Well, Ive got about 3lbs of 65% beads from heartfelt in my 150 qt cooler. Hygro is reading 73%. I have salt tested it TWICE this week. My desktop humi is chillin at 68%...WTF! Could I have possibly been sent 70% beads? I did NOT wet the beads when they arrived so they are NOT saturated..
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Bead problem..WTF!
- Thread starter BamaDoc77
- Start date
Do you have much cedar in your cooler?
probably 20 full boxes and 6 cedar trays (full)
Where do you keep the cooler? And how often do you get into it? And how has the humidity been in your neck of the woods?
I go into it probably daily....the humidity has been about 40% lately, the room stays b/w 65-68 degrees....
I go into it probably daily....the humidity has been about 40% lately, the room stays b/w 65-68 degrees....
Might want to take the beads out for a while and let the RH level off slowly. Keeping the beads out will also allow them to lose a little of their charge as well. I wouldn't worry too much about it. :tu
Might want to take the beads out for a while and let the RH level off slowly. Keeping the beads out will also allow them to lose a little of their charge as well. I wouldn't worry too much about it. :tu
I left em out for a couple of hours yesterday...may leave them out a full day and see what happens. Thanks.
I don't have near the number of smoke in my cooler, but I have about half a pound of 65% beads in it and the humidity stays between 65-70%.
I wouldn't worry to much, and from what I have been told 70% is better for aging.
I have some cedar in the cooler, but the humidity hangs around 63-65% in my humis. Maybe the amount of cedar has something to do with it??
I wouldn't worry to much, and from what I have been told 70% is better for aging.
I have some cedar in the cooler, but the humidity hangs around 63-65% in my humis. Maybe the amount of cedar has something to do with it??
Nabinger16
SilverBack
Where were the boxes stored before you added the new beads? It could be that the boxes have a higher RH and everything just needs time to adjust.
I'm thinking possibly the same thing... If the majority of cigars and cedar boxes/trays have been stored in an environment with a RH higher that 65%, it will take some time for the beads to draw the humidity out.
If this is the issue, try using a blow dryer to dry the beads until they are primarily all white, that way they will absorb the RH.
I'm thinking possibly the same thing... If the majority of cigars and cedar boxes/trays have been stored in an environment with a RH higher that 65%, it will take some time for the beads to draw the humidity out.
If this is the issue, try using a blow dryer to dry the beads until they are primarily all white, that way they will absorb the RH.
thats a great idea!
Well, Ive got about 3lbs of 65% beads from heartfelt in my 150 qt cooler. Hygro is reading 73%. I have salt tested it TWICE this week. My desktop humi is chillin at 68%...WTF! Could I have possibly been sent 70% beads? I did NOT wet the beads when they arrived so they are NOT saturated..
They may need some time to stabilize in their new enviorment.
Dont soak them just wet them a bit and you should be good to go.
Your cigars,cedar and humi contents just need to all stabilize a bit.
Leave the cooler open for a couple of hours each day til the humidity comes down to where you want it. As dry as it's been here lately, it shouldn't take long. you might look for a battery powered "Oust" fan to place in the cooler to circulate the air, maybe draw some of the humidity out that may be settling to the bottom of the cooler.
Leave the cooler open for a couple of hours each day til the humidity comes down to where you want it. As dry as it's been here lately, it shouldn't take long. you might look for a battery powered "Oust" fan to place in the cooler to circulate the air, maybe draw some of the humidity out that may be settling to the bottom of the cooler.
Ive got 2 oust fans going...front vents removed (thanks Dremel) and have never wet the beads.....i took the blow dryer to the beads (on cool) and put em back in ....reading 69% as we type.
Ive got 2 oust fans going...front vents removed (thanks Dremel) and have never wet the beads.....i took the blow dryer to the beads (on cool) and put em back in ....reading 69% as we type.
Now I know why you are saying WTF!!!
Looks like you have it under control for how it should be working, but something is sure throwing you a curve! I am running about 1 1/2 to 2 lbs in each of my 70 quarts (65%), and they both habitually run around 62-63%. I do not know any way to tell, after the fact, if the beads are 65 or 70%. Do you have more beads that you are sure belong in the 65% class that you can substitute for a while to see if there's a difference?
Just a FYI, the only time mine ran high, my maduros seem to be the cigars that I had to keep an eye on for mold issues. Caught a box of VSG's trying to turn on me, but was way early, and managed to correct the problems without any permanent damage. Better open all the boxes inside and check! Even if you are not worried, what the heck, any reason to view the goodies MUST be taken (I think that may be a "Man Law"):ss
avid toker
Maturing Primate
Run the math and see whether 3lbs is overkill for the 150qt cooler. Based on my quick calc's you only need 2lbs.
Try reducing the beads by 1lb and see whether that brings the RH% down to your liking.
Try reducing the beads by 1lb and see whether that brings the RH% down to your liking.
Last edited:
Nabinger16
SilverBack
Run the math and see whether 3lbs is overkill for the 150qt cooler. Based on my quick calc's you only need 2lbs.
Try reducing the beads by 1lb and see whether that brings the RH% down to your liking.
It's not really possible to overload with beads. By the nature of the beads, they will only raise the RH to there specified level. If you have more beads than required, it would only extend the amount of time between when you need to rehydrate them.
What brand and type of cooler do you have?
I am having the same problem. I took and let my beads turn completely white and dried them with a hair dryer. I then just added them back in hoping they would take in any excess moisture. But my cooler sat at 69% and I salt tested and humi pack tested 3 times. Plus I have a calibration model hygrometer but it will not get below 69%. The reason, I think, is because of the cooler. I have a Coleman extreme and I only go into twice maybe 3 times a day. Never more for than a minute. I think the cooler is able to hold humidity much better than anything I have ever seen. I too thought I was sent 70% beads but I don't know. The only way I was able to get it down to 65%-67% was to take and use only half of the beads "required" for my space.
And before someone says it was the boxes and sticks, I dried out the cedar boxes before I put them in as well. The only thing that worked was to let it air out for about 20 minutes, then use half of the "required" beads.
If you find out something different, let me know. This is what worked for me and my 100qt Coleman Extreme cooler.
I am having the same problem. I took and let my beads turn completely white and dried them with a hair dryer. I then just added them back in hoping they would take in any excess moisture. But my cooler sat at 69% and I salt tested and humi pack tested 3 times. Plus I have a calibration model hygrometer but it will not get below 69%. The reason, I think, is because of the cooler. I have a Coleman extreme and I only go into twice maybe 3 times a day. Never more for than a minute. I think the cooler is able to hold humidity much better than anything I have ever seen. I too thought I was sent 70% beads but I don't know. The only way I was able to get it down to 65%-67% was to take and use only half of the beads "required" for my space.
And before someone says it was the boxes and sticks, I dried out the cedar boxes before I put them in as well. The only thing that worked was to let it air out for about 20 minutes, then use half of the "required" beads.
If you find out something different, let me know. This is what worked for me and my 100qt Coleman Extreme cooler.
Nabinger16
SilverBack
Come to think about it, the last time I talked to Viper on the phone he suggested that I leave the threaded drain plug partially open to allow just a little air flow. He stated it would help deter mold development, but I would guess it also keeps the coolidor from becoming over humidified. Maybe this would help your situation.