Cigar Weekly

Bearded1 · 02-17-2009, 06:21 AM

I live in the Pacific Northwest. I have a 100 ct humi. It's full. I have replaced the floral foam with a 4oz jar of CI gel (the blue stuff) a few weeks ago. My hygrometer is way off (always has been), but it looked to me like the gel stablized the humi well. I had a cigar yesterday and the draw was real open and it felt/smoked drier than I was comfortable with.

Is the 4oz gel cup too small for that humi? Should I have supplemented the floral foam instead of replacing it? Should I add another gel cup? I'm going to add the foam back in to get the humi up to humidity again, but looking for suggestions/explanations. Thanks.

grtrx · 02-17-2009, 06:45 AM

I've not sued the gel so I'm not the person to be answering for you. You idea of adding the foam back makes sense to me

Bearded1 · 02-17-2009, 07:58 AM

I think for now, that's my only choice. I want to try putting another 4oz gel cup in there to see if that does the trick.

dylanh · 02-17-2009, 08:09 AM

I've used them before and one 4 ounce cup was sufficient for my old 75-count humidor, but that was a long time ago.

IIRC, Mealstrom swears by the Ci-gel cups and uses them extensively. I'd PM him.

Bearded1 · 02-17-2009, 08:24 AM

Thanks, I'll do that.

grtrx · 02-17-2009, 04:33 PM

try to bring the humidity up slowly... and maybe invest in something that accurately measures humidity

Bearded1 · 02-17-2009, 04:43 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Apothecary Puff

try to bring the humidity up slowly... and maybe invest in something that accurately measures humidity

I need to get a digital hygrometer. They're so inexpensive, I really have no excuse.

I will try to bring it up slowly. Thanks for the advice.

mealstrom · 02-18-2009, 01:52 PM

Just saw this thread and responded to the PM, but figured I'd come in here in case anyone else using the cups has the same problem.

The cups are GREAT for keeping humidity stable and are a 2-way device. (They absorb and release moisture, depending on what the humidity is.) I have never had an issue with them, but I also keep my cigars in coolers, a wine cooler, and otter boxes (when I travel). The thing all of these have in common is that they lack wood that can absorb moisture.

Now while working at Cumberland Cigar we had great success with the cups from guys who did have regular humis. The only problem with the cups is that they're not great for big humidity swings. If your cigars are dry the cups honestly probably won't be enough to raise the humidity to the point of where you need it - at least not in a reasonable amount of time.

So although I do indeed swear by the cups, I have to admit that they have a weakness when it comes to humidors that need a larger amount of humidity than normal. I'd suggest adding in some sort of supplemental humidity device (or another cup) until you get it to the humidity you like, or possibly try seasoning your humidor. For only a few bucks per cup you really can't go wrong by adding more in, and since they're 2-way humidifiers you're not going to over-humidify your sticks no matter how many you put in.

Good luck!

1RedDawg · 02-25-2009, 10:00 AM

I need to get a digital hygrometer. They're so inexpensive, I really have no excuse.

.

. Look at Radio shack they have them I picked 1 up for about 20.00 & it works great . Just dont forget to do the salt test to calibrate it.

b0rderman · 02-25-2009, 10:23 AM

sorry this isn't the most related post, but I picked up a Boveda calibration kit at the B&M the other day to test all my hygros, analog and digital....to my surprise, the analog hygro that came with my Savoy 200ct. was spot on for the 3 days I left it in the bag...I've had this thing for 4 years...pretty impressive considering I have dropped it twice, blowing it's casing completely apart

...less surprising, my adjustable digi from heartfelt was also spot on...

to tie it back in...go ahead and test your analog hygro along with your new digi hygro and see just how off it is

02-17-2009, 06:21 AM	#1
Bearded1 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,140	My smokes feel dry! Help. I live in the Pacific Northwest. I have a 100 ct humi. It's full. I have replaced the floral foam with a 4oz jar of CI gel (the blue stuff) a few weeks ago. My hygrometer is way off (always has been), but it looked to me like the gel stablized the humi well. I had a cigar yesterday and the draw was real open and it felt/smoked drier than I was comfortable with. Is the 4oz gel cup too small for that humi? Should I have supplemented the floral foam instead of replacing it? Should I add another gel cup? I'm going to add the foam back in to get the humi up to humidity again, but looking for suggestions/explanations. Thanks.

