Is 73% Humidity Too Much?

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carcosa

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 21, 2013
207
85
I’ve had my humidor for about a week and a half now with about 75 cigars in it for a week since i seasoned it, and the humidity is a constant 73%.

Is this too high?

I’m using 4 bovida 72% and 3 Drymistat 70% silicon bead tubes

Maybe i should use a lower percent bovida pack?
 

olkofri

Lifer
Sep 9, 2017
8,033
14,644
The Arm of Orion
Boveda (BOH-veh-duh). From the Castilian word for 'vault'. Nothing to do with bovines. ;)

I keep mine between 70% and 80%. No cigars have ever gone bad. Having more cigars just means you have to be checking more often that the humidity levels are within range. The general idea is to mimic the conditions cigars would have where they're made—the tropics.
 
As per my understanding it is not too high ... but very close to 75% which is the absolute max.
However ... Boveda packs should not be used with any other humidification method - as per the warnings written in the boveda pack.
Also, as per the guidelines of Boveda ... about 1 60 g pack for 25 cigars. So you just need the four Boveda packs
 
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Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,613
66
Sarasota, FL
Why would you use Boveda packs in a humidor? Buy one of the jars of beads and experiment with the moisture level to achieve the desired humidity. Also keep in mind most humidity measurement devices are inherently inaccurate. Unless you have calibrated your humidity device, the readings you are getting aren't likely to be accurate anyway.
 
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Sonorisis

Part of the Furniture Now
Dec 24, 2019
853
4,578
It's Winter. Relative humidity goes up as temperature goes down. You don't say what the condition of the cigars was before you put them into the humidor. Often, cigars come quite wet from manufacture. You'll know more in about a month.

I agree that 60% cigars smoke a lot better than 70% cigars. The problem is, it is hard to achieve a 60% condition in a humidor. The 'natural' balance point of propylene glycol is 70%, and the beads and packs that are designated as lower RH don't hold enough water to keep things hydrated. So, getting the RH you'd like to have isn't always practically possible.

Your situation is fine for 'storing' and 'aging' them. You can fuss around later with getting a lower RH in your humidor. See what happens when things settle down -- in a month, or two.
 

shanez

Lifer
Jul 10, 2018
5,188
24,083
49
Las Vegas
For longer term storage you're just fine (assuming you calibrated the hygrometer and it's spot on). Like Hoosier said though, it's too much for smoking.

I like to take mine out of my long term temperature controlled humidor and put them in a regular humidor for a few days at least before smoking them.

Sometimes, after a few too many Cognacs, I don't and haven't had any real problems. They just don't burn as well as they could/should.
 

Mr.Mike

Part of the Furniture Now
Nov 11, 2019
844
2,049
Pennsylvania
Im totally ignorant to the world of cigars. I always wondered how an organic material staying in a constant high humidity environment doesn't mold.
 
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boston

Part of the Furniture Now
Jun 27, 2018
539
1,238
Boston
I've used (and rehydrated and used again) 69 % bovida packs for many years in my cigar humidor with good results. I prefer a good draw and higher humidification has poor results for me.
 

shanez

Lifer
Jul 10, 2018
5,188
24,083
49
Las Vegas
After discovering food grade propylene glycol I'll never use anything else for humidification. The only drawback is that it's a liquid and can spill.
 

Bengel

Lifer
Sep 20, 2019
3,116
14,243
What everyone has said about stabilization is crucial.

TheseFDC6481C-4249-402A-B8BF-E1F83A0E3E90.jpeg
with distilled water.
My cooler hardly needs treatment in high desert environment.
 
Jan 28, 2018
12,952
134,613
66
Sarasota, FL
It's Winter. Relative humidity goes up as temperature goes down. You don't say what the condition of the cigars was before you put them into the humidor. Often, cigars come quite wet from manufacture. You'll know more in about a month.

I agree that 60% cigars smoke a lot better than 70% cigars. The problem is, it is hard to achieve a 60% condition in a humidor. The 'natural' balance point of propylene glycol is 70%, and the beads and packs that are designated as lower RH don't hold enough water to keep things hydrated. So, getting the RH you'd like to have isn't always practically possible.

Your situation is fine for 'storing' and 'aging' them. You can fuss around later with getting a lower RH in your humidor. See what happens when things settle down -- in a month, or two.

You just use less beads, less PG or whatever. It can't release moisture it doesn't have. So you experiment with the amount. If it is beads you add water to, just add less water.
 

carcosa

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 21, 2013
207
85
I’ve got a Caliber IV hygrometer and I brought it down to my local cigar shop and left it in their cigar room while I had a cigar. It read 5% lower than the cigar shops hygrometer, so luckily I was able to adjust it... I don’t think the cigar shops hygrometer was off but maybe I should test it at a different cigar shop.
 
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carcosa

Starting to Get Obsessed
Oct 21, 2013
207
85
Oh yeah and the temp is about 66 or 67 degrees. The room will definitely get warmer in the summer, Im in upstate NY and no central air. I might try those Heartfelt tubes in a couple months after things settle down.
 
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dcon

Lifer
Mar 16, 2019
2,636
21,489
Jacksonville, FL
For years the standard recommendation was 70/70 (temp/humidity). However, experience and reading about the practices of respected smokers and Habanos merchants, has taught me that the ideal smoking humidity is in the 55% to 62% humidity range, with as little temperature deviation as possible in a home environment. hoosier’s advice is spot on ( and I am sure, from his posts, that he has been quite the connoisseur). Luckily, I live in FL so, keeping my cigars is far less effort than when I had to deal with Missouri winters.
 

dcon

Lifer
Mar 16, 2019
2,636
21,489
Jacksonville, FL
I might mention that high humidity (in excess of 70%) is the domain of hatching beetles. If the cigars have not been consistently stored or frozen at some time, those dormant eggs just might hatch if they were present.
 
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