Expert: James Yee - 11/19/2007

Question
QUESTION: Hi James          I have a cigar oasis humidifier in a humidor that is about 12"deep X 12"high X 18" wide as the main area, then there is a seprate drawer on the bottom that is about 4 " deep X 12 X 18. The oasis works great as far as I can tell I am wondering if it is allright to use the two rectangle humidifier pucks (about 1.5" X 5" ) in the drawer or is that to much humidity in a small area. Can you over humidify or will it just last longer between refills.

ANSWER: Hi Grant,

Based on the humidor dimensions you mentioned, the cigar oasis should be more than enough to properly humidify the entire humidor.  Is the drawer compartment completely separate from the main area (ie: no humidity from the main area can reach the drawer compartment) or are they connected in some way and able to share humidity?  

What you should first do is take a humidity reading in the drawer compartment and see if there is humidity reaching the drawer compartment.  If there isn't humidity, one medium-sized rectangle/square humidification device should provide enough humidity for that compartment.  (Two small humidification pucks will also work.)  

Humidors can indeed be over-humidified so it's best to add a 50/50 mixture of Propylene Glycol and distilled water to the humidification puck(s) to balance the humidity out at 70%.

Regards,
James

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

QUESTION: Thanks for your quick response James, I do have a follow up question to ask. The drawer is not connected to the top of the humidor so I don't think it would get any humidity from above. Also the drawer doesn't really have a good seal around the opening, if my rectangular humidifiers are mixed 50/50 would it get to moist in there or just stay at 70% for a longer time without refilling? Also can the humidifiers that I am not using just sit around and dry up without a problem, and then be refilled with distilled water again when needed?

Answer
Hi Grant,

If you add a 50/50 propylene glycol and distilled water mixture, the humidity will balance out at 70% but over time, you will need to replenish the humidification devices with distilled water in order for the humidity to stay at a constant.  Propylene Glycol last a long time inside a humidor so you only need to add it once.  After this, just add distilled water to the humidification devices when needed.

Yes, you can also just let your idle humidification devices go dry. Store them in their original boxes or just a ziploc bag and when you want to use them again, just resaturate them with water.

Regards,
James