Hello all, I'm having a wonderful time going through the cigar 101 faq, but I wanted to ask a few of my bigger questions to you all to get some advice to a new cigar lover trying to keep my cigars from going bad.

The first one is in regards to those special humidor solutions. Should I get them? Also if I do, do you use them EVERY time you fill your element or just occasionally. I believe (so am probably wrong) that they are just a 50/50 distiled water + propl glycol solution. If thats all there is to it I could save a few bucks and mix my own. Still though, I've been taking the elements and just adding distilled water to them. I wonder if that is correct.


ok my last question is in regards to the humidistat gauge. I have 2 humidors, and 2 dial type gauges. I tried to cailbrate them by placing into a ziplock baggy on top of a paper towel saturated with distilled water. After 1.5 hours I adjusted each to 100% and left out of the baggie for 2 hours. One dropped to just about 68% while the other went to the high 50's
This makes me wonder if either are reading correctly, and how to know. I placed them back into the baggie and both went to 100%. Any advice?

Thank you all in advance. I'm going back to that faq as it has some really nice stuff there but will appreciate your advice.

-Ry

ryoko,

Welcome to the group. Lots of fun and info here. Check on search and look for hygrometer calibration/salt water solution. It will tell you how to see what your hygrometer is really saying.

Welcome aboard, Ryoko.

Let me first tell you that the method you used to calibrate hygrometers (that's the correct name of the gauge) is so coarse that it's virtually worthless. You should either use calibration kits from Boveda, or if you do not have access to them like me, then do the salt test.

For the propylene glycol solution: it's been very popular in past, since it keeps the RH dead on 70%. The down side is it cloggs the humidifier over time and that most people prefer lower than 70%RH for their cigars. That's why in these forums you will find lots of advise to use two-way humidity beads, which give out or absorb moist as needed.

Propylene Glycol in a 50% solution with distilled water should be added every 6-months. As an alcohol with a very slow evaporation rate it will (as VO pointed out) clog your humidifier.

As for calibrating an analog hygrometer; They are worthless toys. Spend about $20.00 and ger a digital.

Wow, thank you all. I appreciate the advice, and that link to jrcigars had some great info. The best part is I now see 70% is not a magic must have number. Before I would have worried if my humidors went below 70, but now I see there is a buffer and even possibly a preference to being a little under.

-Ry

quote:

Before I would have worried if my humidors went below 70, but now I see there is a buffer and even possibly a preference to being a little under.

65% is a much better number.

quote:

Originally posted by Ryoko:
Wow, thank you all. I appreciate the advice, and that link to jrcigars had some great info. The best part is I now see 70% is not a magic must have number. Before I would have worried if my humidors went below 70, but now I see there is a buffer and even possibly a preference to being a little under.

-Ry

You're absolutely right Ry. 70% is not the optimal rH level especially for Cuban cigars (CC) and premium NCs with thicker wrappers like the OpusX and Anejo line. Keep them at 65% like Sheep said and you won't run into burn/draw issues.

I can't confirm this, but remember reading the Fuentes keeping OpusX's at below 60% rH.