I have some electronics that need to be stored in our damp cellar (no standing water, just humid). My solve would be to store inside those heavy duty lock-lid bins and wrap the lids with that mover’s stretch plastic wrap to keep moisture from seeping in. I do have one TV that’s big and I wondered if I could just wrap it completely in that plastic wrap and set on a wood pallet, just in case there ever is standing water.
Any thoughts or cautions about this line of thinking?
When I used to keep a CRT monitor around for emergencies (until I had enough LCD monitors to have a spare), I wrapped in directly like you’re talking (no bin). It sat in my un-climate-controlled storage room for years with no ill effects until I got rid of it this past year.
Provided you seal the containers BEFORE moving them to the humid basement. Otherwise, you’re just trapping humid air in with your electronics. For the tv, I’d definitely advise against wrapping it in plastic. Also, be sure to remove any batteries (especially the disposable/alkaline type).
Humidity isn’t necessarily bad for unpowered electronics. It’s when they’re getting power and that humidity can hold in heat or allow circuits to short (through condensation or just reduced resistance). As long as you let them dry for a few hours before powering them up, you should be fine. It shouldn’t be that big a problem, either way. I mean, people in the everglades still use computers and watch tv.
Finally, look at how boaters store their electronics. There are few places more damp than a boat that spends all it’s time on the water. You’ll want to read the details yourself, but basically, they disconnect stuff when it’s not in use, store it in a plastic container with some slightly absorbent material (e.g. a piece of plywood) on the bottom, and include a chemical dehumidifier in the container (think of those little packets you find in a box of new shoes).
put some desicant (silica gel) in a cloth bag inside the containers or wrapping.