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Thread: Humidity in Case vs Room

  1. #1

    Default Humidity in Case vs Room

    The humidity in my instrument cases is always much higher then in the room. Example case humidity is 64 room is 32. Which should I use?

  2. #2

    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    I shoot for 45%. What are you using to increase the humidity in the case? I use those D'Addario Humidipak pouches (NFI) to keep it from climbing too high.
    Chris from Tucson
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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    Case but 32 doesn’t sound ridiculously low. Ideal is around 50. How accurately are you able to measure it?

  4. #4

    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    Using an room humidifier and measuring humidity with gages inside cases and room.

  5. #5

    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    Do you use the pack alone or with the cloth pouch? How long do they last?

  6. #6
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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    If you insist on humidifying in the case, use those humidifiers that keep the rh% around 50, They can both release and absorb humidity.

    I would just have brought them at 50% and then put them in the case and the case in a sealed plasticbag. No humidifier necessary.
    Last edited by poul hansen; Jan-16-2022 at 12:50pm.
    Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car)
    Hora M1088 Mandola.....
    Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw
    Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket
    Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917
    3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo
    1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921
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  7. #7

    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    Quote Originally Posted by HighLonesomeF5 View Post
    Do you use the pack alone or with the cloth pouch? How long do they last?
    I stick 2 in one cloth pouch. They last a couple months. I live in the desert so they might last a lot longer if you live in an area with some humidity.
    Chris from Tucson
    2007 Heiden Artist F5 #F102
    1919 Gibson A3 #49762 (found on eBay for $15!!)
    2022 Austin Clark Octave #159
    1922 Gibson H1 Mandola #70063
    1972 Martin D-18 (modified by Bryan Kimsey)
    2024 Klos Carbon Fiber (on order)

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    Registered User Mandobart's Avatar
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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    Quote Originally Posted by HighLonesomeF5 View Post
    The humidity in my instrument cases is always much higher then in the room. Example case humidity is 64 room is 32. Which should I use?
    Unless you have a hermetically sealed case, I sincerely doubt the relative humidity is that different inside the case vs out.

    Take both hygrometers and put them outside next to each other. Wait about 30 minutes. Look up your relative humidity on a weather app and compare them. If they're all within 5% I'd be a little surprised.

    A hygrometer in a case with stagnant air placed right by a damp sponge, water bead, etc. is going to read a lot higher than the actual RH in the rest of the case.

  9. #9
    Registered User Charlie Bernstein's Avatar
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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    I humidify the room. I don't get around to playing instruments that are in their cases, so I keep four of 'em, including the mando, on stands in the livingroom. (Luckily, my wife thinks they're decorative.)

    When the humidity drops below 50%, I turn on the humidifier and leave it on until it hits 55%. And if it drops to the low 40s (like first thing in the morning), I also spritz some water into the soundholes.

    Don't know whether that how a pro would do it, but my instruments seem to do okay.
    Gibson A-Junior snakehead (Keep on pluckin'!)

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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    All mine are in a room and I have two balcony boxes with water on the radiator when I go under 40%rh in the room.
    Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car)
    Hora M1088 Mandola.....
    Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw
    Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket
    Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917
    3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo
    1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921
    Johs Møller 1945............Luigi Embergher Studio 1933
    Marma Seashell back......Luigi Embergher 5bis 1909

  11. #11
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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    I have an easier time controlling the humidity of a room. Only takes one decent humidifier and an accurate hygrometer to hang on the wall. I have too many guitar and mandolin cases to keep each one at a correct level. And I really prefer having my instruments hanging on wall or stand. I shoot for 50%. It's also much less labor controlling the room. I can spend the time saved actually picking instead of opening and closing cases, checking case humidifiers, etc. And I never have to worry about water leakage in a case.

  12. #12
    coprolite mandroid's Avatar
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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    I'm 2 blocks from a major river, 10 miles from the Pacific Ocean, in a temperate rainforest climate.

    Humidity comes with the location..
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    is like dancing,
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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    Quote Originally Posted by Mandobart View Post
    Unless you have a hermetically sealed case, I sincerely doubt the relative humidity is that different inside the case vs out.
    If it's a quality case (especially wood) it will retain the ambient humidity at the time of closure until opened, even if the room has become drier. I have digital hygrometers in 2 of my violin cases (the antiques) and they are always at the same humidity they were when closed, even if the room has gotten dry in cases where I'm gone and the room humidifiers run out of water. That being said, eventually they would dry out, but they DO retain humidity for a bit.

  14. #14
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    Default Re: Humidity in Case vs Room

    Quote Originally Posted by Mainer73 View Post
    If it's a quality case (especially wood) it will retain the ambient humidity at the time of closure until opened, even if the room has become drier. I have digital hygrometers in 2 of my violin cases (the antiques) and they are always at the same humidity they were when closed, even if the room has gotten dry in cases where I'm gone and the room humidifiers run out of water. That being said, eventually they would dry out, but they DO retain humidity for a bit.
    I have guitars on the wall and one with a hygrometer and it takes about 2 days, for the inside of the guitar to adjust to a 10% change in ambient.

    I once tried to put 5 guitars on a stand, inside a big nylon bag with a zipper but never could keep it stable. The humidity inside changed to ambient in less than half a day. I ascribe it to changing airpressure that will exchange the air inside if not totally airtight, so I recommend a plastic bag but strangely that never comes up in discussions, instead a lot of fancy remedies are proposed.

    I will say however that a case will slow the change down which is beneficial to the instrument, as sudden changes are potentially more damaging.
    Kentucky KM-805..........2 Hora M1086 Portuguese II(1 in car)
    Hora M1088 Mandola.....
    Richmond RMA-110..... .Noname Bearclaw
    Pochette Franz Janisch...5 Pocket............Alfredo Privitera pocket
    Puglisi Pocket 1908........Puglisi 1912.......Puglisi 1917
    3 Mandolinetto ..............C.Garozzo
    1 Mandriola...................Cannelo G. Mandriola...Böhm Waldzither 1921
    Johs Møller 1945............Luigi Embergher Studio 1933
    Marma Seashell back......Luigi Embergher 5bis 1909

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