Storing Antique Radios in Winter
 

My summer of acquisition is over. I now have way more radios than I can realistically keep in my home. Some are restored and some are not.I have an unheated storage unit.

Any tips on what I should do to protect the radios in my storage unit from any damage that may occur over the winter? We get below freezing quite a bit, but not usually down to zero.

Insulated blankets?

Don 't worry about it, they will be fine?

Just don't turn them on until they've been back in a a warm environment?

Thanks

The main thing is too keep them out of any moisture.

Cold temps in themselves shouldn't hurt anything but like Celt says, moisture from condensation (wide temp swings) could be an issue in some types of storage. I don't think it would be much of an issue in a wooden building but a metal storage container, maybe. The much bigger issue would be just keeping rodents out.

Yeah, moisture is probably the biggest concern. I hate to put stuff in an uncontrolled environment, but I remind myself that it's probably been like that for years. Just watch out for any plastic or bakelite cabinets, I had one develop a hairline crack last year. (A few days of 70° to 30° at night) Most plastics don't like expanding and contracting too fast.

Keep them warm. Electrolytic caps will burst! Ask me how I know.

I personally don't like the idea of having antiques in a non-temperature controlled environment. I put an old deco night table in my shed and I can't even open the drawers now. A collector friend I know keeps many of his sets in an out-building and every wood one I bought from him had separating veneers and panels that I had to glue down. Also very stiff and nearly seized controls. I also believe that the severe contracting and expanding causes finish crazing/cracking. This especially true with these pieces becoming 80-90+ years old.

If you have AC power in there I'd use an air purifier/ ionizer. That's what I do. It will keep the mold down.

:nono: "Storage" is an unnatural condition for any electromechanical contrivance and should be avoided at all costs . The only 100% certain way to prevent storage damage is to simply NOT store anything anywhere that's not climate controlled / human occupied . Mice , Moisture , and Mold , I won't bore you listing all the radios and tvs I've found destroyed by those dreaded 3 over the years ....

A-yup

I will probably wrap the consoles in shipping blankets, and cover with heavy plastic.

I have learned not to over buy. There's so much space I can keep my stuff in and a small amount of over flow for times when someone offers me a collection/hoard they need gone ( those I cherry pick and make back my money on selling the chaff)... if I find good stuff beyond my capacity I rate what I have based on how much I like it and how it goes with the direction (s) of my collection then sell the bottom 1-30% depending on how much room I need... I rather see something shine in another collectors display room than let it rot in my garden shed... I've had enough sadness/anger over storage / transport damage that I rather not experience more. also if I sell ten small ticket items I can replace them with a smaller item worth 10x as much.

Another thing to consider if you spent a good bit of money on a restoration and then store it in a way that damages it then you just threw away money... the only sets I'd store in non-climate controlled space are those that are unrestored rough and low value.

One bit of advice if you move. look for a house at the top of a hill with a dry mold free basement. It is great for a collection that has limited self control.

Make sure the storage site won't have any drainage problems. There was one here that flooded out when a water main burst. The storage facility was really below average grade. Should never have been anything built on that property.
A number of storage units were flooded. Fortunately I wasn't in there.
https://www.11alive.com/gallery/traf...y/85-526503365

It's a nice storage unit. Always dry. Tight door. Sealed off walls and ceiling. But it's not heated.

I would not wrap them with blankets cuz mice will use the blankets for nest material and I would not wrap in plastic as it will hold moisture in and stop air movement... But i would put something water proof over the tops of them. I would not be scared to put unrestored radios outdoors in buildings as you have to fix them anyways. Ive done far far worse and have been lucky. Most radios were stored in basements or garages before we got them. A wooden building will be far better than a tin one.

Extreme cold can also accelerate cracking of plastic faceplates, knobs and surrounds, etc. Even an oil-filled radiator with a thermostat would be enough to ward off the chills. Can you run an extension cord either aerially or protected across the ground? (Pull it thru some 2" gray conduit...)