I have been running an Astriocrat Set and Forget system, sine Late April. Keeps humidity set perfectly in my humidor at 69. However, I've noticed spots of mold starting about every thirty days of replacement. I'm currently on my third wick, and wondering if they should be replaced as soon as spots appear, or if they still have some life left. I only use distilled water, and clean the container every time I replace the water. I was told one cartridge should last me around three months.
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Bob Staebell is the right person to ask, but I'd say 30 days seems short if he told you 90 days.

When you clean the unit, are you flushing everything with distilled water and then drying with a very clean, white, lint-free cloth?

It may help to know which wick. Here is the link to the wick order page: http://www.aristocrathumidors.com/wickorders.htm
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I didn't use a lint free cloth....that could do it?
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Also the wick is for the 1.5qt
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I use a white lint-free cloth that is washed with bleach and never sees the dryer (because of dryer sheets and their residue). For the 1.5qt, my wicks last about a year. Some source of mold must somehow winding up contaminating yours. Could be in how they are stored, how you clean the unit, how you store the distilled water or even a source of mold within the humidor itself. Hard to tell.
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I've had mold on my wick for decades, which is why I keep hand-buffing it.
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That sounds like a different kind of wick!! :-)
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Use some PG in the water and your wicks won't mold. Add Borax and it'll kill termites, too.
Seriously, PG is used all over as a mold inhibitor.
I'd spew a bunch more technical crap about PG, but I'll stop at "it's perfectly safe and people use it in their humidors and humidifiers the world over."
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+1 for the PG
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Wash the humidifier out with bleach and water. Then refill with a fresh wick and some pg.
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I wipe it down with water and light bleach mix (very light - as if cleaning a new cooler).
The case and the top ....then with a damp wet (no bleach) cloth and let air dry.

Also - are you using fresh distilled water?
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Yes, fresh distilled water every time!
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I'm thinking you mean food grade pg and not something meant for solar systems and the like.
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Yes.
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