Some of my anniversary Padrons have suddenly become harder to draw and difficult to keep lit.
Any ideas?

Too much humidity in your humidor, no doubt. What's your RH at?

All you have to do is lower the RH (65%, ideally), and they'll be back in about a week.

All my draw problems were the result of keeping my humidor at 70% RH. On top of that, at that time my digital hygrometer (that advertised 1% accuracy) always read low by 5% so I was unknowingly running my humi at ~75% RH. After calibrating the hygrometer using the salt method and getting some 65% RH beads, I've never had a hard draw or burn problem since. High humidity can also cause certain cigars with delicate wrappers to split open from the internal expansion. I've had cigars return to a normal draw from a hard draw after spending some time at 65%. My recommendation would be to try lowering your humi RH if you haven't done so already.

It was at 65% and I raised it to 69% about 2 weeks ago. Yesterday I set it back to 65%. Thanks for the feedback.

they should have been okay at 69%. are you using a digital hydrometer?

I never done this myself, but have read here in the forums that people put certain types of cigars in "dry box" for a day before smoking. I guess if you try that and they smoke well, then either it's the high humidity or these padrons need to be smoked that way due to thicker tobacco leaves.

Hydrometer is digital. It is a set and forget system from aristocrat humidors.

quote:

aristocrat humidors

You still need to see if its reading accurately by performing this test.

I just did the salt test for about 18 hours and the humidity in the bag is being read as 80%. If my hydrometer is off by 5% should I try and find a new one that is more accurate and if I should what model and where would be a good place to get it from?

I just checked it again and its down to 75%...ugh idk what to do

quote:

Originally posted by smokeyandthebandit05:
I just checked it again and its down to 75%...ugh idk what to do

I haveone from Radioshack that I picked up for $20. It's not 100% accurate, but no hygrometers truly are 100%, but this is 2% off.

Simply adjust your reading to the difference in your hygrometer.

If 75% on the hygro is, in fact, 70% (i.e. salt test after 24 hrs), then it has to read 60% in your humidor for it to be at 65%.

You could get a new, more expensive hygrometer, but you'd have to test it anyway...

The salt test SHOULD read 75%, my mistake. If your hygrometer reads 75% during the salt test, it means your hygrometer is working perfect. Atleast that's what it says on JR's website....

I have this hygrometer (I have two) which I bought because it can be calibrated. One thing I noticed in their instructions for calibration is they say leave the hygrometer in the container or sandwich bag for 24 to 36 hours. Most of the internet instructions for the salt test say 8 hours is enough. I do 36 just to be sure.

quote:

If 75% on the hygro is, in fact, 70% (i.e. salt test after 24 hrs), then it has to read 60% in your humidor for it to be at 65%.

My bad ! This should have read : "If 80% on the hygro is, in fact, 75% (i.e. salt test after 24 hrs), then it has to read 70% in your humidor for it to be at 65%."

Sorry !

And it's a fine hygrometer you have.

quote:

Originally posted by SteveSur:
I have this hygrometer (I have two) which I bought because it can be calibrated. One thing I noticed in their instructions for calibration is they say leave the hygrometer in the container or sandwich bag for 24 to 36 hours. Most of the internet instructions for the salt test say 8 hours is enough. I do 36 just to be sure.

Yeah Im going to leave it in the bag longer. I moved the bad to the place I keep the humidor. Before I just had it out on my desk.

Try double-bagging it. Sometimes the bag may be leaking air very slowly, and it may go undetected. I always double-bag the salt-test, just to be sure.