What am I missing here? Help!

N

nwksaxman@hotmail.com

Gorilla
Okay, the last 4 cigars that I have smoked came from my humidor (a 500ct footlocker). ALL 4 have split length-wise after I smoked them about 1/4 of the way down.

Humidity is solid (68%-measured with a digital and an anolog hygrometer). I have 2 rectangle humidifiers inside the lid, an Oasis in the bottom, and 2 small cigar sized humidifiers (one in each tray).

Temp is stable. Ranging from 68-70 degrees. Not in front of a fan or vent.

The only thing that I can think of is that I smoke in the same room that my humidor is in (my mini-mancave). In order to keep my wife happy I open the window and place a fan (blowing out) in the window. This sucks most of the smoke outside, but it does drop the temp in the room to as low as 64.

What's going on?
 
Are all four the same cigars? What are they? When did you get them? And from where did you purchase them (b&m or online)?

If they were purchased somewhat recently and came from a place that overhumdifies its stock, that could explain it.

The temperature shouldn't be a factor at 64 degrees.
 
nwksaxman@hotmail.com said:
Okay, the last 4 cigars that I have smoked came from my humidor (a 500ct footlocker). ALL 4 have split length-wise after I smoked them about 1/4 of the way down.

Humidity is solid (68%-measured with a digital and an anolog hygrometer). I have 2 rectangle humidifiers inside the lid, an Oasis in the bottom, and 2 small cigar sized humidifiers (one in each tray).

Temp is stable. Ranging from 68-70 degrees. Not in front of a fan or vent.

The only thing that I can think of is that I smoke in the same room that my humidor is in (my mini-mancave). In order to keep my wife happy I open the window and place a fan (blowing out) in the window. This sucks most of the smoke outside, but it does drop the temp in the room to as low as 64.

What's going on?
Click to expand...

Dry cigars placed in a placed in a more moist environment?

I keep my cigars at 68 degrees and 65% and generally don't have a problem. But, I smoke maduros and I think these are "sturdier" than cigars with more fragile wrappers.

WyoBob
 
croatan said:
Are all four the same cigars? What are they? When did you get them? And from where did you purchase them (b&m or online)?

If they were purchased somewhat recently and came from a place that overhumdifies its stock, that could explain it.

The temperature shouldn't be a factor at 64 degrees.
Click to expand...

nope, 4 different cigars purchased from 3 different places (2 online and one B&M). One was a king B purchased within the past week at a B&M(the humidity in the walk-in seemed low), the others were purchased online (CBid and Famous) and have been in my humidor anywhere from 3 week to 2 months. The sticks from CBid did seem a little on the moist side.

what should I do?
 
When's the last time you calibrated?

Typically, splitting down the length is due to over humidification.

I hope this helps bro

~Mark
 
Yeah. This is a classic humidification issue. I'd try recalibrating. And, in the mean time, I'd dry box a couple of cigars and try smoking those.
 
I set the anolog to match the digital.

the digital has the following buttons (I'm not sure how to recalibrate it):

RECALL--displays the high and low temp and humidity from the past 24/hrs
RESET---resets the above numbers
ON/OFF (Daily)---used to turn the unit off, but no longer works
C/F---changes from celcius to farenhiet

I could do a salt test and see what it reads.
 
Funny, I had the same problem yesterday. Smoked a Famous Dom 4000 and it split down the middle. Every other cigar I smoked from the same bundle has been fine. Time for a salt test.
 
Also, put your hygrometer in a few different spots around the humidor. In one of those deep footlockers, the cigars in the bottom of the stack tend to hold humidity and not let go of it. I had that same problem in my 250 count desktop stacked 3 deep, and there was a 6% RH split between only 3 stacks of stogies.

And as for dryboxing, I have an old cigar box that I leave the cigars in overnight with 60% beads. The seal is not good, but it drops the RH slowly and keeps burn/wrapper problems to almost zero.
 
nwksaxman@hotmail.com said:
I could do a salt test and see what it reads.
Click to expand...
You'll have to adjust the numbers in your head. I.e. if the hygro reads 65% after the salt test you'll know you'll have to mentally add 10% to it every time you look at it.

nwksaxman@hotmail.com said:
I do have boxes in there and the ones in the box are good. they dont split. its only the singles in trys that split
Click to expand...
Interesting. Are the singles that are splitting very close to one of the humidification units? They may be getting more moisture than the ones in the boxes. Boxes are probably keeping them a little drier and therefore they're smoking better.

But, by "dry box", I meant to put a couple of cigars into a separate humidor or cigar box for a little while (a few hours to a day at first depending on the ambient humidity) before you smoke them.
 
nwksaxman@hotmail.com said:
I set the anolog to match the digital.

the digital has the following buttons (I'm not sure how to recalibrate it):

RECALL--displays the high and low temp and humidity from the past 24/hrs
RESET---resets the above numbers
ON/OFF (Daily)---used to turn the unit off, but no longer works
C/F---changes from celcius to farenhiet

I could do a salt test and see what it reads.
Click to expand...

I used a Boveda one-step calibration pack such as this one here
there are pretty clear instructions but let it sit in there for 24 hours, then adjust it so it reads 75%, the hit the SET button, if you cannot calibrate the unit yourself, you can at least make sure if it is off and by how much.
 
Sancho Fuente said:
Also, put your hygrometer in a few different spots around the humidor. In one of those deep footlockers, the cigars in the bottom of the stack tend to hold humidity and not let go of it. I had that same problem in my 250 count desktop stacked 3 deep, and there was a 6% RH split between only 3 stacks of stogies.

And as for dryboxing, I have an old cigar box that I leave the cigars in overnight with 60% beads. The seal is not good, but it drops the RH slowly and keeps burn/wrapper problems to almost zero.
Click to expand...

Yeah I have done that and there is a 2% difference from bottom to top (bottom drier)

croatan said:
You'll have to adjust the numbers in your head. I.e. if the hygro reads 65% after the salt test you'll know you'll have to mentally add 10% to it every time you look at it.

Interesting. Are the singles that are splitting very close to one of the humidification units? They may be getting more moisture than the ones in the boxes. Boxes are probably keeping them a little drier and therefore they're smoking better.

But, by "dry box", I meant to put a couple of cigars into a separate humidor or cigar box for a little while (a few hours to a day at first depending on the ambient humidity) before you smoke them.
Click to expand...

Yes the singles that are splitting are in the two trays at the top of the unit, and the two rectangle humidifiers are inside the lid. (I have singles in the bottom as well, but they do not split) the bottom has no humidifier other than the oasis. I used prop-glycol in the humidifiers so shouldnt that regulate it?
 
nwksaxman@hotmail.com said:
Yeah I have done that and there is a 2% difference from bottom to top (bottom drier)



Yes the singles that are splitting are in the two trays at the top of the unit, and the two rectangle humidifiers are inside the lid. (I have singles in the bottom as well, but they do not split) the bottom has no humidifier other than the oasis. I used prop-glycol in the humidifiers so shouldnt that regulate it?
Click to expand...

I would go with 65% beads, a couple of tubes placed on the different shelves should take care of things. Sounds like the ones at the top are sucking up the humidity from the humi's on top. You may be able to get by with just the Oasis. My:2
 
bobarian said:
I would go with 65% beads, a couple of tubes placed on the different shelves should take care of things. Sounds like the ones at the top are sucking up the humidity from the humi's on top. You may be able to get by with just the Oasis. My:2
Click to expand...
yeah I have already taken everything out but the oasis. we will see how that does in a few days..thanks!
 
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