Oasis OH-18 humidifier question.

mikelz777 said:

The Humilele dries out a lot faster so it requires more attention and maintenance. This thread has strayed from the point asked about in the original question. Is it safe to the finish of the ukulele if the Oasis humidifier is stored in the neck space and the side of the humidifier is physically touching the neck of the ukulele?

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I have placed the Oasis in the case by the neck with no issues. This is my experience and only with two ukes, a Kamaka and a Pono. YMMV

mikelz777 said:

Is it safe to the finish of the ukulele if the Oasis humidifier is stored in the neck space and the side of the humidifier is physically touching the neck of the ukulele?

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The outside of the oasis is not wet, don't see a problem. There's a violin version, that is the same as the ukulele version, except it doesn't have the hanger, instead has a magnet inside and a metal strip you clip or screw to your case. I had one, I think I mistakenly ordered and sold with an instrument.
http://www.musiciansfriend.com/accessories/oasis-oh-6-case-humidifier?source=3WWRWXGB&gclid=EAIaIQobChMI59Sii_Tc2QIVg2Z-Ch0tZAWYEAAYAiAAEgIZNfD_BwE&kwid=39474984916x42814104161x151905500

I'm using Oasis OH-1 for my guitar (one in the soundhole and two in the case) and it works well.
As for ukulele, I have never tried OH-18 from this brand but I've seen good reviews on it. When I feel that the air in the room where I keep my ukulele is dry I just turn on my PurSteam humidifier. It happens very rarely that's why I don't want to buy OH-18.

Oasis in sound hole works on four of my tenor. I’m leave case flat. If carrying, I out them in the top of case by head stock. They work well in either position. Because winters are cold and dry in Canada , I’ve added the planet waves, DAdarrio ( also know as Bodeva ) packs in adddition to oasis, both work well separate or together.

I too find from time to time , my ukes sound different given different humidities. I think like a poster above said , anything in the 40-60% is fine.

Been wanting to try the Music Norman system

It's good you checked. I say move it around in the case - a few days here, a few days there.

Keeping at close to 50% seems to be optimal. A note that came with my last HMS purchase said to humidify/dehumidify if below/above 35%/65%. That's a little more extreme from the usual 40%/60% folks say.

Old thread, but ... I currently use five Oasis in uke and guitar soundholes, and I have to put time aside each weekend to refill them. I measure humidity in the soundhole of one guitar and it's ususally at 69% when room humidity is at 23%. The guitar humidifiers use about 1 ml water per day, and the ukes about 5ml per week. A few years ago I have moved one of the Oasis to the headstock area in the case with hopes to better humidify the neck but I don't think these devices like being on their sides as it started to leak. Instructions say to not touch the fabric so I just have them hanging vertically in the soundholes. I hope that as necks are much thicker than bodies they are not as susceptible to drying out, and I check fret ends regularly.

merlin666 said:

Old thread, but ... I currently use five Oasis in uke and guitar soundholes, and I have to put time aside each weekend to refill them. I measure humidity in the soundhole of one guitar and it's ususally at 69% when room humidity is at 23%. The guitar humidifiers use about 1 ml water per day, and the ukes about 5ml per week. A few years ago I have moved one of the Oasis to the headstock area in the case with hopes to better humidify the neck but I don't think these devices like being on their sides as it started to leak. Instructions say to not touch the fabric so I just have them hanging vertically in the soundholes. I hope that as necks are much thicker than bodies they are not as susceptible to drying out, and I check fret ends regularly.

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How old are your Oasis humidifiers? If more than a year, you may need to rinse it out and refill it with more crystals. If the crystals aren't good, the outer part can sometimes leak. I had a dozen at one time. One leaked a little. I always fill and leave them out for a week on their sides before I use them in one of my tenors.

I use room humidifiers that keep the RH at the level I set ±5%. Usually that works very well. But on these cold days, my windows have been getting condensation which isn't great for the wooden casements. So, I've reduced the rooms RHs to 40%. This winter the weather has gone through some pretty crazy swings. We hit a high temp of 40°F two days ago. The snow was melting and the humidity was good in the house at 47% - 50%. Last night it was -12°F and today's high so far is 9°. I have many of my tenors in their cases with a Boveda pack by the heel. I have an Inkbird hygrometer in four of the cases and the Packs keep an RH in the case at about 43-47%.

One of the reasons Boveda recommends a pack in the head of the case is that with the high storage compartment in the middle of the case not much air circulates from the body section to the head. I think a whole guitar pack is overkill in the head of the case. If the hygrometer reads low in the head of the case, you can put a small 45% Boveda pack.

