Just discoloration from the oils evaporating and not a big concern. I've still got beads in some of my humidors and they are yellowish and have been for years.
You only need to be concerned if the rH stops being stable.

 

I've had some beads go yellow as well and my humidity dropped about 10%. I thought perhaps it was just seasonal humidity disorder, and I bought some Boveda packs to counteract. Concerned that it may be cracked beads from solids somehow getting in the distilled water.

 

Yeah, looks like oil from cigars. Happens to silica gels since they not only release humidity, but absorbs water as well as other things like...oil.

 

they be fine unless its them finicky gremlins sneaking into your stash and peeing in it.

 

Don't know for sure, but oils from the cigars seems plausible. Kind of like the cellophane wrappers turn yellow with time.

 

Probably oils like the cellophane turning yellow.

 

Like the others say, it's from the cigars, and it's inevitable. I assumed they don't perform as well, since they have absorbed some oil, they probably can't exchange H2O as readily. So every so often I scoop the yellow ones out and discard them.

 

Most of my beads are a brown to light brown color. Never have had a problem.

 

Supposedly an advantage of HCM beads is that they don't absorb oils and never turn yellow.

 

they be fine unless its them finicky gremlins sneaking into your stash and peeing in it.

I hate when that happens.

I put them in a bowl into my smaller humidor and we will see how it works. Thanks everyone!

 

Some of mine are dark brown from absorbing oils, but they're spot on at 70%.

 

Mine turned yellow some time ago, but they hold their rh perfect.

 

I have beads that are 3 years old, yellow and working perfectly. Whether is from absorbing oils or from pee by gremlins, as long as they work I am happy.