Humidification Beads: FAQs

Submariner said:
Hi Viper

I have two 1 ounce tubes with beads for my 125 count humidor. Before placing the tubes in the humi, I noticed that it was a little on the dry side at around 55%. I therefore wet all the beads completely figuring that some will 'evaporate' until the required 65% is reached therefore leaving the tubes at the required level of moisture. Will this work? or should each tube have at least some white beads together with the clear beads to make it work? Any info is great. Thanks.
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Generally I recommend only adding enough distilled water to make about 75% of the beads clear. But in your case since the humidor is so dry you will be OK giving them more moisture.

David
 
kjd2121 said:
Viper, Do the tubes come with beads or do I need to order separately?
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I sell both empty and filled. In the webstore if there is an rh listed (65%, 70% etc) then they are filled tubes.
 
beads 101 was a great lesson
thanks so much, where do you recommend purchasing them!
bandit

Viper139 said:
Some of you may have seen this in other forums but I thought I would post it here in case someone had missed it. I think it is good info.

I have noticed recently that there seems to be a lot of questions about humidification beads. Some of the questions are repeated when new folks join the different Boards. I was prompted to write up some information about the use, care and feeding of humidification beads so here goes.

Let’s start with the basics.

Humidification beads are a moisture sensitive silica material which absorbs and desorbs moisture in order to offset changes in relative humidity (RH). The beads are generally available preset to a specific RH, in the case of cigars 65% and 70%. Opinions differ as to what is the “best” RH for cigars but most BOTLs seem to prefer 65% and that is my experience as well.

Humidification beads were first developed for the art and museum industry and are used extensively by that industry for the stable storage of priceless artifacts and art. The manufacturer I purchase the beads I sell also supplies places such as the Smithsonian and The National Archives.

A question that is often asked; “Are humidification beads the same as ordinary desiccant silica gel?” Definitely NOT! Humidification beads give off water vapor, as well as absorb it, to maintain a specific RH which is ideal for a cigars particular need. This is not the case with silica gel which can only absorb water then must be dried out after it is saturated. By nature silica gel is not meant to control humidity, only lower it. Humidification beads are the premier product for precise control in terms of performance, cost effectiveness, and simplicity.

One good point to remember is humidification beads have an indefinite life span. There is nothing to wear out and all that is needed to maintain them is either the addition of distilled water or the drying out of the beads if they become water logged.

The question I get asked the most is, “How much do I need for my ______?”

Here are some quantities for various containers.
5 cubic feet requires 1 pound of humidification beads.
1/3 pound of beads per 50 quarts (coolerdors)
1 ounce of beads per 50 count in a desktop humi (so a 100 count would need 2 ounces, 150 count 3 ounces etc.)
For our metric friends: Each pound of beads will condition 141,584 cubic centimeters.

Calculating the cubic area of your humi:
Measure the depth, width and height of you humi (example is 24” depth, 36” wide and 48” height)
Multiply the three; 24x36x48=41472 cubic inches
Divide 41472 by 1728 (number of cubic inches in a cubic foot) 41472/1728= 24 cubic feet
Divide the cubic feet by 5 (number of cubic feet per pound) 24/5 = 4.8
You would need 4.8 pounds of humidification beads for this humi.

Another question that keeps coming up is; “How do I add distilled water to the beads when they get dry?”

There are a number of ways to do this;

You can just pour distilled water on the beads and pour off the excess. A lot of folks do it this way but the beads can fracture when it is done this way. One thing to remember, fracturing will not affect the efficiency of the beads or ruin them in any way, they will still do their job.

You can put a container of distilled water, like a bowl, next to the beads and let them absorb the distilled water in this way. When they have absorbed all they can remove the bowl. This method is effective but takes a while for the beads to absorb the water.

The method I use and prefer is using a spray bottle. I purchased an inexpensive spray bottle at the grocery store and filled it with distilled water. When the beads need water I just spray them until they have absorbed enough distilled water. This method will work well if you have the beads in a bag or dish.

Another question is; If my beads are going white, should I add distilled water until they are all clear?

The optimal is to have about 60% of them clear. Don't try to get them all clear because if you do they cannot absorb any sudden rise in humidity in your humi.

Another question is; “What do I put the beads in?”

A great variety of containers are possible. You can use a drawstring filter bag, place the beads in a shot glass or small dish, put them is a leftover container with holes drilled in the lid, nylon stockings (be careful stealing them from your wife or significant other) or any other container. The main point of whatever container you choose is to have the greatest amount of surface area as possible. If possible the beads should be no more than 1 to 1 ½ inches deep, this way they will work the best.

Lastly we will deal with; “How can I tell when the beads need water?”

This is very easy. The color of the beads is the dead give away. When they are full of distilled water they are pretty much clear and when they are completely dried out they are a bright white. Believe me you will be able to tell the difference.

