Amplifier long term storage

[impala454]

I have an Emotiva XPA-5 and would like to store it for about a year in my storage unit (non-climate controlled). I have the original box and will use it, but am curious if there's anything else I should do. I have a big roll of moving plastic and figured I could wrap the whole box, or even the amp before I put it in the box. Any ideas?

[Alaric]

I would get a bag of rice (not plastic , one of those 'plastic burlap' ones) and put the bag , with a couple cups of rice , in the box with the amp. That's if I could get to it and change the rice every month or two. It's great for absorbing humidity for cheap. Home Depot or such probably has a relatively cheap (and lower maintenance) alternative to rice for the intended task. Either way , I would definitely consider moisture if it's going to be subject to the temps and humidity of Houston. Once condensation occurs inside the plastic it can do unreal damage in a year. I just got (most of) my gear back after a few years , but I was fortunate in that it was stored indoors.

[Hdale85]

Yeah I honestly wouldn't wrap it in plastic. The plastic could be a way to hold moisture in more than anything, and certainly as suggested look into some sort of moisture absorber, also store it up high enough so that anything that may happen to it such as flooding and such (regardless of how unlikely) won't affect it.

[impala454]

I plan to use a bunch of desiccant packs in the box, just keep getting mixed advice on wrapping it in plastic or not.

[madmac]

Well, if you wrap it in plastic, the amp will be locked into the moisture (Relative humidity) that was present when it was packed.....which may be good or bad for the amp in regards to a long storage. I think if you use a good de-humidifier where this amp will be stored you should be fine in it's box only. Just my 2 cents!.

[Alaric]

Maybe a vacuum type bag would work if it stayed sealed , but I wouldn't try it until the bag , amplifier , and surrounding air were all the exact same temperature. At least 24 hours worth of temp stabilization. Humidity/condensation just does Bad Things , and it doesn't take much to start the oxidation process. Once started it feeds on itself. Honestly , I'd be tempted to find room under the bed for it instead , but you know your situation better than anyone. A friend's house , maybe?

[Hdale85]

Relatives basement? Well I guess maybe basements aren't that common over there.....lol

[Stoney]

My suggestion would be to wrap the amp and desiccant pack(s) in a sealed bag and place them both in the box. The desiccant pack would absorb any moisture present and the sealed plastic would keep any more from getting in. The trick would be to ensure you have enough desiccant to remove/neutralize the original humidity when it is packed. If there is not enough desiccant to neutralize the original humidity, you will just be sealing a wet bag in with your equipment.
At work, we receive shipments of Semiconductor Manufacturing Equipment from the manufacturer in Japan. The equipment is usually double bagged (very large bags) with desiccant packs in the inner bag. This is packed in a wooden crate and shipped both by air and boat to San Francisco or LA where it is placed in standard trailers or flat beds to ship to Utah over the road. Lots of temperature and humidity changes along the way. Of course they are only in this situation for a month or two at most, but it reaches is final destination with no apparent ill effect.
Now that I think about it, it was probably bagged in a clean room environment with well controlled humidity and temperature.
Any way, sorry about the verbal diarrhea. Hope you find a good solution.

[impala454]

Yeah that's what I was thinking (that if I sealed in the desiccant it would work nicely. I may just try to convince my parents to store it for a year.

Dougie- yeah we don't have basements here, water table is too high and dirt is too hard.