Does it keep perfect rh even with one stick in it? Just curious.
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Nice. I'll probably have more questions once I start setting it up, but for the next week or so, I'm set.
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Like stated before you don't need cedar in a cooler. Here is mine and you can see I just use plastic trays/bins with zero problems.

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Also I never went the kitty litter route cause I just bought beads and since day one I have never had a problem with them. It keeps everything nice and worry free for me.
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Matt at one point i had just a 5er or so in my cooler and it stayed right at 64-66
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It's a 120 quart, the smallest amount I had was 2 boxes in it....relatively speaking that is almost nothing compared to it's capacity. It held rock solid 65 RH.

I would assume the same empty but I got quite a bit in there now and don't feel like taking it all out.



Shoot me a PM anytime, I'm pretty much always here.
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Bill doesn't really have a life outside of CA :-)
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Hmm, this is something I will have to look into. I'm not saying that beads are better then kl or vise versa, they are about the same imo. For some odd reason I kept having massive rh fluxes. I know some people who have kl and no cedar and it keeps perfect, so I am curious what was causing it. It makes me want to take the cedar I have in my cooler out and see what it holds at. would cedar be needed for long term storage in a cooler, say a years time?
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No, you never need cedar in a coolidor. Again I don't want to get into this too much....it's not that the KL doesn't "work". It's that it isn't reliable.

Get beads (heartfelt), get twice as much as is required I GUARANTEE you will NEVER have an issue.
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I know, no need for a debate. It's just what was the cheapest at the time. When you open the lid to your cooler is there any drop in rh?
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Not really, unless I keep it open for like 5 minutes. Even then it just drops to 60-62 or so. With the amount of beads I have in it...climbs right back up in no time.
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+1 I keep just over 2 pounds in my vino and my cooler is just a 48qt and I have 1.5 pounds in there.
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Thanks for the info, I believe I will scrap the cedar and see how it does. I will still roll with the kl right now as it is a cheap alternative at the moment. But if cedar isn't needed for long term storage or to regulate the rh. Then I shouldnt have it in there.
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I'm avoiding the great debate that has been amply covered in other threads, but I use KL and I've never had problems. I believe the secret is using at least double the recommended amount of whatever your humidification device of choice may be (KL, beads, etc.) Using that much gives ample overage to absorb spikes and quickly compensate for humidor opening.
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I'm a firm believer of use whatever works for you!

KL or beads or gel whatever if it hold humidity where you like it and your smokes are how you like them then :-)
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I agree, however it might be helping out with the KL. I'd say test it without and see what happens....run some tests, couldn't hurt.

But I still say.........

Don't buy cigars whenever you get $$, buy 1 pound of beads and a mesh bag (I'd recommend 1 pound and 2 half pound mesh bags put at opposite ends of your humi/cooler). If it doesn't work, mark my words I'll send you a nice 5'er.

I'd be more than happy to put my money where my mouth is.

Always trying to help.
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:-) well said!
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Well you figure a half pound of beads is $18(from the hearfelt industries site) and 8 pounds of kl is $15 or less. It was just the better choice. But when I am able to I will grab some beads. It has been about 3 months and I have not had to change the 8oz of kl I have in there. And I still have 7 and some pounds left. Lol, I will put the beads on my long list of stuff to buy.
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There ya go....I guess lets just say I'm very lazy by nature. I put literally half of nothing of effort into my humi. I have 500 or so cigars so for me I don't want anything to happen to them and I make sure I do whatever I can to keep them safe and sound.

As you get further into it you really want proven methods. Because ....I got a good amount of $$$$ in my humidor.
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Go big to start with you will need the room soon enough.

Like Bill said get some beads for www.Cigarmony.com, www.heartfeltindustries.com or "Shilala" beads from Cigarnut (a member here) www.shilalasbeads.com. Kitty Litter may work but it doesn't perform like the beads.

Cedar is not necessary but I still throw my cedar sheets from old boxes in the bottom of my cooler. You may want to get a small electric fan to go in there to circulate the air as well.
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Here's another tip... don't waste your money on buying a smaller cooler. Buy something bigger than you think you need, you will be a happy man down the road. However, like a lot of people, if you buy something smaller now thinking that's all you need, you will soon fill it up and will need to buy another one. So just buy something bigger now and be happy. :-)
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