So as winter temps and humidity begin to set it now I am noticing that my heartfelt beads are in need of more water more often than I remember they needed last winter. We keep the house around 70 degrees but I have noticed that the room humidity is around 35% so I guess that might make the beads dry faster and keep them a couple points below where I am used to seeing the humidity in my cabinet. I just checked the accuracy of both hygrometers that I keep in there (which i do every six months) and they are both still spot on. So I am wondering how many other brothers out there have had to do more work on their humidity in the winter time. As far as I know the humidity beads don't go bad right? If they do how long do they usually last before they need to be replaced? Thanks for any help or stories you guys might have on battling the dry winter humidity.
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It's drier during winter around here so I add water more often .
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Are you using the humidity beads? and if so how long do you go before you need to re-wet them again?
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I open my desktop way more often that I should be considering I'm not smoking as much because it's freaking cold outside. The result is that my beads have already needed additional water once and are starting to look a little dry again.

From what I've heard and ready, as long as you are using distilled water, your beads should last a few years.
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As long as you’re using distilled water, the beads should be fine. I also use Heartfelt beads in my humis and I definitely have to tend to them more during the winter. I really don’t open my humis that frequently and I charge the beads every four weeks or so during the winter. The drier air zaps them. I charge them less frequently during the spring and summer. So, no worries….what you’re experiencing is normal.
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Thanks for the input, yeah I always use distilled water on the beads. What's funny and not a winter only related observation, is that I bought the 70% humidity beads but they have alway read around 68% and I know my hygrometers are correct. which is fine with me I would rather have the humidity around 68%. Anyone have that kind of experience with there beads?
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all is lost, i'm afraid. you may have to disperse your stock among us so we can take care of it for you in the meantime...just my :-) :-)

Jason
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Yup definitely normal. I tend to keep my house a bit colder in the winter and just use blankets if we get cold so it is usually at 67 degrees or maybe 68. The thing I notice most about the winter is my Hygrometers tend to be more accurate which makes me happy! :-)
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I have 65% beads but rarely see my humidor hit 65%. It hangs out around 62-64%, which is good for me.
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What about your humidors do you cover them in blankets too just in case they get to cold.

LOL:-)
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So I guess that is just how the works work then. Thanks for your input.
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I've switched over to beads (65%) and I find that I'm already having to recharge them more often. The RH is around 35% in the house as well.
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Like others said it's pretty normal. In my cabinet I needed to set the humidity set point on my Oasis to 70% to keep it between 66-70%. In the summer months I usually set it at 60% to keep the cabinet at 65%. I decided to bump the humidity up a bit more just in case she runs dry and I do not notice it for a couple days. Been so busy lately that before I decided to go this route I failed to check the humidity for two days and when I did check it she was down to 60% because I was otu of distilled water in my Oasis because it runs a lot more often lately. My humi with strictly beads seems to need to have the beads recharged every week and a half as opposed to once a month in the summer. Just a drier time of the year especially with central air.
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I do.:-)
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I am sure your humidors love you for it. :-)
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Same with my 65% beads. Depending on the shelf, they're anywhere from 62-65%.
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It's normal, I used to go crazy in the winter with my humi but it all works out. Just do what your doing and you will be fine.
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I am pretty new to this too, but I suspected it was going to happen.

But around here, it went from autumn to winter in one day, yesterday. Until then I was still able to wear shorts out to the car (to go to the gym at 0530 am), and was still well above freezing. Yesterday it went straight to frigid cold, well below freezing.

In that single day, my humi's RH dropped close to 10%, 68-58%. I am currently using straight distilled water.

What you may want to do, is consider looking at the seals on your humi. My humi was hand-made by a dude in Cuba....so it may not seal as good as others. I ran a strip of electrical tape along the inside lip of the lid, and the RH started to climb. The downside of this is that now there will be less air circulation. I am pondering how that is going to affect my cigars in the next weeks to months....

Cheers

Cyanide
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I imagine that genuine humidor's are more difficult to maintain than coolers. That's why I use coolers.

I use 1/2 lb. of 65% beads in each 120 quart cooler and set a small bowl of distilled water beside the beads. I no longer spray the beads. (I think they'll last longer, i.e. not crack, that way.) Our basement is 30% and I top off the water bowl every 1-2 weeks, depending on how often I'm in the coolers. Humidity holds at 65%.

WyoBob
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see, my beads are Heartfelt 65s and its reading 60-61... s


should i just wait till after winter? or change to 70s in hope that they hold 65???
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