After using the dreaded kat litter for over a year in the 20 bottle wineador, I've decided to make the move to beads. Not that the litter didn't work, just looking to upgrade after hearing good things about humidification beads.
Could you all help a brother out and tell which kind of beads you prefer and why. I know there are a few different kinds out there and honestly, I'm a bit confused as to which to go with. With the kat litter, I just had to push the damn cat out of the box and fill up the Wineador bins! :-). Think I'm gonna miss those 'clumps' though! :-)
Oh yeah - the interior of the wineador is 12 x 13.5 x 18 and it looks like I only need 8oz of beads, if I got the instructions correct.
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I use Heartfelt. I chose them because they were the first one's I ever heard about. :-) They work fine for me (except for the time I sprayed a tube of them with bleach water instead of distilled water. Lesson learned: keep the bleach water spray bottle in a different cabinet from the distilled water. :-) ) so I stick with them.
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HCM Beads. Why do I use them? Because I wanted to support a fellow BOTL, a member of this board, and because I heard from many people that they did the job well.
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I use Heartfelt, too. They just seem less fussy because they are factory set and the preset rh won't change. In that respect they are less flexible. Also, use about twice the recommend amount of beads in your humi so that rh will rebound faster after you open it.
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No better reason than this.
Both work well.
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Best advice out there in my opinion. I think I use 4x more than necessary, I stopped counting with the calculation stuff, but it is not an "oh shoot, I have too many in there, better take some out" type of thing :-)
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best beads!
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I used heartfelt at first and then when I bought a vinotemp I bought HCM from Shilala to try them and have never saw the need for anything else. I don't have to recharge them very often at all.
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I, too, prefer the HCM (Shilala) beads. Main reason is that they are darn near zero maintenance, put 'em in and they do their job. No refilling distilled water every now and again. If you have specific questions about these, PM Michael (CigarNut), as he sells them. Have been using these for almost five years and they keep my vinos rock steady at 65%H. :-)

And as Jason stated, they support a fellow BOTL as well. Win win for everyone!!
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Forgot to add, congrats for leaving the litter, wish everybody had your strength :-)
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poop in the litter
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I use Heartfelt and never had an issue, I have to re-charge once a month... maybe... takes a total of 2 mins.... I know it seems like a real Pain in the Butt! LOL
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heartfelt beads are the best, i put mine in an old cigar box, drilled holes in the lid and poof amazing
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HCM here. Plus a pound of some beads Scott made awhile back. They're about the size of a pencil eraser.

I have no idea what the RH of my wineador is. I stopped using a hygrometer a long time ago. I just let the beads do their thing, and I always like how the cigars smoke. If they start to not smoke well, I'll check it then.
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i use coolers and they work perfect
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Rob.... I know what the problem is... You ain't smoking them fast enough! If you would, you wouldn't have to worry beads :-)
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some beads are up on the troop auction. don't take them all I want at least one pack :-)
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i used beads and gels packs
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Based on having both Heartfelt and HCM beads, the HCM beads require less maintenance. :-)
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:-)
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