Alan Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I have read lots about those advocating for beads versus traditional humidification devices. My question is regarding medium size furniture-type humidors. Would one be better of with beads strategically placed through various shelves or with a humidifications system with some fans ie a cigar oasis ii or a like substitute? Thanks, A Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel39 Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 » I have read lots about those advocating for beads versus traditional » humidification devices. My question is regarding medium size » furniture-type humidors. Would one be better of with beads strategically » placed through various shelves or with a humidifications system with some » fans ie a cigar oasis ii or a like substitute? » » Thanks, » A Beads seem to be the most accurate. I have a wine cooler cabinet with a bag of beads and also a couple of dishes containing beads placed on shelves. Since turning my cooler off, readings of 78'/65rh have been steady now for several days. I have tried fans to bring the temperature down but the metal ones I used generated more heat! I have two digital hydro/temp meters, one at the top and one at the bottom and they both show similar readings. Currently, top shows 78/66 and bottom says 79/67. I did have concerns about the high temp but will live with it now as apparently all Habanos are now placed in freezers for a period to kill off beetle eggs. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gehrig24 Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I do not know if this is recommended but it has worked very well for me. I have a cigar oasis II and I took out the green foam and put in two bags of beads. As long as I keep them hydrated (once a month or when the humidity drops a bit) it hold hold my humidity rock steady. My cabinet is about 2 feet wide and 6 feet tall to give you an idea of the size. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ucla695 Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I have been using beads in my Aristocrat for several years now and, depending on the shelf, the humidity has been holding steady between 60-63. I also have small fans positioned throughout the cabinet to help circulate the air and hygrometers on each shelf to monitor the humidity. My cabinet is currently filled to capacity and I rarely have to charge the beads. This approach has worked very well for me, but YMMV. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
kjellfrick Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 Maybe my cabinet is on the larger side of what you are aiming for but my beads+fans conversion works really fine. I've been using it for the better part of a year now and it is stable enough. 64 % right now in winter and 66-67 in summer. The main problem is that I open it too often to get cigars...:-D http://homepage.mac.com/kjellfrick/cigar/PhotoAlbum11.html Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Taino Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 With medium sized cabinets I would definitely go for the beads. Electronic humidification devices work well, but sooner or later they broke or something goes wrong. If you put the right ammount of beads, they will do the job for a looooong time and for a fraction of the price. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
El Presidente Posted December 19, 2007 Share Posted December 19, 2007 I tend to agree with Taino. If you can get away with beads...do so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigkev Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 » I tend to agree with Taino. » » If you can get away with beads...do so. Where does one purchase the "beads"? Thank you! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Colt45 Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 » Where does one purchase the "beads"? » » Thank you! Check out member n2advnture's site www.cigarmony.com. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
jdbrown Posted December 20, 2007 Share Posted December 20, 2007 I just ordered some 65% beads from them yesterday and already shipped! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
wp2 Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 I have tried fans to bring the temperature » down but the metal ones I used generated more heat! Mel, try computer fans, they don't generate much heat at all. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel39 Posted December 23, 2007 Share Posted December 23, 2007 » I have tried fans to bring the temperature » » down but the metal ones I used generated more heat! » » Mel, try computer fans, they don't generate much heat at all. I tried two but went for metal cased ones with full voltage and they again just generated heat. I guess plastic ones run from a PC power pack may be better but after Rob saying that temperature is no longer critical as cigars are now put into freezers for a period at the factories, I have decided to live with 80' and the very steady 65%rh that beads give me.Another problem with wired fans would be drilling holes in my cabinet or breaching the rubber seals around the door. What I don't understand is that as soon as I turn the cooler on, the humidity drops rapidly. Even before the meters are registering a drop in temperature. I can get the temp down to 70' but then the rh drops to 55-ish. I have tried really saturating the beads plus extra bowls of beads plus there is condensation on the back panel when the cooler is running but the RH won't rise above 55 unless I turn the blessed thing off again. I know the readings are right as I use two digital thermo/hygros from different manufacturers and they both agree readings within a degree or two. Right now with one at the top and one at the bottom, readings are 80/66 and 79/65. I have turned the cooler on and will come back and post readings in a half hour or so. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel39 Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 Here you go; after 30 minutes of my wine cooler being switched on the top meter reads 79/54 and the bottom reads 75/48. So the temperature at the top has only dropped a degree or two yet the RH has plummetted to 54%. So what gives? I'm turning the cooler off again. Mel39 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Claudius Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 » Here you go; » after 30 minutes of my wine cooler being switched on the top meter reads » 79/54 and the bottom reads 75/48. So the temperature at the top has only » dropped a degree or two yet the RH has plummetted to 54%. » » So what gives? I'm turning the cooler off again. » » » Mel39 Hmm... I wonder if it has to do with the airflow: the cool air that comes out of the compressor has very low RH (as it is very cold and cannot have high RH). Maybe the hygros are registering that? When I hold a hygro in the airflow out of the A/C in my walk-in, the RH is ridiculously low, yet in the room it is 66% basically everywhere except in the airflow of the A/C. What would be interesting is let the temp come down and see if the temp and RH stabilise, and at what levels. I'd like a reading of the RH 5 mins after the temp is stable and the compressor has stopped cooling. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt14 Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 » Here you go; » after 30 minutes of my wine cooler being switched on the top meter reads » 79/54 and the bottom reads 75/48. So the temperature at the top has only » dropped a degree or two yet the RH has plummetted to 54%. » » So what gives? I'm turning the cooler off again. » » » Mel39 Get a timer, you can get ones that have a dial with 15min segments, it works the same as older style water heaters. Set the time by turning the dial then push each segment in for the cooler to switch on. I keep mine in my bedroom which is cooled by AC through the evenings but off through the day, so I bring the cooler on for 30 mins at 7am and on for 15 every couple hours. You will have to experiment and see which works best for your cooler size, room temp etc will come into it. My cooler is the size of a large fridge 6ft high and I use a 16ounce sock of beads on each shelf. Initial Rh drop is drastic when the compressor first kicks in but the beads bring it back very quickly. Everything is boxed so I dont see an initial drop in Rh doing any damage as the beads bring it back within a few mins. Temp remains constant within a few degrees. All saying that if I can find a way to get and Aristocrat in without paying the 40% import tax it would be the way I would go. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ginseng Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 » Here you go; » after 30 minutes of my wine cooler being switched on the top meter reads » 79/54 and the bottom reads 75/48. So the temperature at the top has only » dropped a degree or two yet the RH has plummetted to 54%. » » So what gives? I'm turning the cooler off again. » » Mel39 Mel, Let's chat about this at the NYC herf. I might be able to help make some sense of this but I need some additional details. Wilkey Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel39 Posted December 24, 2007 Share Posted December 24, 2007 » Get a timer, you can get ones that have a dial with 15min segments, it » works the same as older style water heaters. Set the time by turning the » dial then push each segment in for the cooler to switch on. I keep mine in Thaks Matt. I've bought a timer but don't think I can program all those segments, I'll check that out and experiment. » » What would be interesting is let the temp come down and see if the temp » and RH stabilise, and at what levels. I'd like a reading of the RH 5 mins » after the temp is stable and the compressor has stopped cooling. Will do that, thanks Claudi. » » Mel, » » Let's chat about this at the NYC herf. I might be able to help make some » sense of this but I need some additional details. » » Wilkey Thanks Wilkey, Matt and Claudi. I will try with all your suggestions which are very much appreciated. My wine cooler is just 30" tall. Mel39 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
matt14 Posted December 25, 2007 Share Posted December 25, 2007 » » Thaks Matt. I've bought a timer but don't think I can program all those » segments, I'll check that out and experiment. » They are cheap as chips, got a pack of 3 for about £15 not digital, mechanical operation. How much beads are in your cooler?? if you ran on a timer intial drop would be low but with a decent ammount of beads once the compressor was off it should come up quickly, especially as the volume of air shouldnt be that large in a smaller unit. With a small unit 15 min should be enough to drop the temp easily. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Mel39 Posted December 25, 2007 Share Posted December 25, 2007 » » How much beads are in your cooler?? I bought 16 ounces of 65%rh. Most are hanging in the bag and I've also put two small dishes of beads at the top and bottom. RH is low this morning. 80/62 and 80/63 and the beads are white. So will saturate the mesh bag and let it drip into one of the dishes. Once the RH rises, I will try the 15 minute switch off. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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