You may have noticed that every time I mention the fluid that is added to the beads I say “distilled water”. This is extremely important, anything other than distilled water will ultimately ruin the beads. All the impurities in tap water will be drawn in by the beads and remain there. Ultimately the beads will get plugged up and not work anymore. The same is tru with any type of humidifier solution (also known as 50/50 solution) this will also ruin the beads in the long run.

As I think of other things or as questions rise I will edit this post and add that information. I hope this helps. One thing I do want to make clear is that I am still happy to answer any questions that you may have. This post is in no way meant to keep you from asking me.

Viper139
www.heartfeltindustries.com
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the power is going out in my building on thursday and I need to put the sticks in my fridge in hopes of keeping them cool. Should I pull the beads out of the humidor or leave them in?
 
Got to give a thumbs up to Viper...order came today minus an item I had ordered. E-mailed and got a quick reply and the item is to be mailed out today priority mail.

This is what a good web based business is all about!!
 
papajohn67 said:
Got to give a thumbs up to Viper...order came today minus an item I had ordered. E-mailed and got a quick reply and the item is to be mailed out today priority mail.

This is what a good web based business is all about!!
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I am really sorry I messed up on your order, it is packed and going out in about an hour.

David
 
I was having issues with high rh in my desktop and I was using a drymistat tube. FLot gifted me some 65% beads in a tube and I put it in my humi. It has been in there for over a week now and my rh is still at 75%. I just used the blow dryer and made probably 70% of the beads white. Should this help bring the rh down?
 
Stogiefanatic182 said:
I was having issues with high rh in my desktop and I was using a drymistat tube. FLot gifted me some 65% beads in a tube and I put it in my humi. It has been in there for over a week now and my rh is still at 75%. I just used the blow dryer and made probably 70% of the beads white. Should this help bring the rh down?
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Yeah if it is really 75% in there the beads should fill up with h20 pretty quick in an attempt to get it down to what their programed at. Drying the beads than adding them should help..remember %rh does not change quickly..it may change a lot after opening it up, but when you close it up again a few hrs later it could be back up because it never really went down... the hygro just fluctuated due to other factors...Also you could add some un seasoned Spanish cedar, which Will soak some RH up..Or just simply wait it out..75 is not really THAT HIGH. just my :2
 
Stogiefanatic182 said:
I was having issues with high rh in my desktop and I was using a drymistat tube. FLot gifted me some 65% beads in a tube and I put it in my humi. It has been in there for over a week now and my rh is still at 75%. I just used the blow dryer and made probably 70% of the beads white. Should this help bring the rh down?
Click to expand...

If you have not already done so, check the accuracy of your hygrometer. You may be closer to the rh you want than you think.
 
Viper139 said:
If you have not already done so, check the accuracy of your hygrometer. You may be closer to the rh you want than you think.
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I did a salt test on all 3 of my digitals a week and a half ago. The one in my desktop with the beads was only 1% off. And I have done the flashlight test before with no light leaking out.
 
Can someone tell me where can I find a place to buy the puck? I was looking at Cigarmony nut there the link seems to be broken or the product is not for sale anymore... At Heartfelt Industries there is no sign of the puck at all... Where could someone buy it??? :confused:
 
chenakos said:
Can someone tell me where can I find a place to buy the puck? I was looking at Cigarmony nut there the link seems to be broken or the product is not for sale anymore... At Heartfelt Industries there is no sign of the puck at all... Where could someone buy it??? :confused:
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There was an issue that Mark had to deal with so the Puck is unavailable for a short while. I will be back as soon as possible.
 
Woohoo....got my tubes and 1lb beads......already in humis, now if customs would hurry up, the other 2 tubes will show up........Thanks:w
 
Hey Folks,

Seriously looking at replacing the colemandor for an Avanti thermoelectric wine cooler and a few pounds of 65% or 70% beads. I just want the temperature and the humidity to be more stable and allow for less fiddling around. I may also consider a combination of 65% & 70% beads if that would provide for a cushion at 65% telling me to re-charge the 70% beads.

But I' not sure if using both will cause the 65% beads to mold or not as they would be always hydrated until the 70% beads were exausted?
Perhaps a combination of PG/Oasis and beads?

Anyhow, been thumbing through the threads and really enjoying the great posts. Seems like alot of folks here like 65%?

I have always strived for 70%rh, but with a PG/Distilled Oasis it's not quite that simple. Especially in the desktop humidor.
 
Just go with straight 65% beads. Mold shouldn't be an issue with the beads, ever. However, NEVER, I repeat, NEVER use PG or anything but distilled water in your beads. NEVER. EVER. :r

If you're worried about a buffer.. don't be. Just use extra 65% beads. Say your measurements call for a pound, use a pound and a half. Believe me, you'll know when you're getting low, it's real easy to see when over 3/4 of the beads are white, then you know it's time to recharge.

Just my :2
 
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