Putting the Hygrometer in a zip lock freezer bag with say a 69% RH Boveda pack and letting sit at room temp around 70 degrees for say 6-8 hours. I know Boveda sells a kit for it but I really don't want to spend the money on it.

Thoughts?
[Reply]

No it wont work.

http://www.cigarasylum.com/vb/showthread.php?t=619
[Reply]

Boveda packs are not guaranteed to be the RH stamped on them. They can vary by a few points.

The hygometer kit, the humidor packs, the seasoning packs are all the exact same product. Just labeled differently and at different RHs.
[Reply]

Salt test works the best.
[Reply]

I just did the salt test for the first time with my new hydro and it was very easy, just takes time. Plus you can't mess with science :-)
[Reply]

The hygrometer kit actually works pretty well if you leave it unopen for the time is says to on the package. I once used it to calibrate 5-7 Western Digitals over a period of a week and they were all surprisingly close to each other. But you have to leave it for the full 24-36 hours, after 7-8 hours it is still all over the place.

I am not sure I would trust the larger packets though as the kit uses a really small volume. Also, if you have the smaller 69% packets they use for shipping, I would not trust those as they dry out really quickly.
[Reply]

Aaron, just out of curiosity, did you ever cross-check any of those hydrometers with a salt test?

Reason I'm asking is that they do appear to have the ability to determine the accuracy of the packs after manufacturing and mark them. I have a number of packs that came out of Fuente boxes and the packs have their specific RHs printed on them. I don't recall seeing this level of detail on the larger over the counter boveda packs. So, I'm wondering if they might shuttle the more accurate packs over to the hygrometer calibration kits.
[Reply]

Salt test for the win! Get a plastic bottle cap, fill with salt and dampen with distilled water until it is a salty putty in the cap. Put in a zip lock bag at 70 deg F and you get 75% humidity after 8 hours. Cheap and easy; that's what she said.
[Reply]

I think you mean hygrometer. :-) :-)

I am actually salt test illiterate. I wish I was kidding, but I am not. After doing research for 10 years you would think I could follow a protocol, but I never seem to be able to get the salt mixture correct. I need exact quantities. :-)

Boveda has lot of different size packets:

1. They have the large ones for humidors (65, 69, 72, 75... 84 for seasoning) - I think they say these are +/- 4% on the package. I assume they make these a little wet with the idea that most humidors need moisture and they want them to last at least 3 months. Plus they cannot account for the quality of the humidor. In a good sealing plastic container, I have had Boveda packets last for 2+ years. (I didn't realize they now make these at 62%.)

2. Then they have the large-thin packets they put in Fuente boxes or at least they used to have this size. I have not bought a box of Fuentes in a long time. I think these are 69 or 72 and I doubt these would work in a humidor with how thin they are.

3. They have the small packets they sell in jars for shipping with cigars. I think these are 69%.

4. Then they have the calibration kit. The packet is the same size as the small ones they ship with cigars, but it is set to 75%. The kit says it is accurate to +/- 0.3%.

They say the kit is only good for three months after it is open and I assume that is because the packet loses moisture over time. That is the reason I would not use the small 69% packets to try to calibrate a hygrometer as you have no idea how fresh they are. Plus, the plastic bag they use for the kit is pretty thick with a nice seal.

Are you sure the packets you have from the Fuente boxes have actual RHs on them instead of just a generic printed value?
As I said, I have no issues using the calibration kit. I know the salt test is free, but when you spend as much as some of us do on cigars you start losing count. :-) :-)
[Reply]

Ha! Yeah, hygrometer. It's been a long day, my friend.

I understood the OP's question to be about using the packet you describe in item 1. I probably should have been more clear about that in my earlier answer.

I agree, the Fuente packs would probably only be good for traveldors.

The Fuente packs that I have are mostly 69RH, but I have one that is a 65 and thought I had another one around here with a third value on it, but I can't find it. It's either lost or maybe I gave it away. The RH levels are printed on the pack by a separate machine, they aren't part of the regular printing and the fonts aren't the same between the various packs. It includes some other info, possibly a lot/batch number. Now, it's possible that things have changed as these packs are old, I've had most of them since 2005 I think, and just keep recharging them. Just for grins, I threw one in a bag with a hygrometer to see what it does. Doesn't seem to be doing much. Maybe I should actually put a battery in my hygrometer first before trying this.

So, from what you're saying, it looks like the hygrometer kit is the same technology, just a more accurate pack. Thanks for the clarification.
[Reply]

Wow, that calibration pack should do the trick!!! That is fabulous accuracy. I'm guessing better then the salt method as there are quite a few variables that can interfere with it but I've done the salt method a few times against factory calibrated digital hygrometers and all I found was they aligned to the salt method, i.e. measured 75%. I haven't checked google for some math calculations on the temperature effects but I tried to keep it around 70 degrees F for the calibration.
[Reply]

:-)


:-):-)
[Reply]

Thanks for the brilliant insight.

I didn't realize we weren't having a serious discussion. I had no idea this was a banter thread...
[Reply]

No worries - hydrometer, hygrometer what's the difference anyway.

I actually thought he could have been referring to the larger or smaller packets, I usually have both lying around if I have been ordering singles.

Honestly, I think the bigger packets are probably pretty accurate as well, but I could be wrong.

They have a humidity range on the packets, I believe the 65% packet says 61-65% (I just bought some this past weekend as I still use them in my desktop humidor that only has two cigars in it :-)). I assume they do this to prevent getting complaints that the packets aren't working correctly.

I figure most people need to raise the humidity in their humidors not lower it and you obviously lose humidity when you go in and out, so I think the range makes a lot of sense for them.

I decided to set up an experiment as well. I placed two hygrometers in a plastic container with a really good seal with a brand new 65% packet. I will check it this evening and tomorrow after 24 hours.

It is not a perfect experiment as it is a little warm today and the hygrometers I am using have not been calibrated in 2-3 years (they are within range for my cabinet).

I really do not worry about humidity that much these days as my cabinet is only 15% higher than my house most days.
[Reply]

that's sad.. a humidor with only two cigars in it...

this thread sparked my interest a little, last night i put a hygro i calibrated probably 4 years ago along with a new one i've never calibrated in some tupperware to re-salt, we'll see how it looks when i get home from work
[Reply]

Aaron, the Fuente packs I have don't have a range printed on them, just a single value. Maybe a range was implied or only mentioned on the paperwork with the bulk pack. :-)
[Reply]

I should step back to make sure that did not come off as fishing as that was not my intention. :-) I only use it for misc singles or cigars I plan to give to the troops, it is my original desktop that I first purchased when I started smoking, so it has sentimental value. It had more cigars in it last week but I gave them to Bob to send to the troops along with his next shipment. I also have a foot locker humidor that is empty, but it would cost more to ship it to someone than I paid for it and I like the humidor.

My Aristocrat is doing just fine to the point that I could actually use more space. :-) :-)


I assume that is because they do not sell those to consumers. I have never seen those besides inside Fuente boxes. You can't complain if you didn't buy it right. :-)
[Reply]

Yup - I had a similar thought right about the same time you were posting.
[Reply]

So I just went to check after ~10 hours.

Hygro #1 is reading 67% and my last calibration says to add 1 = 68%
Hygro #2 is reading 70% and my last calibration says to subtract 2 = 68%

So they are matching, but higher than 65% (the packet I am using). I will see how they look tomorrow and after 36 hours. Right now my house is right around 70F.
[Reply]

Wonderful experiment and sounds freakishly precise. I love how digital hygrometers hold their precision.
[Reply]