Since I am spending more time at our house in Cape May NJ I have been bringing more equipment down there and trying some new contacts for work. Problem is the house is very small and there is no room for equipment storage. I have a large garage I could steal a corner from but since we are so near the ocean I don't want to risk damage from the salt air and dampness.
I'm mostly talking about amps, speakers CD player, etc.
I have a place for the keyboard in the house.
Idea #1 would be to wrap the stuff in large plastic garbage bags to seal off the air
Idea #2 would be to build a small closet in the garage and make it as air tight as possible.
Idea #3 is for down the road and would mean giving up a large portion of the garage to build a room with heat/air.

Any suggestions are welcome.

BTW-- still got the mint B3 and a like new 54" black laquer studio piano which I don't want to move down there. Any takers?

Thanks

Bill in NJ

Bill - I'd go with door #2, and don't forget to raise and seal/line the floor. I've kept equipment thru the Michigan sun and snow with no ill results. I do keep everything covered and off the floor.

Be careful about HEAT in such storage as well.

I've had to replace the entire keyboard actions on quite a few units for customers because the things were stored in places where ambient heat buildup took its toll on the plastic and weights underneath. Hot cars and vans being numero uno on that list. A closet in a garage might also get hot enough in the right circumstances. Find out what the ambient temp inside that closet might get up to before thinking it is safe to store the keyboard there.

And the closet won't keep out all the salt air, either. It surely would reduce the amount, though.

If going with the plastic bags, I think it would be a very good idea to invest in some of those humidity-absorbing packets to put in there with the gear as well. The kind that you can rejuvenate in the oven periodically.

Of course, the rule of thumb for *any* musical instrument is that it shouldn't be left anywhere you yourself would be uncomfortable or could not survive...

Why not rent a small air-conditioned unit from a self storage place nearby?

Thanks for the help. Renting a unit is probably not needed for the small amount of stuff I would store. I talked to a contractor and he suggested going with the closet idea but putting in a small dehumidifier. Don't know how that would work with temp buildup?
Newest idea is air tight storage cases along with plastic bags.. Contractor types that seal pretty tight. Saw some in Lowe's and the light bulb went on.

Bill in NJ

Humidity control is good, but it won't do much about the heat factor.

I'd find out what the actual ambient heat buildup is inside that closet before commiting to anything.

Fast way, put a thermometer in there in the morning and then come by and check it after the heat of the noonday, around the 1 to 2 PM mark. If it is much above the 77 degree F mark, I'd rethink.