perfectly). When I notice the humidity start to go down a bit more then I would like it (I'm talking weeks here), I'll take the cap off the water bottle for a couple of days until the humidity gets back up.

It works good for me.

That sounds like a great way to recharge the beads. How big is your humi?