Hi all, I was hoping someone could help me with a runaway humidifier...

I have the humi-care blue rectangular humidifier that had been keeping my cigars at between 70-74% RH in a 70 degree F setting. However, after calibrating my hygrometer through a salt test, I find now that it's holding at 78-80% RH! What can I do to bring this back down to proper levels?

Now, I'm game to try anything as I have my humidor on my desk at work, so I'm with it all day. I've tried pulling the humidifier out for a day to try to let it dry out a little then return it overnight, but so far I see no change.

Complicating matters is the fact that I'm in Afghanistan, so any "common household" solutions may not work; I'll have to MacGyver something together if necessary. About all I do have is a CCom ziploc bag, my smoking "tools" and plenty of office supplies. I hesitate to expose the cigars themselves to the dry (32% RH) air, not to mention the omnipresent dust by leaving the humidor open. Thankfully this humidor is indoors in an air conditioned office, so at least that's a positive.

Any help I can get would be greatly appreciated. I have an ISOM Cohiba Siglo VI in there that a British soldier gave me that I've been eyeing every day- I would hate for that to go to waste as a soggy smoke!

i used to have this problem when using that type of humidifier so i was constantly taking the thing out. eventually i gave in and got some heartfelt beads. they work really well, however the last time i recharged them i used a bit too much water and ended up with my humidor holding 75% so last night i put a wedge of paper in the seal of the humidor holding the lid slightly open so that some of the humidity would escape. this morning the humidor was at 65% so i closed the lid and now its been up to 70% for the last 4 hours. you could try slightly opening the lid just enough to allow the humidity to escape but not enough for it to full with dust. if not maybe invest in some beads. just my opinion but experience of lowering my humidity im sure someone else will be along with some better ideas soon enough.

I think I own the humidifier you are talking about, and it always gets the rh up to about 80%. It just sits on my shelf now. I'd try some Boveda packs.

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I've got a great cigar collection - it's actually not a collection, because that would imply I wasn't going to smoke every last one of 'em.
- Ron White

Kenny, PM sent

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I have been having the same problem with that same humidifier. I just recently ordered some heartfelt beads. hopefully they do the trick.

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GO 'CUSE!!!

Thanks everyone for the tips! Sounds like it's an equipment problem rather than something I'm doing wrong at least. I'll try the paper method and I'll just have to keep removing the humidifier and adding it to manage the humidity myself. Plus that gives me an excuse to check out my stash every couple of hours! This shouldn't be too hard to manage until I can get a new humidity source in.

Thanks again
Ken

weird I just wrote on another post about this same problem with this same humidifier...

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"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire

I just let the same humidifier activate for two hours. I pulled it out and set it on a towel to drain the water. It's popped open a little on one side, apparently some of the crystals burst or something. Should I just let it sit and dry out for a bit?


Nevermind, it just exploded it on me, and I have gooey gel all over the place. This sucks.

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Only real men cut their cigars with the tusks of elephants.- Hugemoose

I had that happen when the instructions said to soak it for 12 hours. I came back 12 hours later and had a container FULL of goo.

My humidor has been running wet too. Thanks for all the advise, I'm trying it now. I've got a Gurhka Beast that I've been aging since 2007 that I really don't want to mold out on me.

Ken, I'm in Iraq right now, stay safe Brother! Stogies make a deployment bearable....

Matt Marvel:

I just let the same humidifier activate for two hours. I pulled it out and set it on a towel to drain the water. It's popped open a little on one side, apparently some of the crystals burst or something. Should I just let it sit and dry out for a bit?


Nevermind, it just exploded it on me, and I have gooey gel all over the place. This sucks.

same thing happpened to me. luckily i was sent a new one to replace it. The instructions need to be rewrote so they say to soak for 1 hour (if that). The company I bought from was going to work with Humi-Care to have the instructions re wrote but i guess it hasn't happened yet........

I think the beads are the only way to go.  It's hard to get it wrong.

Hey guys I do not have beads as of now and need some advice. My humidity was always consistent until I started using Humi-Care. I had it shoot up extremely high so I removed the humidifier that came with my humidor. Didn't really help so I cracked the lid for a day or 2 and it stabilized. Now it has dropped way low. I refilled the Humi-Care although it looked as if it still had plenty of life to it.

Went from the extreme of 85 to a low of 62 and I cannot for the life of me figure it out. I check my levels daily and quickly and I use a digital hygrometer. My temperature only fluctuates by +/- 1 or 2 degrees so it isn't temp or placement.

Me too. I was using some drymistat tubes and for a while it was a little too high 72% or so and now it has started crashing and I can't seem to turn it around. Going down to like 60%. I have recharged the drymistat tubes and threw in a recharged humicare pillow and it's holding 63 or so, but doesn't seem to want to get up higher.....

I ordered beads yesterday. Cold weather affecting changes I am guessing?

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"go smoke yourself"

Yeah both the Humis I have humi-care products in have gone f'n haywire. My 100ct with the jar is at 84% rh and the 40ct with the big blue is at 76% rh. It was good what happened... I think I might need to get some beads.

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"Those who can make you believe absurdities can make you commit atrocities." - Voltaire

I bought that Springfield digital hygrometer at WalMart today and of course both digitals read differently after several hours in there. IDK what the heck is going on.