Any thoughts on storing old tube amps in the garage?

[timmer]

A friend of mine from work asked me this question because his basement flooded.

Here is the rest of the email: Reminder: Zero degrees F (winter) and 120 degrees F (Summer) is not uncommon here. That is... 120F in the garage loft, not outside.
I guess electrolitic caps can get dried out, but can you think of any other issues?
What about speaker cones?

All thoughts would be appreciated!

 

[TxTeleMan]

It's not nearly so cold here; store them in my garage...

Seriously though, not having looked up the specs on the capacitors, I don't store anything in the garage that might be damaged but the 100+ degree heat, especially coupled with 65% humidity.

In winter, our garage is about as cold as our refrigerator.

 

[tiktok]

Things amps, amp cabinets and tolex don't like:

Accumulation of condensation

Water freezing

Being cooked

Rats, ant nests, roachs

How many amps does your friend have? Surely there's a few nooks inside the house (under beds, coat closets, etc.) he can store them?

 

[whoisalhedges]

0 to 120 is pretty extreme... I wouldn't do it, personally.

Also, there's the humidity question -- too dry could dry out the speakers and possibly some of the internal components, too moist will lead to rust.

 

[Tarnisher]

I'd look around the house for something else that could live in the garage.

 

[timmer]

Thanks for the quick responses! He's in the Philly area and I believe he has a wife that's not too keen on having new "furniture" in the house.

Here is a pic he sent me:

 

[Birdmankustomz]

Thanks for the quick responses! He's in the Philly area and I believe he has a wife that's not too keen on having new "furniture" in the house.

Here is a pic he sent me:

He can store them at my place (he might not get then back though)

 

[Tarnisher]

He might as well sell them. At least he can put the money in the bank and use it to buy new amps if he ever has the space. If they get eaten by mice or killed by the heat it's a total loss.

I have more amps than I know what to do with too. It's great in some ways, but if I ever move it will be a pain, so I'm thinking about clearing some out. It's hard to let go, though.

 

[whoisalhedges]

Great googly moogly!

He needs to pick his favorite practice amp, his favorite recording amp, his favorite gigging amp, and a couple of backups. 5 amps. I know it's hard to choose, but that's what he has to do if he wants the wife to allow more "furniture."

Sell off the others, bring home a stack of cash, take her out to a nice dinner, buy her some jewelery... I bet he can convince her to allow amps to be stored upstairs if he plays his cards right.

 

[RubyRae]

Time to build that addition. That is a small room of amps, and a good amount of money.
I'd be reluctant to keep in garage over winter (unless there was a space heater) and any season really with humidity and heat...I would start tinking of plan 'B'. He might want to sell off a few to make more room and money. I don't know, but then again call these 'cadillac problems'. Lovely pic BTW.

 

[Al Watsky]

That looks like a pretty tight garage.
Doesn't look like their longevity is going to be increased by this treatment.
If the amps were in cases, I would risk it , but not like this.
At least wrap them in plastic if they aren't going to be used and stack them on their sides so they aren't wobbling around. I side stack when necessary, more stable that way.
If you have rodents the garage is off limits. I had a pal borrow a PA cabinet once. when he brought it back as I was lifting it I heard a sort of rattling. I opened it up to discover that a squirrel had gone right through the woofer cone and stored about 100 acorns in side. Not good.

 

[Teleagain]

Your friend could build or buy some heavy duty shelving or some kind of a rack to get the amps safely off the floor, his basement didn't flood all the way up to the ceiling did it? Extreme storage conditions tend to ruin whatever your storing.

 

[4 Strings]

An easy to remember rule of thumb is to not store your amps overnight in a place where you wouldn't like to spend the night yourself, ie. cold and damp vans, warm and damp attics, damp and damp cellars...

By consequence, smokey bars should be ok, as should anywhere under the star studded pitch black midwinter sub-zero sky way out in the sticks.

Seriously, I wouldn't store a heap of amps like that in a garage.

 

[tiktok]

Ah, yeah, I'd recommend this guy do what I did: rent a climate controlled secure storage space for his gear.

 

[DanielB1]

Get rid of the wife

 

[telemnemonics]

I have the same problem, some in storage space, some in garage, some in house. I keep them off the floor. I look for signs of rodents regularly. I try to rotate stock, home a while, stored a while. I run every amp at least a few times a year, even if it's kept indoors. If I bring an amp from 20 degrees to indoor temp I bag it to minimize condensation during temp change (and don't turn it on 'till it warms up). In Maine we don't such severe humidity, but rusting transformers is a big worry. Basically, it totally sucks to have to store amps like this. I'm in an unavoidable temporary miserable situation. If I had to do it longer term, I'd sell or lend some off rather than put them through such abuse. I agree with the rule of don't leave your amp where you wouldn't spend the night, and have downgraded my own living conditions appropriately.

 

[zook]

Considering the options I'd say he doesn't have much choice. I think it would do for a short time, but I wouldn't do it for an extended period. Checking them regularly will be key. I would also put a tarp beneath them and blankets over them.

Winnie

 

[telex76]

if thats the only place I had for them I'd go ahead and sell them now, they might not be worth much in a few years in that garage.

 

[Al Watsky]

if thats the only place I had for them I'd go ahead and sell them now, they might not be worth much in a few years in that garage.

I followed this advise my self several years back.

 

[keithb7]

Holy smokes! I love amps too, but wow that many is a problem. Wife & house versus amps... Hmmm. Tough call. LOL!
The garage can be insulated and a the door can be upgraded to fully insulated too. Rodent traps could be set and checked weekly or so. An electric heater, such as an oil filled electirc radiator can be set at 500W, with the insulation and weather stripping the temperature could be regulated fairly economically. I find my garage stays cool even in 100 degree weather. It is however surrounded on all sides with cement walls and floor. At -13 F or so if I park a vehicle in there with snow and ice on it, it will melt, and it is not heated. Just surrounded by my home.