Do the magic beads really work?

[Hangfire]

Ever since I left the high desert of Wyoming for Connecticut I have been having a bear of a time trying to balance out my one desktop humidor. Its been running 72 - 75% with a humidifier element in it and drops quickly to 60 and then 53% without it. The higher humidity has been the norm and it has now affected the smokability of the sticks I keep in it. Of course, it is where I choose to keep my bette sticks - would it work any other way?;-)

I ordered one of the puck humidifiers filled with 65% beads in hopes that this will help and wondered if any of you can provide comfort that this problem is soon to be solved.

Many thanks

[Tampa1257]

The "Puck" with the Silca Beads is the best and easiest way to maintain your humidor.

[Hangfire]

Thanks Tampa. Figured you'd know. Just hard to get my head around the idea that it will add or subtract moisture as needed. You know, when something seems too good to be true, it usually is.

The Puck form Czar is what I ordered with my first foray (sp?) into cubans. I figured I wanted to make sure the humidor was doing its job in that 30 day wait.

Cheers

[Grasso]

The beads (and thus, the puck also) are excellent - really as good as advertised. One thing to note, though: if you have relatively large temperature swings, you will probably vary a bit in humidity. When it cools down, the beads may get up to 67 or 68%, and when warmer, 62-63%. It's not permanent though. After a bit of time at the new temperature, the beads will catch up and get it back where it's supposed to be.

[Colt45]

» When it cools down, the beads may get up to 67 or 68%,

» and when warmer, 62-63%.

I find just the opposite - in cooler weather, humidity goes down and I have to add water to

the beads.

In the warmer months, humidity tends to creep up, and I don't add any water, and usually

have to use extra desiccant - crystal litter or beads.

And I might suggest getting more beads / larger puck(s) than you think you may need. I

have two puck 50s in a roughly 100 count desktop. In the warmest summer months, they are

unable to keep humidity down on their own - I should have gotten two 100s. I use extra

desiccant during these times.

[Grasso]

» I find just the opposite - in cooler weather, humidity goes down and I

» have to add water to

» the beads.

» In the warmer months, humidity tends to creep up, and I don't add any

» water, and usually

» have to use extra desiccant - crystal litter or beads.

What you're seeing there isn't the temperature swings, it's the humidity of the ambient air "leaking" moisture either into or out of your humidor. If you ever accidently leave a window near your humidor open over a chilly night, you'll wake up and observe a nice rh spike in the morning. The more humidity control you have (more beads), the less you'll see of this phenomenon.

Cooler air can't hold as much moisture as warmer air. Let's say we've got a closed volume - a sealed container. If you now were to warm that container up, the air can hold more moisture than it previously could. Since, it's a closed volume, however, we didn't add any moisture to the air. This means that the rh (amount of moisture in the air / how much moisture the air can hold) drops.

[aavkk]

they really do work and the more the better! I know I have 2 1/2 lbs in my 150 qt igloo at home and 1 lb in my 150 count desktop at work. both are rock solid stable.

[sandholm]

From the package..

#####

DO NOT EAT THE RH Beads

Please keep the RH Beads away from children

Avoid contact with eyes. Rinse throughly if contact occurs

Wash hands thoroughly after handling

#####

I will never ever put something in my humidor that is so toxic so you have to wash you hands thoroughly just after handling it... no way

cheers

[Colt45]

» I will never ever put something in my humidor that is so toxic so you

» have to wash you hands thoroughly just after handling it... no way

That's interesting - everything I've ever read states that non indicating (white) silica is inert

and basically harmless.

I imagine the warnings are for liability purposes.

[sandholm]

» » I will never ever put something in my humidor that is so toxic so you

» » have to wash you hands thoroughly just after handling it... no way

»

» That's interesting - everything I've ever read states that non indicating

» (white) silica is inert

» and basically harmless.

»

» I imagine the warnings are for liability purposes.

according to wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica

(dont like wiki, not verified information but..) only health aspects are inhalation not contact. So guess getting silica dustin into cigars cant be that good.....

[Curt]

» » » I will never ever put something in my humidor that is so toxic so you

» » » have to wash you hands thoroughly just after handling it... no way

» »

» » That's interesting - everything I've ever read states that non

» indicating

» » (white) silica is inert

» » and basically harmless.

» »

» » I imagine the warnings are for liability purposes.

»

» according to wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica

» (dont like wiki, not verified information but..) only health aspects are

» inhalation not contact. So guess getting silica dustin into cigars cant be

» that good.....

Been using them for years without a problem. There should be little to no dust as long as the beads don't crack which could happen by adding water directly to the beads. I get around this by putting an open container of distilled water in the humidor.

[Claudius]

Yes, the Cigarmony beads / Pucks work as advertised.

I just ate a few to see if they'll kill me. Will report back (or not). Stay tuned :-)

[SmokinAl]

» according to wiki http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silica

» (dont like wiki, not verified information but..) only health aspects are

» inhalation not contact. So guess getting silica dustin into cigars cant be

» that good.....

Err, if you're really worried about your health then cigars might not be the best lifestyle choice...:-D

[n2advnture]

» From the package..

» #####

»

» DO NOT EAT THE RH Beads

» Please keep the RH Beads away from children

» Avoid contact with eyes. Rinse throughly if contact occurs

» Wash hands thoroughly after handling

»

» #####

»

» I will never ever put something in my humidor that is so toxic so you

» have to wash you hands thoroughly just after handling it... no way

»

» cheers

FYI - I just put that on there for CYA purposes :-D

[n2advnture]

» I imagine the warnings are for liability purposes.

Exactly

[brooklyn]

Mark provided me with my Pucks and they perform wonderfully.

[Taino]

I strongly believe (and may know from fact) you have more toxic stuff in your butt and under your arm than in a pound of beads.

Silica beads could be toxic, but you will have to eat 3 pounds and/or inhale another pound (please turn it into dust before), and even so (unless you live as a hermit in an island in the south pacific) i can assure you won't die from it.

To put it simple they are less toxic than the stuff you use to wash your dishes.

If you put the right amount in your humi should work just fine.

*For the record I do not sell beads.

[bobsled]

» they really do work and the more the better! I know I have 2 1/2 lbs in my

» 150 qt igloo at home and 1 lb in my 150 count desktop at work. both are

» rock solid stable.

Yup, the beads rule. I use the tubes from heartfelt. I find the number count for what a tube can handle is off quite a bit, and have gone with 2 to 3 x's the number. (so if you have a 50 count, get 3 tubes that each handle 50) and the RH stays really steady!