Painful lesson - moldy tobacco in kiln

[DrewG]

First time grower and am experimenting with kilning conditions. Brutal to learn lessons with product I’ve been tending daily since January when I started seeds. I have a cooler with two heat mats and two temp controllers set to 120F. The leaves are in high case, too high it turns out, in bags sandwiched between the two heat mats. Things were going just fine (successfully kilned my first primings for two months under these conditions) until I added the last of my harvest. One week later and mold. Leaves were too wet and portions that weren’t directly in contact with the heat mats got lit up big time with mold. I removed all the affected areas in hopes I can salvage the rest. I am drying out the bags to lower humidity, setting the temp to 125, ensuring the bags are all on the mats without any parts off the edge and squeezing out as much air as possible to increase contact with the mats. Live and learn. Posting so others might avoid a similar fate. Fingers crossed.
Drew

 

[deluxestogie]

Below 123°F, vegetative mold growth can occur. Setting the temp to 125°F (assuming the hysteresis—lag between power switching on vs. heat being produced—does not allow it to drop below 123°F) should be safe from mold, regardless of how high the humidity may be.

Bob

 

[vktr]

OK, upped my thermostat setting from 48 to 52 C. Hope this will help and won't burn the house . Thanks Bob.

 

[DrewG]

Im putting a lot of faith in those temp controllers! If I burn down the house for some home-grown, hand-rolled cigars it will move right past trial separation. Lol

 

[DrewG]

So, I turned my temp controllers up to 125 and have stacked my tobacco into more of a central pile sandwiched between the heat mats with the temp sensors nestled in the middle. I am getting overshoot on temps, up to maybe 135, as the whole pile heats up. I just have too much mass in there. It finally settles in at 125. What temp is too hot? And for how long? Am considering removing some of the bags and letting them rest, dried out, until the other bags are done. But I’m impatient. I’m ok to proceed as is as long as these over temps aren’t harming my product.
Drew

 

[vktr]

This batch has been almost two weeks in my cooler kiln. Can you tell from these pictures if this leaf is OK? In reflected light it seems to have some blackish areas, but if the light passes through it looks wonderful.