looking into the boveda 49% RH packs and have some questions

florencekim

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my hygrometer is showing RH lower than 40% with my AC on (i live in southern california) and with summer coming and my ukulele collection GROWING, i was hoping to buy some low maintenance humidifiers).

if i purchase the 49% RH Boveda packs, should i also buy the fabric holders? or can i just put the pack without a fabric holder in my hard case?

Is it okay for the Boveda pack to touch my ukulele? or could this potentially damage the wood?

is it safe to reuse the pack (I saw that some people put the packs in a sealed container with container of distilled water (not touching) to rehydrate the packs)?

thank you in advance!
 
I used the Boveda and D'Addario paks for the first time in my dozen ukes this past winter.
I was pretty happy not to be constantly filling humidifier appliances.

I didn't buy the holsters. I was however careful to put the pak between the strings and sitting on the inside raw wood, and not against finished surfaces of the sound hole. I folded the top paper edge over the strings to keep them in place.

This worked real well for concert ukes. The paks sometimes fell into the holes of tenor and bari, but not too hard to fish them out.

My only caveat are the sopranos: they require some finagling to get them into the sound hole. And once they gave up their moisture and became hard and crinkly, they were also difficult to get out. My luthier wasn't completely comfortable with my method on the sopranos, he is afraid the force might damage the thin tops going in or out. (I was very careful and nothing bad happened.) I understand there are smaller cigar paks that might be safer for sopranos.

I also put another pack under the headstock of the tuners of the bigger ukes. And I put two paks in the sound holes of my guitars.

I haven't tried it yet, but I REALLY hope there is a way to re-charge them all. I'm all for "save the earth" (and my pocketbook!).

You can buy packs of 9 for cheaper from Guitar Center when they have a sale.
 
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I’ve used the Boveda and been happy with them. I kept a couple of ukes in plastic containers of the kind where you can put clothing and slide it under your bed. In addition to the Boveda I put in a sponge in a plastic container with holes. I only let the sponge be slightly wet. Having them together seem to extend the life of the packs. I never had the packs completely used up but they were starting to get lumpy and when I put in the damp sponge they went back to being as they were when new.
 
my hygrometer is showing RH lower than 40% with my AC on (i live in southern california) and with summer coming and my ukulele collection GROWING, i was hoping to buy some low maintenance humidifiers).

if i purchase the 49% RH Boveda packs, should i also buy the fabric holders? or can i just put the pack without a fabric holder in my hard case?

Is it okay for the Boveda pack to touch my ukulele? or could this potentially damage the wood?

is it safe to reuse the pack (I saw that some people put the packs in a sealed container with container of distilled water (not touching) to rehydrate the packs)?

thank you in advance!

I like the idea of the fabric pouch. It's designed to let moisture in and out.

When they dry out, put them into a ziplock bag with a damp sponge. They will absorb the moisture and be ready for another season. Never let them set out exposed to air. Always "Zip" them.
 
You can use an old sock instead of the fabric pouches. I have never placed them in the sound hole...……………..usually I locate them so they fold over the edge of the case internal storage compartment where the heel meets the neck.
 
You can use an old sock instead of the fabric pouches. I have never placed them in the sound hole...……………..usually I locate them so they fold over the edge of the case internal storage compartment where the heel meets the neck.

Two good ideas!
 
Is the boveda pack actually touching the top soundboard of your ukulele? i don't think my cases have internal storage, so I'm wondering where i would put the pack
 
I have read that the reason they suggest one pack be placed under the headstock, and another in the main compartment or hanging into the soundhole is that the raised compartment neck brace also restricts the flow of air in the case from the top to bottom. (Depending upon the design of the case.)

I will either lower the pack into the sound hole with a piece of yarn over the strings to keep it from falling completely inside, or I keep one at space around the heel. I'm not sure it's a good idea to have the paper of the humidifier pack in contact with the finish or wood. So I cut apart the pouches and use them to hold the pack. So far, it's worked well. Keeps the humidity in the case at about 41% with just one.

The cigar humidifier pack have a different humidity point in them than the guitar packs.
 
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