Storing my camper outside

[Gormley Green]

Just about to sign a lease on a place here in Squamish, BC. Unfortunately I won't have a garage big enough to store my camper in, or a property big enough to keep it around - so I'll have to keep it outside in a storage yard along with my 5x8 enclosed trailer.

Any tips for leaving them out in the element unattended? Also, when I left it sitting for a long time before I'd either keep it plugged in (I put on the IQ4 to my Iota), or leave it unlugged with the master power switch turned off. I'm wondering if I should pull the battery all together and keep it inside at home?

Thanks.

 

[Mark W. Ingalls]

Just about to sign a lease on a place here in Squamish, BC. Unfortunately I won't have a garage big enough to store my camper in, or a property big enough to keep it around - so I'll have to keep it outside in a storage yard along with my 5x8 enclosed trailer.

Any tips for leaving them out in the element unattended? Also, when I left it sitting for a long time before I'd either keep it plugged in (I put on the IQ4 to my Iota), or leave it unlugged with the master power switch turned off. I'm wondering if I should pull the battery all together and keep it inside at home?

Thanks.


I would leave it on the truck...

 

[pods8]

Mine stays outside here in Everett, WA. We don't have snow to deal with but do get rain/moisture. I get some exterior mildew over the winter that a good scrubbing takes off, no leaking on mine which is a nice test. I just plug it in every so often to make sure the batteries get topped off (if I don't have it out for a while). A tub of damprid helps make sure to suck out any moisture inside if you bring it home wet from an outing and the weather isn't cooperating to dry it all out nicely.

 

[Gormley Green]

I would leave it on the truck...


But then I couldn't haul other toys all winter!

We've had it on for over 22,000km now and are about ready to get the truck back for a bit. Plus, moving into a new place and the inevitable trips to Ikea etc we're going to need to haul stuff.

Mine stays outside here in Everett, WA.


Sounds good, thanks. Not much to worry about I guess. Mostly concerned about my battery but I'm sure I can get it charged up from time to time. Still may end up just yanking it and keeping it in the garage on a trickle.

 

[pods8]

Mostly concerned about my battery but I'm sure I can get it charged up from time to time. Still may end up just yanking it and keeping it in the garage on a trickle.


Will it not be in an area you can reach with an extension cord?

If you can just plug it in for a day once a month and you'll keep the batteries topped up fine (assuming you don't have any little power draws going on, I don't in mine).

 

[Gormley Green]

Will it not be in an area you can reach with an extension cord?



Not sure, but unlikely as it's going to be a paid storage yard...


I was wondering about perhaps covering the turnbuckle doors, for when it starts to rain/snow sideways and also the furnace exhaust port. Any tips on that?

 

[K7MDL]

Not sure, but unlikely as it's going to be a paid storage yard...


I was wondering about perhaps covering the turnbuckle doors, for when it starts to rain/snow sideways and also the furnace exhaust port. Any tips on that?


The access doors are tucked under enough that no significant rain is going to be of concern around here. Keep the outside wood well painted for weather protection.

I have solar on the top and it does fine keeping the battery topped over the winter when uncovered. If there is no power available and you are covering it, you could hookup a portable low cost solar trickle charger, or else I would remove the battery and keep it at home.

Uncovered, plan on some roof scrubbing in the spring. This place breeds black and green stuff, worse than rabbits.

Got to go to Death Valley for 2 weeks to kill it all and then just hose it off.

The furnace port - I put a piece or 2" of Duct tape vertically over the primary exhaust hole to keep bees out and so that water drains over the top and not in. There is a small drain hole in the tube, but if you are tilted wrong, it won't help much. This spring I found a wasp building a nest about 4" inside the exhaust tube.

I use some 4x4x8ft posts and jackstands under the camper, leveled and distribute the weight mostly on them, with the camper jacks there mostly for stability and backup.

 

[Gormley Green]

Good info, much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[busboy66]

GG - I'm not sure if you can fully appreciate how wet and damp Squamish is from November to June since you are from back East. Total precip there is almost 8 feet, coupled with mild temperatures, it makes a haven for mold and mildew. For comparison, Victoria gets 2.5 feet, Vancouver gets 4.

I would suggest covered storage if you can. Otherwise make sure the camper can breathe, and use some sort air drier if you can't have a fan or heater in it. I pull the battery and plug it in to a maintenance charger in my basement. The charger was $10 from KMS tools.

Oh hey! Welcome to the left coast! Congrats on picking Squamish, it's beautiful there.

 

[Gormley Green]

GG - I'm not sure if you can fully appreciate how wet and damp Squamish is from November to June since you are from back East.


Sounds like it'll be a learning experience. I guess I'll just take everything out of the camper and keep my eye on it. Still not sure about having electricity at the site or not. Covered storage isn't really an option that I have found yet.

Thanks for all the tips.

 

[Barko1]

Will it not be in an area you can reach with an extension cord?

If you can just plug it in for a day once a month and you'll keep the batteries topped up fine (assuming you don't have any little power draws going on, I don't in mine).


Another trick if not using a good float charger is hook the charger to your auto garage door circuit so when ever the garage door opens or closes you get a few minutes of charging.

 

[GBW]

I hope this isn't too much of a highjack from the original post, apologies if it is!

What are your guys thoughts on covering with a tarp or canvas over the winter months? I do not have covered storage available to me either. I didn't cover my camper this past winter, only to discover that I had a small missing section of silicone on the front edge which allowed 5 months of water seepage!!

I was thinking of maybe making a small wooden frame which sits on the roof racks and wouldn't allow the tarp to rub in the wind. Maybe keeping 6" of buffer space between the top of the camper and tarp? Calgary seems to be blessed with constant gusting wind... we don't get much for snow, so the slowload weight isn't of much concern.

 

[DirtyDog]

Moved this to the FWC forum.

I always left mine outside all winter and never had a problem other than the water pump freezing once. I'd be more concerned about constant rain in a wetter climate. In that case, I would probably put a tarp over it with some 4x4's on the top or something to allow some air flow between the tarp and the camper.

 

[Casa Escarlata Robles Too]

Living here on the cal. coast we due tend to get a good bit of rain and fog, almost as bad.This past winter I covered my rig,camper and truck with two "brown" tarps.One on the truck,it's parked under some trees so all sorts of crap falls on it.For the camper I stand a 2x6 on its side front to rear,than I had an old hot tub cover thats tapered and used the Styrofoam under the tarp to create a slope that sheds the rain to keep it from pooling.With the 2x6 the tarp is off the roof and air can move around.But covered the area makes a good spot for birds and squirrels so I keep a check to make sure they don't find a home.This seems to work.Oh it's tied down.

Frank