Expert: James Yee - 2/27/2009

Question
QUESTION: Hi James,
I have my new 300ct humidor with my cigar oasis xl unit inside it.  At first, the co xl would run every few minutes and the humidity level was around 70%.  I was switching it to battery power on the advice of the humidor seller and noticed the humidity level down now to 58%.  I called the manufacturer of cigar oasis and was told to switch back to wall power because it will run better.  The humidor seller said if I  use wall power I have to drill a hole in the bottom and caulk it, etc.  Cigar oasis told me the reason they use a thin ribbon cable for power is so you don't have to drill any holes in the humidor.  So now, I have it running on wall power and it's been about 3 weeks since I put about 75 cigars in it.  The humidifier runs constantly at shows 56%.  The analog hygrometer that came with the humidor shows 62%.  I live in Arizona and it is extremely dry here.  Should I charge and use the 2 humidifer type sponges that came with the unit in addition to the co xl humidifier?  I am concerned that my cigars will dry out now.  What do you suggest?  I don't see any defects in the humidor, (i.e. no gaps).  At one time for a few days it did maintain 70% humidity.  Maybe my stogies soaked up all the humidity.  Any advice would be appreciated.  Thanks, Lou

ANSWER: Hi Lou,

First, has your humidor been seasoned yet?  If no, season it now.  A seasoned humidor will absorb and regulate humidity more effectively.  (If you need seasoning instructions, search my question archive or feel free to just ask me and I will gladly repost them for you.)

If your humidor has been seasoned recently, your humidor's low humidity may just be your humidor reacting to the new addition of cigars.  Let your humidor sit for a few days and see if the humidity improves.  Second, AC power is much better than battery power.  When using batteries in a Cigar Oasis, the unit can diminish in performance whenever the batteries become low in power.  The electronic components can function slower than normal and this can also cause low humidity/poor aeration.  Replacing the batteries can also be a hassle so it's best that you use the AC adaptor to run your Cigar Oasis.

Also, you do NOT need to drill a hole into your humidor and seal the opening with caulk.  You're right, Cigar Oasis purposely made the cable flat so it can fit under the lid.  The humidor seller is wrong for suggesting that you should drill a hole into your humidor.

If the humidity continues to be low and your humidor has been seasoned, re-arrange your cigars in your humidor and make sure the Cigar Oasis is not obstructed by anything.  An obstruction between the Cigar Oasis and hygrometer can provide low, inaccurate readings.  If the humidity still continues to be low, the cause is most likely the dry Arizona climate so adding the aquafoam humidification device(s) will be able to boost the humidity back to a normal level.

Hopes this answers your question. If you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James

---------- FOLLOW-UP ----------

QUESTION: James,
As far as seasoning my humidor, the seller told me that I don't have to because it already has been seasoned by the manufacturer.  Now, I don't know if I should just season it anyways.  Can you tell me how here?  Thanks, Lou

Answer
Hi Lou,

To season your humidor, you will need the following:

- 1 clean, sterilized sponge (preferably brand new)
- 1 clean, sterilized spray bottle
- Distilled water or bidest water (double-distilled water)
- 1 sheet of plastic food wrap or a small, clear plastic bag such as a sandwich bag
- The humidor’s hygrometer
- The humidor’s humidification unit (The aquafoam humidification devices)

First, use the spray bottle and spray the entire interior of your humidor with distilled water.  Allow the water to set for a minute before wiping up any excess with the clean sponge.  (Don’t worry, this won’t warp or damage the wood.)  Make sure you spray every inch of the humidor including the trays, dividers, drawers and/or compartments.  

Next, take the humidification device and fill it with distilled water.  If you have a bottle of 50/50 pre-mixed humidor solution, you can use that instead.  Place it in your humidor.  Take the sponge and saturate that with distilled water and let it sit in the middle of your humidor.  Let the sponge sit on a sheet of plastic food wrap or plastic baggie to prevent direct contact between the wood and the wet sponge.  Close the lid now and let the humidor sit for 24 hours.  After 24 hours, check your humidor. If either the sponge or humidification device has lost a lot of moisture and feel somewhat dry, recharge them with more distilled water and repeat the seasoning process.  Once the sponge and humidifier can sit overnight without losing much moisture, your humidor will be ready.

Alternatively, most cigar stores will sell moderately priced seasoning “bricks” which you just leave inside your humidor overnight and your humidor will be seasoned.  These are usually designed to season a humidor of a certain size so if you decide to use this method, you will need to check the packaging’s fine print and make sure it’s right for your humidor.  Otherwise, you may need two or more seasoning bricks.  Using the spray bottle method that I mentioned however, is inexpensive (especially if you already have all the necessary tools) and allows you to be more thorough with the seasoning process.

Hopes this answers your question. Again, if you have any more questions, please feel free to just ask and I will be happy to help.

Regards,
James