I seem to have problems keeping my tupperdor at a constant rH... i use propylene glycol, yet the 'dor will jump to about 80% rH, I'll air it out for a while (I do open it once a day like it's reccomended), it'll drop, then jump back up again...
any advice?
Oh, i also keep cedar strips in there as well.
If this is an oft asked question, feel free to rip me a new one... i can take it.
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
Don't worry, no danger of me ripping you a new...anything!
Did you consider that the tuppidor may be TOO air tight? Even the best humidors are not 100% air tight. Air must be able to circulate. If it's a typicall tuppiware type article, it may be too air tight!
Just a thought!
Tiny Tim Sergeant at Arms S.N.O.B. #1020
Posts: 3331 | Location: Columbia, S.C. USA | Registered: April 23, 2003
I'm sure you would have thought of this at first but I'd rather tell you and have it solve your problem than just assume you knew to check.
What kind of humidifier are you using? Could it be oversized for the amount of sticks you're currently storing? I use 50/50 propo Glyco and distilled h20 in my humis and have run into this when my cigars run low. One of the reasons I tend to prefer actual humidors too is that the Cedar lining tends to act as a regulator at times. It keeps the cigars slightly more humidified when the actual humidifier is running dry and it seems to soak up the extra moisture (again, only to a point) when the agent seems to be too wet. But, that's not really what you've asked us about. My only other advice if you keep running into problems is to get an agent that has adjustable settings. Diamond Crown has an EXCELLENT unit with adjustable moisture control. It might be just what you need.
That is the exact problem with Tupperdors, and why they aren't good to use. Since the RH will never stay steady your cigars are going to go though so many big changes its just going to ruin them. Buy a Humidor. Cheap Humidors have the same problem. People think that there cheap humidors do the job just fine, but If they would taste the same cigar stored in a better Humidor after a couple of months they would taste the difference. It's not just about keeping your cigars humidified. It's all about keeping your cigars stabilized.
----------------------------- "The cigar...is something that commands respect. It is made for all the senses, for all the pleasures, for the nose, the palate, the fingers, the eyes... A good cigar contains the promise of a totally pleasurable experience."
yeah, i hear you prcaptain... i have 2 humidors already, this was my "overfill" humi... might have to get another one...
and to the other question, yes i use a 50/50 mix.
ok, how about this... if i wanted to be cheap, and just bought some cedar blocks and really tried to keep the 'dor aired out a lot, would that be a viable alternative?
"The definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting different results."
I have made two tuppadors within the past year. Both hold about 50-60 cigars. Both got small puck style humidifiers with floral foam. Both got 50/50 pg/distilled. I also left room in the floral foam for absoption. Both registered quite high for RH regardless of the excess space in the floral foam for absorption.
In both cases the solution was to make a small vent hole, about the diameter of a pencil, in the lid. I started smaller but settled on this size over a several day period of trial and error. Since then I have had fluctuations in RH not exceeding +/- 1%. An added benefit is that it allows gasses to escape preventing the foul taste that can occur if cigars are stored airtight for too long.
As far as taste is concerned, A cigar stored properly in a tuppador and a cigar stored properly in a decent humidor shouldn't taste any different from one another, cedar hints aside. I think you'll find it's a lot easier for most people to store a cigar improperly in Tupperware than it is to do so in a nice humidor. Not enough venting and high temperature will ruin a cigar in a tuppador very quickly. Nice humidors vent properly and the people who own them don't allow the temperature to get out of control.
With a small tupperdor, just put a few drops of 50/50 in the hygro. Seal it up and check it in a few days. If it is still low add some more. do this until you are holding around 70%. Then from there out, add water only dropwise, never soak the humidifying element.
Any container will have less of a problem the fuller it is. This because when you open an empty conatiner it's properly humidified contenst are mostly air. This air leaves and the humidor has to remoisten all that new air. When it is full, the nicely conditioned contents (cigars) don't all leave. Very little air is displaced so you have very little "replacement air to rehumidify.
Try using blocks of cedar and cedar strips to take up as much space in your humis as possible. I do this mostly to hold unboxed cigars neatly in place when loading my humis, but it also acts to eliminate dead air space in the humi. The cedar also helps soak up humidity, levelling off the swings a bit.
I have a coolerdor that holds about 15 boxes of my spares, samples and less-than-enviable gars. The best stuff stays in my 3 decent humis; however, the coolerdor now has the most amazing cherry aroma that I can only attribute to the combination of cigars marrying aromas (everything in it is 100% hand-made without any flavor-infused nonsense). It's fun to open it up just for a whiff now and then. I've used it for over a year, and it works well for extra storage. You just need to give it a little air every few days and keep an eye on the hygrometer.
