Just bought my 3rd humi and now new questions...

[spiffykyle]

Also, if you plan on storing your cigars at 76-78 degrees, I recommend storing them @ 60% humidity. The rule of thumb when it comes to humidity and temperature, is that the higher the temerature, the lower you want the humidity. Lower the temperature, the higher you want the humidity. When temperature increases, it produces more mosture, so you require something to obsorb more of the moisture so the cigars would not obsorb it. SO, if you were in 50 degree weather, you would prefer close to 70 percent humidity. This will try to balance out the environment for your cigars. Temperature expands or contracts cigars, while humidity moistens or drys cigars. Hope this helps.
Andrew

See, I don't think this is right. An increased temperature doesn't produce more moisture at the same RH as a lower temperature.

RH measures the ratio of water vapor in the air to the maximum amount of water vapor possible. True at higher temperatures there is physically more water in the air, but the RH is the same. Absolute humidity measures the physical amount of water in the air. Weather forecasters use RH, not AH, because RH is an indicator of precipitation or fog. RH also affects the dew point (saturation temperature of the air). The RH dictates how much water will be absorbed/released by the air, not the temperature.

So while a high RH may feel differently in hot weather, that only applies to humans (and maybe animals). A high RH makes it harder for sweat to evaporate because the air doesn't need any more water so we "feel" the moisture more, but really we are only feeling our own sweat.

When it comes to humidors, 65% will have the same effect on cigars at 50 degrees as it will at 75 degrees.

Though I whole heartedly agree with Funky's recomendation of a coolerdor.

spiffy

[BunkyX]

I live just an hour south of you, so I have pretty much the same temp. problems you do. I never really worry about humidor temp. within reason. I didn't even turn on the A/C until July and will turn it of as soon as the nightime temp. drops below 70. I keep my A/C set at 80-82when it is on. Just keep your cigars in the coolest room in your house, usually the north east one. Second, keep them away from an outside wall or direct sunlight from a window even for short periods. And yes, use beads. I know they can be a bit pricey but use them. I keep a few containers of them 'dry' so I can put them in any humidor that is getting too humid. Sometimes new boxes can be so wet they will sent your RH up when you first put them in and sometimes you can just put too much moist air in your humidor just by opening it daily to get out smokes.
Just as a note, if you want your wife to let you run the A/C, tell her how much the excess humidity is ruining all her precious things. Photos hate high humidity and any cloth items such as clothes, linens, and towels will get musty smelling in a very short time at RH above 80%. Some molds will even start to grow also, many of them invisible until they spore (then the turm black or brown usually). Also dust sticks to surfaces and makes them harder to clean when the R/H is high. If you have any furniture made of particle board (most stuff that is laminated is) it too will absorb humidity and become weak. Book shelves will sag, table tops will develope warts, ect. And besides 80 degrees is not that bad of a temp when you come in from the utside where it is 90.
Good luck!
Gene

[BigMacFU]

First off, forget humidors, go buy a big xtreme cooler from coleman, the kind that keep ice for 7 days in 90º heat. Keep your smokes in there. They'll not only keep things air tight, they'll help with more consistent temperature regulation. All coolers are on sale now, so why not. Also, get the humidity beads if you haven't already from heartfelt industries. (Sorry is any of this is repetitive, but I just saw 3 humidors and thought to myself, cool-e-dor).