Cigar Geeks

Members Lounge => Humidors and Storage => Topic started by: hebron on 05/10/2014 11:33 AM

Title: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: hebron on 05/10/2014 11:33 AM
I'm planning to go for Heartfelt beads when I get my hands on some bigger tupperdors, and stumbled over this YouTube video on recharging them:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zQQ30f1A1p0

Looks pretty easy to maintain, any of you guys do it this way? Or are you using distilled water?
Title: RE: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: hebron on 05/10/2014 11:01 PM
:bump:

This got pushed out way to fast.  :kickyou:
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: Rebecca Silverwolf on 05/11/2014 01:41 AM
I still wouldn't use tap water, but I would agree that people are probably a bit overly cautious with their beads.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: dieselcricket on 05/11/2014 03:01 AM
I admit, I am one of those overly cautious people with my beads, Not Anymore.  Thanks for posting this video.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: wlfwalleye on 05/11/2014 03:42 AM
Been using Heartfelt Beads since 2004 and have always use distilled water and spray them lightly, which is what Heartfelt recommends on their website. I have found that if you add moisture too quickly they do have a tendency to crack or explode into little bits. Just my experience though, do what you want with them, but they are a little pricy to experiment with.

Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: c.petree.1 on 05/11/2014 03:55 AM
I use the same method as him but with distilled water.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: Rhall on 05/11/2014 04:42 AM
I just pour a little distilled water evenly over mine, and i have never had any issues. ive been doing it with the same beads for a little over a year.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: SenorPablo on 05/11/2014 05:17 AM
Wow.  Those beads are so expensive and a jug of distilled water that will last years is so cheap.  I wouldn't take the risk myself.

-Paul
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: Joelala on 05/11/2014 05:23 AM
I Definitely stick with distiller water.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: hebron on 05/11/2014 05:48 AM
QuoteSenorPablo - 5/11/2014  3:17 PM

Wow.  Those beads are so expensive and a jug of distilled water that will last years is so cheap.  I wouldn't take the risk myself.

-Paul
True, doesn't seem like the right place to be cheap... And water quality can vary greatly, so this may work where he lives...
From the comments here it seems like I'll be using sterile water, distilled is actually hard to get here.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: Kevin48438 on 05/11/2014 06:40 AM
I love Bryan Glynn.  He tests all the theories and bs that floats around out there.  I use these beads on his recommendation. I have a flat, reangular rack thing for my desktop and a bag of loose ones in my cooleridor.   I use the syringe that came with the rack thing to recharge with distilled water. Takes about half of it.  Then i squirt the other half on the bag in the cooler.  I do it about once per week
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: SoopahMario on 09/02/2014 06:57 AM
while I agree that Heartfelt beads are a little more expensive, lets remember that it's an investment, the whole Cigar Hobby is an investment.  So why would you want to cheap out on humidification options to take care of your expensive cigars?  Including humidors, Hygrometers, Tupperdor, Custom cedar trays and cigars I am already about $2500.00 deep into the hobby.  so why would i want to cheap out now? I ordered my first pound od beads last october, and just recently received my second pound.  don't cheap out on an investment that can last you a lifetime.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: BlackIrish on 09/02/2014 07:50 AM
Quotewlfwalleye - 5/11/2014  6:42 AM

Been using Heartfelt Beads since 2004 and have always use distilled water and spray them lightly, which is what Heartfelt recommends on their website. I have found that if you add moisture too quickly they do have a tendency to crack or explode into little bits. Just my experience though, do what you want with them, but they are a little pricy to experiment with.


Same here -- I use distilled, and while I don't mist, I add the water slowly and don't soak them.  Works for me, and it's not that much more trouble.
Title: RE: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: DonM on 09/02/2014 08:04 AM
Charging with Florida tap water?  Oh HELL NO!  When I first moved to FL 14 years ago, I poured a glass of water from the tap and let it sit for awhile.  Looked at it later and all the sediment and crap in the bottom was sickening.  I have a reverse osmosis water filter system in my house and it is the only way I will drink water aside from bottled bottle.  You would not believe what the filter looks like when I change them.

I do not care where this guy came from or who he is, he is full of BS, unless of course you do not mind all the chemicals and crap from tap water in your beads and then putting it in your humidor.  Spray them with distilled water to charge them and shake off or let it drip off before you put the beads back in the humidor. If you smoke cigars but are too cheap to buy distilled water, well, I don't know what to tell you
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: nwb on 09/02/2014 08:11 AM
QuoteSoopahMario - 9/2/2014  9:57 AM

while I agree that Heartfelt beads are a little more expensive, lets remember that it's an investment, the whole Cigar Hobby is an investment.  So why would you want to cheap out on humidification options to take care of your expensive cigars?

The less you spend on humidification, the more you can spend on cigars.

Humidification types, in my mind, are much like the cello on or off debate.  Different strokes for different folks, and people have good/bad experiences with all types.  I'm not going to judge someone if they use boveda vs beads vs kitty litter vs active humidification.  Just my .02.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: SparklePony on 09/02/2014 08:24 AM
This is great.  My wineador comes this week, so I'm always on the lookout for tips.

Because I have cats, I can't even CONSIDER using kitty litter...I'd get confused.
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: Cigary on 09/02/2014 08:49 AM
Distilled water always and spray it over whatever media you choose....
Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: Ted on 09/02/2014 09:02 AM

Quotewlfwalleye - 5/11/2014  4:42 AM  Been using Heartfelt Beads since 2004 and have always use distilled water and spray them lightly, which is what Heartfelt recommends on their website. I have found that if you add moisture too quickly they do have a tendency to crack or explode into little bits. Just my experience though, do what you want with them, but they are a little pricy to experiment with.  

This. I've had over a pound crack and turn to dust using the tubes/rectangles and syringe. Moved to fish tank filter media bags and mist two squeezes a month per bag (approx. 1/4 lb per bag). Distilled water is about $0.99 per gallon, and I get over a year per gallon. That 99 cents isn't going to bankrupt me, and that tap water method would actually takes more of my time than just misting (filled squeeze bottle lasts a very long time and sits next to my coolidors).

Title: Re: Recharging Heartfelt beads
Post by: scottvodka on 09/02/2014 09:06 AM
QuoteTed - 9/2/2014  12:02 PM

Quotewlfwalleye - 5/11/2014  4:42 AM  Been using Heartfelt Beads since 2004 and have always use distilled water and spray them lightly, which is what Heartfelt recommends on their website. I have found that if you add moisture too quickly they do have a tendency to crack or explode into little bits. Just my experience though, do what you want with them, but they are a little pricy to experiment with.  

This. I've had over a pound crack and turn to dust using the tubes/rectangles and syringe. Moved to fish tank filter media bags and mist two squeezes a month per bag (approx. 1/4 lb per bag). Distilled water is about $0.99 per gallon, and I get over a year per gallon. That 99 cents isn't going to bankrupt me, and that tap water method would actually takes more of my time than just misting (filled squeeze bottle lasts a very long time and sits next to my coolidors).


Distilled water is $1.10 here. I'll stick with tap water. Aint nobody can afford that.