Long term storage

[JSBOUGHER]

Hey all, long time lurker with a question. I just got an offer for a 3
yr posting far-far away (half a world actually, just heard they got
their first private aircraft). Anyway, looks like I'll be parking my
beloved Velocity for quite some time - not willing to sell her and
their are only a few I'd trust her with and leaving her with them
hasn't worked out. I plan to pull and hang the wings and have the
engine pulled, crated and pickled. What I don't know about is the
interior and avionics. I have a beautiful Garmin 430 and audio, a nice
JPI engine monitor, an ADI Pilot II with battery backup and some other
goodies. I also worry about mold issues with the interior. I live in
Ohio, so we see pretty big swings in temps/humidity. I've considered
paying a local teenager to pull/place a couple of the of the
rechargable humidity control do-dads to protect the interior, but
really worry about the avionics. Should I pull the stack and put it in
my parents basement? What about the AH, TC and DG, do their bearing go
bad if they sit for 3 years? Anything else I should be concerned about
or haven't considered? All thoughts welcomed.

Thanks,
Jeff

[M[_1_]]

If you really willing to go that far to store your aircraft for 3
years, why not looking for a place at a very dry climate (SW desert)
for the storage? I'm sure there are some aircraft storage yards in the
desert that'll take your money and let you park your aircraft there for
3 years. May even be less than your hangar rent at Ohio.


JSBOUGHER wrote:
> Hey all, long time lurker with a question. I just got an offer for a 3
> yr posting far-far away (half a world actually, just heard they got
> their first private aircraft). Anyway, looks like I'll be parking my
> beloved Velocity for quite some time - not willing to sell her and
> their are only a few I'd trust her with and leaving her with them
> hasn't worked out. I plan to pull and hang the wings and have the
> engine pulled, crated and pickled. What I don't know about is the
> interior and avionics. I have a beautiful Garmin 430 and audio, a nice
> JPI engine monitor, an ADI Pilot II with battery backup and some other
> goodies. I also worry about mold issues with the interior. I live in
> Ohio, so we see pretty big swings in temps/humidity. I've considered
> paying a local teenager to pull/place a couple of the of the
> rechargable humidity control do-dads to protect the interior, but
> really worry about the avionics. Should I pull the stack and put it in
> my parents basement? What about the AH, TC and DG, do their bearing go
> bad if they sit for 3 years? Anything else I should be concerned about
> or haven't considered? All thoughts welcomed.
>
> Thanks,
> Jeff

[M[_1_]]

http://www.airnav.com/airport/KIGM

http://maps.google.com/maps?ie=UTF8&z=16&ll=35.254013,-113.948457&spn=0.012669,0.022702&t=k&om=1

M wrote:
> If you really willing to go that far to store your aircraft for 3
> years, why not looking for a place at a very dry climate (SW desert)
> for the storage? I'm sure there are some aircraft storage yards in the
> desert that'll take your money and let you park your aircraft there for
> 3 years. May even be less than your hangar rent at Ohio.
>
>
> JSBOUGHER wrote:
> > Hey all, long time lurker with a question. I just got an offer for a 3
> > yr posting far-far away (half a world actually, just heard they got
> > their first private aircraft). Anyway, looks like I'll be parking my
> > beloved Velocity for quite some time - not willing to sell her and
> > their are only a few I'd trust her with and leaving her with them
> > hasn't worked out. I plan to pull and hang the wings and have the
> > engine pulled, crated and pickled. What I don't know about is the
> > interior and avionics. I have a beautiful Garmin 430 and audio, a nice
> > JPI engine monitor, an ADI Pilot II with battery backup and some other
> > goodies. I also worry about mold issues with the interior. I live in
> > Ohio, so we see pretty big swings in temps/humidity. I've considered
> > paying a local teenager to pull/place a couple of the of the
> > rechargable humidity control do-dads to protect the interior, but
> > really worry about the avionics. Should I pull the stack and put it in
> > my parents basement? What about the AH, TC and DG, do their bearing go
> > bad if they sit for 3 years? Anything else I should be concerned about
> > or haven't considered? All thoughts welcomed.
> >
> > Thanks,
> > Jeff

[BT]

I live in the desert, I would not "park" a plane in the boneyard for 3 years
without proper preperation, to include the engine and protecting the finish
from UV. In a hanger in the desert would shelter the UV, and maybe part of
the blowing dust.

The only thing the desert saves is mildew. But we still have mold if things
are left wet.
The engine may be able to be pickled without pulling it. An interior in a
hanger should be ok, cover with sheets or dust cloths, and make sure it is
secured from animal varmints. (moth balls work well). I'm not sure about
protecting the avionics, look for any thing that has an internal battery and
have it removed.
It may be worthwhile to pull the Garmin or anything else that is in the
"rack" and can be removed easily and stored nicely protected. Not sure about
"basement" storage as those tend to get damp if they are not "living
quarters".. maybe up on a shelf in a bed room closet?

