New humidor help

[derrty0657]

My awesome girlfriend bought me a humidor for my birthday. I was just wondering how some of you have calibrated your analog hygrometer. I have heard to use the salt and cap method or even just put it in the refrigerator. Help please? Thanks!

[stogieluver]

The best method imo is to use the Boveda calibration bag. About $5-$6, best I recall. I get mine from Amazon with free 2 day shipping (I'm a Prime member). You can use the salt method, but be careful not to put too much water on the salt. Some say the salt will get into the hygrometer and eventually ruin it. I use Xikar hygrometers and have good results.

Don't forget to season your new humidor by putting a dish or bowl of distilled water in it for two or three days. Don't wipe the inside down with a wet cloth, as some advise. The spanish cedar will soak up the water and swell up.

I've never heard of anyone putting a humidor in the refrigerator, and can't think of any reason to do so.

[PapaDisco]

If you use the Boveda packs for humidity control, AND you have stable temperatures, then your hygrometer will be almost irrelevant. More of an interesting factoid to look at from time-to-time. You'll still have to season the humidor, since the interior wood will soak up the moisture content of 4-6 Bovedas in no time, but once you've done the seasoning (I did wipe mine down inside with distilled water twice before use) the Bovedas will keep things perfectly stable at their designed humidity. The key is having stable temps, since rapidly changing temperature can change the rH faster than a Boveda can respond.

I've done both the salt test and the Boveda test, and definitely found the Boveda to be easier and more accurate. As Stogieluvr says, getting the right mix of water to salt is tougher than it sounds.

[wolfain]

If you use the Boveda packs for humidity control, AND you have stable temperatures, then your hygrometer will be almost irrelevant. More of an interesting factoid to look at from time-to-time. You'll still have to season the humidor, since the interior wood will soak up the moisture content of 4-6 Bovedas in no time, but once you've done the seasoning (I did wipe mine down inside with distilled water twice before use) the Bovedas will keep things perfectly stable at their designed humidity. The key is having stable temps, since rapidly changing temperature can change the rH faster than a Boveda can respond.

I've done both the salt test and the Boveda test, and definitely found the Boveda to be easier and more accurate. As Stogieluvr says, getting the right mix of water to salt is tougher than it sounds.

Yeah definitely get some boveda packets (65RH), get a digital hygrometer if you wish. It's far more accurate as compared to an analog one..

I got a couple desktop humidors with boveda packets. Totally stable. (Only my damn wineador giving me some issues)

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[planetary]

+1 to 65% Boveda packs and a digital hygrometer. I've bought something like 8 or 9 Caliber IV's (US$25 a piece), and did the Boveda calibration kit test. Every single one was perfect from the factory.

Note: I wish I didn't spend so much time and money on desktop units, and went straight to wineadors early on. Cool that your gf got it for you as a present, but if you have a feeling that you are going to outgrow it, don't get another one -- go straight to a wineador (if you need temp control) or coolidor (if your temperature doesn't vary a lot, and never gets too hot).