I used to hang the Boveda pack inside the soundhole in half of a guitar saddle sleeve using a small Velcro cord tie. It grips the sleeve material very well. Some of my better tenors with thin spruce and cedar tops started to react and the tops began to get a little wavy and the middle seam between the halves on two of them became more obvious. I hastily went back tot he packs at the heel and the tenors have all returned to normal. I now have all of them located there. SO check your instruments regularly—just in case.

I just noticed a faint water stain on the label in my Kamaka. I guess the Oasis will live in the head stock part of the case from now on.

Re the finish, I've never had an issue with modern finishes, but had a wet sponge in a baggie under the headstock of an older vintage-finish uke, and the finish went a bit cloudy there, even though it was 2 inches below the headstock.

Has anyone used the Oasis with the case in any other position than flat? My uke case normally stays leaning against the wall (soundhole pointing diagonally at the ceiling) and I bought an Oasis, but the shop didn't tell me (nor the website - only the package) that it should be stored horizontally. I'm not sure what will happen otherwise.

I suppose the Oasis wouldn't touch the top anyway, since gravity will pull it towards the back enough. But it would probably sit nearer the bottom than neck. I'm not sure if it will be a problem? The instructions don't really specify, at which point of the sounhole one should install it.

I don't know if I should do some kind of a blocker that stops the Oasis from sliding to the bottom..?

The uke is a "regular" concert, with a solid top and laminate sides.

I use Oasis (humidity is currently 48% inside my cases...and I live in a desert) and I hang my cases. I suppose you could make a blocker to disallow the humidifier from sliding those few centimeters when you orient the case vertically. However, you're over-thinking it at that point.

ripock said:

I use Oasis (humidity is currently 48% inside my cases...and I live in a desert) and I hang my cases. I suppose you could make a blocker to disallow the humidifier from sliding those few centimeters when you orient the case vertically. However, you're over-thinking it at that point.

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Alrighty, thanks for the pioneering! I was just wondering, why the instructions demand the horizontal orientation and coundn't think of any other reason than the holder not being able to slide towards the bottom and not letting the humidifier to approach nor touch the top of the uke and moisturize that spot too much.

You want the humidifier to be as upright as possible to prevent the crystals from shifting around and keep them close to the bottom as they shrink. Sometimes when I am careless and I put the humidifier too much on its side it can happen that crystals clog the opening and then it is difficult to impossible to refill the humidifier. Shoving them back down is no fun and should be avoided.

I filled the humidifier and I think some if not all of the crystals gathered on top for some reason.

I also found that if the uke is horizontal, the humidifier practically touches the back of the uke. Now that its leaning against the wall, the humidifier seems to be dangling somewhere in between the top and bottom of the uke. It seems safe.

I've had one for about 5 years and another for at least 3-4 years, I fill them once a week. One case pays flat, one lays on it's side. Never had any problems with any leakage nor ever replaced the "crystals" They work fine. If you fill and the "crystals" float to the top, don't worry about it, they'll absorb the water. I've also never checked the humidity, but no cracks.

Jupu said:

I filled the humidifier and I think some if not all of the crystals gathered on top for some reason.

I also found that if the uke is horizontal, the humidifier practically touches the back of the uke. Now that its leaning against the wall, the humidifier seems to be dangling somewhere in between the top and bottom of the uke. It seems safe.

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I assume that's not a tenor? I only use the oasis for my tenor ukes, they are just too big for smaller size. For my concert ukes the D'Addario Planet Waves humidifiers with a sponge are much better. For a soprano I placed a Ziploc with sponge under the neck in the bag.

merlin666 said:

I assume that's not a tenor? I only use the oasis for my tenor ukes, they are just too big for smaller size. For my concert ukes the D'Addario Planet Waves humidifiers with a sponge are much better. For a soprano I placed a Ziploc with sponge under the neck in the bag.

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No, it's a concert, regular double bout one. Why do you find the Oasis too big?

I am using Oasis humidifiers for guitars and they are the same size as uke humidifiers. The difference is in the fabric that regulates the amount of vapour that is released. The uke ones use about 7ml per week while for guitars it is almost twice as much. So it is not only that I think that the size is too large when they touch the body of the uke but the amount of water may also be too much for smaller than tenor. The little D'Addario seems to use only about 5ml per week which I think is more suitable for smaller body, and it does not touch the body of the concert.

Hmm, I wonder at which point one should have to get worried about the Oasis not really wrinkling..? It's been several weeks already, and I can hardly see any wrinkles on it yet.

The weather isn't super dry; if my hardware store hygrometer is reliable, it has been hanging mostly around 25-35.