I've seen quite a few threads dicussing how to determine if your humi is leaking, but can't find any on how to fix a "leak". I've got one good display humi, a Tampa Humidor Amalmfi and it's hard keeping it at 55%rh lately. It's chuck full of cigars and humistats and a jar of gel and the humi was seasoned properly with ample Boveda season packs. Does anyone know of a mechanical "fix" for this.:gn:chk
Remedy for leaky Humi?
- Thread starter MCGUNNUT
- Start date
You can use weatherstripping to line the seal and make it tighter if that is where you found the leak to be, uniform around the entire surface where the box meets the lid. I might also suggest ditching your current humidification and buying some humidity beads.
papajohn67
Dead Man Walking
So have you found out exactly where it is leaking? Flashlight test...saw light creeping out anywhere. I've fixed a few humis using foam stripping & agree with the resident expert here with the use of beads.
If this is a recent occurance and the humidor had been holding humidity in the past, the first thing that I would do is to verify that the hygrometer(s) are still giving accurate readings. If you are using an analog hygrometer, I would switch to a calibrated digital. Another thing that you could do is to get your hands on some sail maker's wax or bees wax and rub some on all of the mating surfaces on the doors. This will increase the seal and is not as drastic as going with weather stripping from the beginning. After all of this is accomplished and it is still not holding humidity, it will be time to look at resealing the glass. Try this other stuff first.
Step 1:
Buy a cooler so large it does not fit into your car.
Step 2:
Figure out how to get the cooler home.
Step 3:
Clean and air out the cooler.
Step 4:
Buy enough beads to humidify cooler.
Step 5:
Place humi inside of cooler.
Step 6:
Fill negative space with more smokes.
Step 7:
Wonder why you had the humi in the 1st place. :r
Seriously, all the info you need has been posted. If it doesn't work get a new humi, cabinet, or cooler.
Buy a cooler so large it does not fit into your car.
Step 2:
Figure out how to get the cooler home.
Step 3:
Clean and air out the cooler.
Step 4:
Buy enough beads to humidify cooler.
Step 5:
Place humi inside of cooler.
Step 6:
Fill negative space with more smokes.
Step 7:
Wonder why you had the humi in the 1st place. :r
Seriously, all the info you need has been posted. If it doesn't work get a new humi, cabinet, or cooler.
Just did the flash light test and coundn't see a dang thing. This humi holds about 75 sticks and features no glass. I use a digital RH meter and compared it to another digital meter from another manufacture and they are both spot on. The box is configured with the cedar ling rising into the lid recess instead of the lid recessing into the box. Did a little calc and discovered the top edge of the sealing lip is not making contact with the mating lid edge. About 1/8" or so. I'm going to try the seal method with stripping of some sort. It's been hot in SW Utah, AC's are running 10% rh and sucking the moisture out of everything including the gap around my humidor lid. Gotta go find some perfect weather strip material. ANY IDEAS?:hn
Boss Hogg, how does one affix the weather stripping?
One of my humidors is a Footlocker. I wasn't getting the "whoosh" from the lid when I closed it and my RH% was all over the place. I bought some thin weatherstripping from the hardware store but I found it to be too thick and the lid wouldn't close properly. I was talking to seanohue one day on skype and he suggested putting masking tape along the edges of the humidor. The tape is just thick enough to create a tighter seal. It sounds crazy but it worked for me. My lid now "whooshes" and RH% is steady.
The masking tape idea sounds intriguing and cheap. I'd probably apply it to the cedar sealing edges or to the varnished inside mating surface of the lid. To be really anal, I think I'm going pick up some low-density weather seal tape slightly thicker than the suspect gap in question. The foam is compressible with the slightest weight...say the weight of the lid. Also did the salt test on my digitals today and are right on the money at 75%. If all this works out, maybe I can start eliminating humi devices and make room for more sticks!:tuOne of my humidors is a Footlocker. I wasn't getting the "whoosh" from the lid when I closed it and my RH% was all over the place. I bought some thin weatherstripping from the hardware store but I found it to be too thick and the lid wouldn't close properly. I was talking to seanohue one day on skype and he suggested putting masking tape along the edges of the humidor. The tape is just thick enough to create a tighter seal. It sounds crazy but it worked for me. My lid now "whooshes" and RH% is steady.
Eternal Rider
SilverBack
Beeswax works wonders on leaky humis, just put some around the mating surfaces of the lid.
I had a similar situation. At 55% RH, the wood is a bit dry. The drier the wood gets the tougher it is to seal. I think you need to re-season your humidor. When this happened to me, I used the shot glass full of water trick until the humidor got to above 70 for a few straight days. After that your credo, beads, Humijar or whatever should be able to easily take over. Even conditioning the space higher than 75% RH (without the cigars) would be better.
I am not suggesting you always operate the humidor above 70. I control mine to 65% RH. However I really think you need to fully hydrate the spanish cedar first before you start weather stripping.
-EB
I am not suggesting you always operate the humidor above 70. I control mine to 65% RH. However I really think you need to fully hydrate the spanish cedar first before you start weather stripping.
-EB
I was hoping to try to avoid re-seasoning but the "exterior" edge of the cedar seal is a bit dry. Like I said, 10% rh outside, AC on even drier makes it tough on raw wood. When I first set this humi up I used Boveda seasoning packs + one extra and produced 80%rh for setup. This was in the winter. Funny thing is since I took the cheapo roof sponge off line that's when I started having probs. Although since the summer set in the RH has been all over the place, but the additional devices have stabilzed the RH at 55%. I'll try the shot glass thing. Have plenty of those. Nudge, nudge, wink, wink.
pFound some nice tan weather stripping at Home Depot and put a few condiment dishes of dist H2o last week. Got a Madelaine 250 for the roof and took the old gels off line. Currently holding at 80% RH with no stogies of course. I'm removing the H2o tomorrow and letting it drop to 70% before restock. Looks like your ideas worked. Thanks all.