BT

"M" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> If you really willing to go that far to store your aircraft for 3
> years, why not looking for a place at a very dry climate (SW desert)
> for the storage? I'm sure there are some aircraft storage yards in the
> desert that'll take your money and let you park your aircraft there for
> 3 years. May even be less than your hangar rent at Ohio.
>
>
> JSBOUGHER wrote:
>> Hey all, long time lurker with a question. I just got an offer for a 3
>> yr posting far-far away (half a world actually, just heard they got
>> their first private aircraft). Anyway, looks like I'll be parking my
>> beloved Velocity for quite some time - not willing to sell her and
>> their are only a few I'd trust her with and leaving her with them
>> hasn't worked out. I plan to pull and hang the wings and have the
>> engine pulled, crated and pickled. What I don't know about is the
>> interior and avionics. I have a beautiful Garmin 430 and audio, a nice
>> JPI engine monitor, an ADI Pilot II with battery backup and some other
>> goodies. I also worry about mold issues with the interior. I live in
>> Ohio, so we see pretty big swings in temps/humidity. I've considered
>> paying a local teenager to pull/place a couple of the of the
>> rechargable humidity control do-dads to protect the interior, but
>> really worry about the avionics. Should I pull the stack and put it in
>> my parents basement? What about the AH, TC and DG, do their bearing go
>> bad if they sit for 3 years? Anything else I should be concerned about
>> or haven't considered? All thoughts welcomed.
>>
>> Thanks,
>> Jeff
>

[Denny]

Leave it in your hangar... Pull the battery and put it in the parents
basement on a 'true' trickle charger - 12.8 volts trickle, check the
RV web stores for the real deal - taint cheap... Get a Globar heater
element (Gary Innocenti - Applications/Sales (716)286-7608) to put in a
metal pail and set that on cockpit floor - they can also be found as
closet dehumidifiers - do a web search... Slather a coat of wax on the
paint and tape newspaper over the plexiglass... Fog the inside of the
cylinders with anti-rust, rotate the engine so you get to the bottoms
of all the cylinders... Insert the anti rust inserts for the plugs...
Block up the plane so most of the weight is off the tires... And it
will be fine when you get back...

If you want to get reaaly far out, also put a plastic tent over the
entire plane and put a dehumidifier under it with a drain to the
outside...

denny

[Michelle P]

JSBOUGHER wrote:
> Hey all, long time lurker with a question. I just got an offer for a 3
> yr posting far-far away (half a world actually, just heard they got
> their first private aircraft). Anyway, looks like I'll be parking my
> beloved Velocity for quite some time - not willing to sell her and
> their are only a few I'd trust her with and leaving her with them
> hasn't worked out. I plan to pull and hang the wings and have the
> engine pulled, crated and pickled. What I don't know about is the
> interior and avionics. I have a beautiful Garmin 430 and audio, a nice
> JPI engine monitor, an ADI Pilot II with battery backup and some other
> goodies. I also worry about mold issues with the interior. I live in
> Ohio, so we see pretty big swings in temps/humidity. I've considered
> paying a local teenager to pull/place a couple of the of the
> rechargable humidity control do-dads to protect the interior, but
> really worry about the avionics. Should I pull the stack and put it in
> my parents basement? What about the AH, TC and DG, do their bearing go
> bad if they sit for 3 years? Anything else I should be concerned about
> or haven't considered? All thoughts welcomed.
>
> Thanks,
> Jeff
>
Having pickled my own airplane once. I can speak to this.
Having the engine well preserved is a very good idea. This is usually
your single largest investment.
Pull the avionics and when it is dry like this winter wrap them well and
seal the bags. some desiccant cannot hurt. A Basement is not really a
good place unless it is humidity and temp controlled.

The battery is likely to be right off after three years. It needs to be
cycled or it will stagnated and not hold a charge.

Pull your axles and brakes. Apply LPS-3 or equivalent to all surfaces
including the rotors. Pack the bearings well and put them in plastic bags.

The gyros do not like sitting for extended periods and will likely have
to be overhauled after storage. My HSI had to be sent out after one year
it would not track properly.

Michelle

[Doug[_1_]]

Dont store a battery on a concrete floor! I kid you not. This is a well
known no no. The concrete secretes a gas that kills the battery. I know
that sounds weird but it's true.

[Michelle P]

Doug wrote:
> Dont store a battery on a concrete floor! I kid you not. This is a well
> known no no. The concrete secretes a gas that kills the battery. I know
> that sounds weird but it's true.
>

That was when batteries had rubber cases.

Michelle P

[Jon Woellhaf]

Doug wrote
> Dont store a battery on a concrete floor! I kid you not. This is a well
> known no no. The concrete secretes a gas that kills the battery. I know
> that sounds weird but it's true.

