Obtaining optimal 70/70 in my humidor

dthompson · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 4

I have been having trouble with my own humidor for a while now. Its not that its overly dry, but that is a little over humid (I think). The humidor is almost always reading that is set to approx 71+ degrees and 75% humidity.

I have a caliber III Digital Hygrometer, so I am pretty sure the accuracy is bang on. I had the cheap analog one that came with it (junk) and another digital one (also junk) which was unable to keep itself calibrated.

Should I be worried about this level? I have read that 70/70 is the perfect setting, but I am not sure I can get that for some reason. I am using only distilled water. Should I be using some other mixture? Is there a problem if I do switch to a 50/50 mix solution?

The humidor does have a good seal from what I can tell, as when I drop the lid it doesn't bang, but makes a swoosh sound.

I am not sure the make of my humidor, outside of the fact that is made in China (like everything else on this earth apparently).

The dimensions of it are approximately 10.5 inches X 8.5 Inches by 4.25 inches high. How many cigars should this box hold? I have kept anywhere from 5 - 30 cigars in it. I am not sure how many it should hold effectively though. I have heard anywhere between 20-40

Thanks for any help

skydiver_8 · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 166

That's a good question....hopefully Cigarman can give you/us the most effective remedy. My humidor is a 500 count and it rarely shows too much humidity but I've found that Propylene glycol mixed with your distilled water keeps it bang on 70 percent humidity. If they're not giving you a hard draw or bursting from the humidity....for me it's only a number and just a benchmark that I try to maintain. I too will be waiting for Cigarman's response to this.
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If they don't smoke cigars in Heaven.....I'm not going.

dthompson · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 4

Thanks for the response. Do you always use a 50/50 mix? I have heard that you only need to use this type of mix 2-3 times per year but if there are no adverse effects to using it all the time then I will switch to that mix exclusively.

On a side note. I just picked up some proprylene glycol from shoppers this morning. Apparently they are making it harder to get. I think the guy behind the counter thought I was going to be cutting it with crack or something.

A 1/2 litre bottle ran me $12.00. Not a bad price I suppose.

skydiver_8 · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 166

I've always used the premixed bottles of water and PG but I understand that it's a 50-50 mix. Once you season your humidistat with the mixture, it may take a few days to a week to stabilize but you'll be amazed at how it accurately holds at 70 percent humidity. The PG will last for quite some time, so when you top up, I suggest just using the distilled water until you see the fluctuation in humidity again. The PG packets in the humipacks last for about 6 months, so you know that in your humidor it'll last at least that long. Hope this helps.....
_________________
If they don't smoke cigars in Heaven.....I'm not going.

dthompson · Joined: 24 May 2009 Posts: 4

skydiver_8 · Joined: 02 Aug 2005 Posts: 166

I probably confused you with the packets....I was just giving an example of how well the propylene glycol works. The packets are the ones that you gave an example of .... for travelling or transport when you're coming back from your Cuban vacation.

I saturate the sponge with the premixed solution and just relax....I really don't have to monitor the humidor for about 2 to 3 weeks (depending on how many cigars and how often you dip into them).

If you have one of the Spanish cedar dividers (that come with a box of cigars, in between the layers) maybe try putting a dry one into your humidor to rob it of some of the excess humidity....just a thought.

Do the cigars have a nice relaxed pull or are they hard to draw on?

If you're enjoying the amount of smoke and the draw.....70 is just a number, I wouldn't worry about it. I think the propylene glycol will solve your problem.
_________________
If they don't smoke cigars in Heaven.....I'm not going.

cigarman · Joined: 09 Jul 2005 Posts: 57

We normally recommend the pre-mix that skydiver uses. It takes the guess work out of how much propylene glycol you will need or already have in your oasis. 75% is still in normal range and many customers like their cigars a little more humidified than 70%.

The packets skydiver is referring to are gel packs which are disposable and provide humidity for a few weeks.

Don't forget to rotate your cigars periodically (once a month) to ensure that all your cigars are exposed to the humid air, and to prevent possible mould issues.