02-17-2009, 06:45 AM	#2
grtrx Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Naperville IL Posts: 44,579	I've not sued the gel so I'm not the person to be answering for you. You idea of adding the foam back makes sense to me __________________ "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Sir Winston Churchill "A sick thought can devour the body's flesh more than fever or consumption." - Guy de Maupassant

02-17-2009, 08:09 AM	#4
dylanh Club Member Join Date: Aug 2004 Location: Atlanta, GA Posts: 4,225	I've used them before and one 4 ounce cup was sufficient for my old 75-count humidor, but that was a long time ago. IIRC, Mealstrom swears by the Ci-gel cups and uses them extensively. I'd PM him. __________________ "I hold it to be the inalienable right of anybody to go to hell in his own way." - Robert Frost "He not busy being born is busy dying." - Bob Dylan "Hell is boiling over. Heaven is full. We're chained to the world....and we've all got to pull." -Tom Waits

02-17-2009, 04:33 PM	#6
grtrx Contributing Editor Herf God Join Date: Jul 2001 Location: Naperville IL Posts: 44,579	try to bring the humidity up slowly... and maybe invest in something that accurately measures humidity __________________ "Success is not final, failure is not fatal: it is the courage to continue that counts." - Sir Winston Churchill "A sick thought can devour the body's flesh more than fever or consumption." - Guy de Maupassant

02-18-2009, 01:52 PM	#8
mealstrom Herf Meister Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Milwaukee, WI Posts: 8,451	Just saw this thread and responded to the PM, but figured I'd come in here in case anyone else using the cups has the same problem. The cups are GREAT for keeping humidity stable and are a 2-way device. (They absorb and release moisture, depending on what the humidity is.) I have never had an issue with them, but I also keep my cigars in coolers, a wine cooler, and otter boxes (when I travel). The thing all of these have in common is that they lack wood that can absorb moisture. Now while working at Cumberland Cigar we had great success with the cups from guys who did have regular humis. The only problem with the cups is that they're not great for big humidity swings. If your cigars are dry the cups honestly probably won't be enough to raise the humidity to the point of where you need it - at least not in a reasonable amount of time. So although I do indeed swear by the cups, I have to admit that they have a weakness when it comes to humidors that need a larger amount of humidity than normal. I'd suggest adding in some sort of supplemental humidity device (or another cup) until you get it to the humidity you like, or possibly try seasoning your humidor. For only a few bucks per cup you really can't go wrong by adding more in, and since they're 2-way humidifiers you're not going to over-humidify your sticks no matter how many you put in. Good luck! __________________ Member of the 2006 Noob Coalition (06NC)

02-17-2009, 07:58 AM	#3
Bearded1 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,140	I think for now, that's my only choice. I want to try putting another 4oz gel cup in there to see if that does the trick.

02-17-2009, 08:24 AM	#5
Bearded1 Club Member Join Date: Feb 2008 Location: Washington State Posts: 1,140	Thanks, I'll do that.

02-25-2009, 10:00 AM	#9
1RedDawg Club Member Join Date: Sep 2003 Location: 134 Ridgewood.dr. 77355 Posts: 3,206	I need to get a digital hygrometer. They're so inexpensive, I really have no excuse. .. Look at Radio shack they have them I picked 1 up for about 20.00 & it works great . Just dont forget to do the salt test to calibrate it. __________________ 1RedDawg.

02-25-2009, 10:23 AM	#10
b0rderman Club Member Join Date: Jul 2005 Location: Boca Raton, FL Posts: 3,293	sorry this isn't the most related post, but I picked up a Boveda calibration kit at the B&M the other day to test all my hygros, analog and digital....to my surprise, the analog hygro that came with my Savoy 200ct. was spot on for the 3 days I left it in the bag...I've had this thing for 4 years...pretty impressive considering I have dropped it twice, blowing it's casing completely apart ...less surprising, my adjustable digi from heartfelt was also spot on... to tie it back in...go ahead and test your analog hygro along with your new digi hygro and see just how off it is __________________ Stefan I'm just a yoot "Cigar smoking is a treasure for its pleasure of the senses" - T2B