How Does A Humidor Maintain A Precise Humidity?

[gervais]

Once you get the inside of your box to the humidity you desire, how is that exact humidity maintained? I'm just curious as to how it works

 

[Sonorisis]

Propylene glycol will absorb water from the atmosphere (inside of the humidor) when RH exceeds 70% and will give off water when the RH drops below that point. It's kind of miraculous, but works great and will mediate humidity for a long time in a well-sealed humidor (cooler-dor).

 

[pantsBoots]

Once you get the inside of your box to the humidity you desire, how is that exact humidity maintained? I'm just curious as to how it works

Moisture saturates the pore spaces in the wood, causing it to swell, causing a tight seal (though not airtight). From there, you'll want some sort of humidification device, whether passive (beads, boveda bags) or active (electronic hygrometer connected to a fan & moisture bank). This adds moisture to the system if humidity drops and the passive systems are capable of also adsorbing excess moisture if the humidity spikes.

 

[greeneyes]

The wood and your cigars are responsible for most of the buffering of humidity. Makes no sense to calibrate the humidity without wood and/or cigars inside.

 

[hoosierpipeguy]

It doesn't need to be that precise, don't over think it. Buy a jar of the beads, keep it between 61 to 68% and you'll be pleased with the results.

 

[verporchting]

Boveda. Otherwise it doesn’t work very well. At least not from my experience. Boveda.

Boveda, Boveda, Boveda. ?

 

[JOHN72]

Some cigars to smoke, even in the bathroom. a week later.......... Perfect to smoking. Tender like stew beans.............?

 

[craig61a]

The cigars in the box, and the wood are like a moisture "flywheel". Once you open the lid of the box, the ambient humidity inside pretty much changes to whatever the humidity in the room is. Leaving the cellophane on will mediate the change somewhat. I cut off the cellophane at the foot of the cigar to allow the moisture to better penetrate the cigar.

Unless you have an active humidification system, fluctuations in the humidity are a given. Not leaving the lid open too long will help.

You're not going to be able to maintain "perfect" humidity all the time over a period of time, but keeping the cigars from drying out too much is the goal.

In desktop humidors I like to use Xikar Gel humidfiers.

 

[mso489]

I didn't realize there was an active process going on. Just thought a humidor was a passive sort of jarring. Good question, interesting explanations.

 

[JOHN72]

A simple wooden piece of furniture, with a few glasses of distilled water...............and a hygrometer..........

 

[instymp]

Propylene glycol will absorb water from the atmosphere (inside of the humidor) when RH exceeds 70% and will give off water when the RH drops below that point. It's kind of miraculous, but works great and will mediate humidity for a long time in a well-sealed humidor (cooler-dor).

Yup, used in a lot of medications also.

 

[Dio]

Kitty litter and Boveda of different humidity