Cigar Weekly

xrundog · 07-23-2013, 02:55 PM

What's in the Xicar jar? Is that a soft gel material? Could be it no longer functions as a humidifier should. Beads are hard to beat. They seem to last a very long time. I've never had any wear out.

Numus · 07-23-2013, 02:58 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by xrundog

What's in the Xicar jar? Is that a soft gel material? Could be it no longer functions as a humidifier should. Beads are hard to beat. They seem to last a very long time. I've never had any wear out.

What do the beads look like? It is basically full of pieces of gel. They kinda look like beads tho. It is brand new so I doubt that was it... When I say the humidor was dry, I mean it sucked up DI like no ones business... No idea how it got that dry.

xrundog · 07-23-2013, 04:55 PM

Weird man! And in Florida too. I would think you should barely even need humidification.

Starting from scratch is probably a good idea.

jgbutler · 07-23-2013, 05:01 PM

Here are three links to the kind of beads you need to buy if you decide to go that route. IMHO there is no other way to go for humidification. It is as simple, dependable and consistent as it gets once you get the humidity dialed in to where you want it. Plus for the quantity you get for the price, they will last you forever!

Pearls are what you need to look for as well as dust free and odor free.

http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store....-flypage-12454

http://www.petguys.com/-633843100700.html

http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=16348

That still didn't answer the question you asked as to what they look like. As long as you get the pearls, they will be small beads uniformly spherical in shape that are generally sort of a milky white in color. When you hydrate them by adding water they generally turn clear. As you lose RH over time from opening the humidor they will begin to turn white again. In the picture below, the pearls are on the right side. You absolutely don't want anything that looks like what is on the left side.

Numus · 07-23-2013, 05:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by jgbutler

Here are three links to the kind of beads you need to buy if you decide to go that route. IMHO there is no other way to go for humidification. It is as simple, dependable and consistent as it gets once you get the humidity dialed in to where you want it. Plus for the quantity you get for the price, they will last you forever!

Pearls are what you need to look for as well as dust free and odor free.

http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store....-flypage-12454

http://www.petguys.com/-633843100700.html

http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=16348

That still didn't answer the question you asked as to what they look like. As long as you get the pearls, they will be small beads uniformly spherical in shape that are generally sort of a milky white in color. When you hydrate them by adding water they generally turn clear. As you lose RH over time from opening the humidor they will begin to turn white again. In the picture below, the pearls are on the right side. You absolutely don't want anything that looks like what is on the left side.

The xikar is not pearls. Is there a link on how to fine tune the rh?

big ben · 07-23-2013, 06:13 PM

AC runs 24/7 in Florida. Very dry in the house.

If I were you, I would put a bowl of water in the humidor until the RH hits 70. Then replace the water with beads and cigars. Check RH each day until it stabilizes at 68.

Remember every time you open the lid you replace ALL the 68% air with 35% air. It can dry out REALLY quick.

Mark

Briandg · 07-25-2013, 10:54 AM

Just FYI, your analog hygrometer isn't just a crappy product to start with, many of the humidors today have the back of the unit embedded into the wood. the hygrometer cannot access the air in the box, it can only very indirectly measure the moisture content of the wood. This is a $500 humidor, and as you see, there's no direct access to the back of the hygrometer, so frankly, unless you pay very close attention to it and don't use it often, you can easily wind up with wild variations between the hygro reading and the actual ambient humidity in the box.

K5mow · 08-16-2013, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Numus

The hygrometer is the cheap one that came with the humidor... Probably time to replace it with a digital one

I have found that the cheap not digital are not good at all. I would not trust them.

Roger

BigJohn · 08-16-2013, 07:07 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by K5mow

I have found that the cheap not digital are not good at all. I would not trust them.

Roger

So true. I bid on some cheap, adjustable digital on cbid, and they all work great!

bigpuff · 08-19-2013, 07:54 AM

Welcome to C W you have just found a wealth of great cigar information. Enjoy your self here and post a lot.

Big Puff

07-23-2013, 05:01 PM	#14
jgbutler Herf Meister Join Date: May 2004 Location: Weatherford, OK Posts: 6,102	Here are three links to the kind of beads you need to buy if you decide to go that route. IMHO there is no other way to go for humidification. It is as simple, dependable and consistent as it gets once you get the humidity dialed in to where you want it. Plus for the quantity you get for the price, they will last you forever! Pearls are what you need to look for as well as dust free and odor free. http://www.pet-dog-cat-supply-store....-flypage-12454 http://www.petguys.com/-633843100700.html http://www.arcatapet.com/item.cfm?cat=16348 That still didn't answer the question you asked as to what they look like. As long as you get the pearls, they will be small beads uniformly spherical in shape that are generally sort of a milky white in color. When you hydrate them by adding water they generally turn clear. As you lose RH over time from opening the humidor they will begin to turn white again. In the picture below, the pearls are on the right side. You absolutely don't want anything that looks like what is on the left side. __________________ "The most futile and disastrous day seems well spent when it is reviewed through the blue, fragrant smoke of a Havana cigar." - Evelyn Waugh

07-23-2013, 06:13 PM	#16
big ben Club Member Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Edgewater, Florida Posts: 1,544	AC runs 24/7 in Florida. Very dry in the house. If I were you, I would put a bowl of water in the humidor until the RH hits 70. Then replace the water with beads and cigars. Check RH each day until it stabilizes at 68. Remember every time you open the lid you replace ALL the 68% air with 35% air. It can dry out REALLY quick. Mark __________________ Go STEELERS!!!! Member of the 2006 Noob Coalition (06NC) RIP Myron cope, a Steeler Legend "I believe the game is designed to reward the ones who hit the hardest. If you can't take it, you shouldn't play." Jack Lambert.

08-19-2013, 07:54 AM	#20
bigpuff Herf Meister Join Date: Jan 2006 Location: and of lincolnL Posts: 5,127	Welcome to C W you have just found a wealth of great cigar information. Enjoy your self here and post a lot. Big Puff __________________ It doesn't matter if you think you can walk on water. It's how you walk on land that matters. Ok I must confess. I am and always will be an Opus whore. Life is too short to smoke cheap cigars.

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07-23-2013, 02:55 PM	#11
xrundog Contributing Editor Herf Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central, Iowa Posts: 9,806	What's in the Xicar jar? Is that a soft gel material? Could be it no longer functions as a humidifier should. Beads are hard to beat. They seem to last a very long time. I've never had any wear out.

07-23-2013, 04:55 PM	#13
xrundog Contributing Editor Herf Meister Join Date: Mar 2003 Location: Central, Iowa Posts: 9,806	Weird man! And in Florida too. I would think you should barely even need humidification. Starting from scratch is probably a good idea.

07-25-2013, 10:54 AM	#17
Briandg CW Squirrel Wrangler Herf God Join Date: Dec 2002 Location: southwest Missouri Posts: 35,518	Just FYI, your analog hygrometer isn't just a crappy product to start with, many of the humidors today have the back of the unit embedded into the wood. the hygrometer cannot access the air in the box, it can only very indirectly measure the moisture content of the wood. This is a $500 humidor, and as you see, there's no direct access to the back of the hygrometer, so frankly, unless you pay very close attention to it and don't use it often, you can easily wind up with wild variations between the hygro reading and the actual ambient humidity in the box.