I believe this is a well known myth -- except for the concrete gas
secretion. I haven't heard that part before.

[[email protected]]

Doug > wrote:
> Dont store a battery on a concrete floor! I kid you not. This is a well
> known no no. The concrete secretes a gas that kills the battery. I know
> that sounds weird but it's true.

This is an old myth.

What will happen if the battery leaks is the concrete will be damaged.

--
Jim Pennino

Remove .spam.sux to reply.

[karl gruber[_1_]]

Old wives tale!

Karl
"Doug" > wrote in message
oups.com...
> Dont store a battery on a concrete floor! I kid you not. This is a well
> known no no. The concrete secretes a gas that kills the battery. I know
> that sounds weird but it's true.
>

[B A R R Y[_1_]]

karl gruber wrote:
> Old wives tale!

I always thought it was a ball-busting attempt.

You're "grounding" the battery, which will ruin it! <G>

[Michelle P]

B A R R Y wrote:
> karl gruber wrote:
>
>> Old wives tale!
>
>
> I always thought it was a ball-busting attempt.
>
> You're "grounding" the battery, which will ruin it! <G>
So when is concrete considered ground?

[Vaughn Simon]

"Denny" > wrote in message
ps.com...
> Leave it in your hangar... Pull the battery and put it in the parents
> basement on a 'true' trickle charger - 12.8 volts trickle

Consider selling the battery for whatever you can get or giving it to a
good friend. I doubt that the battery you would have left after three years
will be worth the price of the trickle charger and three years of juice to power
it.

>, check the
> RV web stores for the real deal - taint cheap...

True enough. If anyone is interested, these people make my favorite float
charger: http://batterytender.com/default.php?cPath=11_2

I have been using their products for years with 100% success.

Vaughn

[JSBOUGHER]

Thanks for all the ideas. Plan to scrap / donate battery.
Interestingly enough, you all with certified planes see this
differently than I. This is an automotive battery and dirt cheap to
replace. I wouldn't have thought to pull brake rotors and to grease
the wheel bearings - good lead. My parent basement is walk out and a
living level - dry as my family room (though I sure didn't say that).
Still think I'll pull engine and crate. If nothing else, this will
make plane small enough with wings and cowling/engine mount pulled that
I might be able to split a hanger with someone. No WAY I'm paying $275
to keep her in a hanger on her own without flying for 3 yrs.

So far:
1) pull avionics & store dry
2) scrap battery
3) pull & coat rotors, pack & wrap brgs
4) still thinking about where to store

Jeff

Vaughn Simon wrote:
> "Denny" > wrote in message
> ps.com...
> > Leave it in your hangar... Pull the battery and put it in the parents
> > basement on a 'true' trickle charger - 12.8 volts trickle
>
> Consider selling the battery for whatever you can get or giving it to a
> good friend. I doubt that the battery you would have left after three years
> will be worth the price of the trickle charger and three years of juice to power
> it.
>
> >, check the
> > RV web stores for the real deal - taint cheap...
>
> True enough. If anyone is interested, these people make my favorite float
> charger: http://batterytender.com/default.php?cPath=11_2
>
> I have been using their products for years with 100% success.
>
> Vaughn

[Terry]

Jeff...

Where you located in Ohio? I'm at (DLZ) Delaware Ohio...

Terry
N6401F

[B A R R Y[_1_]]

Michelle P wrote:

> So when is concrete considered ground?

When it's part of a joke?

[Ben Jackson]

On 2006-10-15, JSBOUGHER > wrote:
> Anyway, looks like I'll be parking my
> beloved Velocity for quite some time - not willing to sell her

Nevertheless, you might consider how your storage choices would affect
your ability to sell it (remotely) if you ever change your mind.

--
Ben Jackson AD7GD
>
http://www.ben.com/

[David Lesher]

"Doug" > writes:

>Dont store a battery on a concrete floor! I kid you not. This is a well
>known no no. The concrete secretes a gas that kills the battery. I know
>that sounds weird but it's true.


A long-time Urban Legend.....

http://www.otherpower.com/otherpower_battery.html
http://www.uuhome.de/william.darden/carfaq14.htm
http://answers.yahoo.com/question/index?qid=20060919010715AAR2KVl


--
A host is a host from coast to
& no one will talk to a host that's close........[v].(301) 56-LINUX
Unless the host (that isn't close).........................pob 1433
is busy, hung or dead....................................20915-1433

[JSBOUGHER]

CAK in Canton - great airport but best when you miss the airline
departures. It's REALLY busy for 45 mins or so 3-4 times a day. I've
had the airport to myself at times. At other times I've waited 10-15
mins just to get on the mike and get a "59412, standby".
Jeff

Terry wrote:
> Jeff...
>
> Where you located in Ohio? I'm at (DLZ) Delaware Ohio...
>
> Terry
> N6401F