# Remote storage and protection



## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Due to space limitations and steep driveway we can't park our camper on our own property. I'm pretty sure I'm not alone in this regard. All my previous campers we've been able to store on our own property so this is new.

If we need to park at a remote site for storage, what measures should we take beyond looking for a good storage facility with good security?

We are set up to store our new camper at an RV storage facility that we've researched and found to be pretty good in terms of break-ins, vandalism and the like (checked police records to confirm). However, they have had a couple of incidents over the last year.

What can we do to prepare our camper for the off-season beyond the usual measures for winterizing? My concerns are:

Security - vandalisn and theft
Collision - other campers being backed into ours
Weather protection - we are going to use a cover for the TT - do I need tire covers? (we are in Seattle)
Anything else?

Brian

PS - If I missed any threads out there that already cover this topic a redirect would be appreciated. Thx


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## kjp1969 (Apr 25, 2004)

We park ours in a pay storage lot. It supposedly secure, but who knows. I'm installing a master battery cutoff switch to keep anyone from messing with the electric jack or hitching lights.

Kevin P.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Brian when I lived in CA I had to store my previous camper at a storage lot as well. Be picky about the spot you get, look at the rigs next to you, and how they have to get in and out and how close they would be to your unit. Also make sure you can get in and out easily, I was able to get a pull through spot which was nice and easy, but I didn't want an end spot.

I did run a cable and lock through my Propane tanks, but I left my batteries on the camper. Some folks remove them or get a steel strap with lock to hold them in place, most appear to have been custom weld jobs. You can probably develop a lock for the Propane cover that would make it difficult to take the batteries and still be priced right.

Make sure you get locks on the back of your camper so somebody couldn't slide it open to break in. Keep the blinds closed.

Is the space at home to tight for the new camper? Mine is extremely tight, to tight to try to back in and out of. I bought an electric dolly to move my camper in and it works great. How steep is the driveway? The owner at Power Mover is great about advice and if your driveway is to steep for his type of setup to work safely. You can find his website here.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Y-guy,
The spot I've got is a pretty good one. Two big 5ers on either side and wide (about 14ft.) due to the way the spaces are laid out and the presence of a big 'ol Doug Fir(on the other side of the next slot so both his and mine are larger but he has to deal with the tree







). Lots of area to maneuver when backing - not tight at all. Also, it's right across from a fire station on the other side of the street and hopefully that will discourage any mischief. Overall, a great spot for not a lot of $ and big enough that we can actually go and comfortably spend time there while we are prepping for departure. Its less than 3 miles from the house too.

I hate to say this but one of my main concerns is other RV owners/users that may have legitimate access to the lot but no access to scruples. Most of the rigs are upscale but some are not. Your ideas about locks on the slide and propane tanks are good ones - had thought about the slide but not the tanks. I'll be installing the same lockable clamps as aplvlykat so I can lock the propane cover down. A cable through the tank handles would also be pretty cheap and effective. I'll have to mull over the battery - propane cover clamps might be enough.

I have both space limitations (not even as wide as the camper) and covenant limitations (the old covenant nazis







) that prevent me from parking in the driveway at home. I saw your pictures of your power mover and immediately fell for it







- what a great little machine. But, it wouldn't help in my case.

When the kids are all off to college, DW and I will be moving into a better situation for storing a camper (couple acres in the country, view of Rainier) but for now, we're stuck.

Brian

PS - got your email - will respond this evening


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Brian sounds like you have a good spot. If you lock down the LP cover I wouldn't worry about the batteries, if they want them that bad they will take them.  The cable through the LP tanks might be over kill as well if you lock the LP cover. One other thing is to try to get to know your neighbors, I left my name and # on the guys rig near mine and asked if he ever saw a problem when he was out to give me a ring. He called me, thanked me and gave me his # as well. Never had any problems in storage. Does the storage lot have video camera as well? My wife is going to drop you a note about Disney stuff too, she had the bug I had Mon/Tues but she's got some thoughts for you all.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

No video camera on the lot but there is a couple that live at the lot who keep lights on it and periodically check it. Kind of hard though to see into the canyons between some of those rigs.

Good idea on the notes too.


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## j1mfrog (Jun 6, 2004)

I park mine at my brothers. They've got a yard where they park heavy equipment. If I give them enough beer, they refrain from vandalizing my trailer. It's actually a very good rental deal. I bring the rent and then help to dispose of it.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

I had the sweetest deal when I first moved here. Friend of mine worked for a body shop with a couple of towing companies and of course the Police Impound Lot that was a great place for my trailer. Talk about secure. Day and Night vision Video surveillance, motion sensors, 8' barbed wire/razor wire fence. Just picking up my trailer was a PITA.


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

I hear you Y...
Mine is parked on a fenced in lot, on a fenced in Air Force Base. All guarded with attack dogs and men with automatic weapons, grenades, humvees...well, you get the picture.

I feel like it's pretty secure, but anything can happen. Just make it a hard target, and don't store anything in there someone would risk breaking in to get. I lock my rear slide, and all doors.

Also, remember many compartment keys on RV's are the same. Keep things (you don't want disappearing) out of those areas.

I remove my batteries, so I can charge them periodically during the long ND winter.


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## Reverie (Aug 9, 2004)

We have a great deal through my wife's work. Her employer has a recreation area on a big lake. Off the lake they have created a fenced storage area. My only complaint is that it is designed pretty tight. I can't necessarily prevent someone from damaging our unit through collision but I can tell you it wouldn't be difficult to figure out who did it since they are assigned spaces.

I leave my tanks and my battery on the trailer all the time. I am using it about every other week right now. This winter I may go ahead and bring the battery home, not because of any theft worries but to keep it charged. Our winters are typically mild.

I don't leave anything of any value in the trailer except an old TV. We keep everything else in big plastic storage containers at the house and take stuff out as we think we need it.

Some people install alarms but I'm not really sure what good that will do. Unless the caretaker is in the storage lot it is doubtful it would be heard.

Good luck...


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

NDJollyMon said:


> I remove my batteries, so I can charge them periodically during the long ND winter.
> [snapback]14576[/snapback]​


Very good point too Pete! I know it doesn't get that cold in Western WA but the batteries over winter would probably do better at home.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

I'm going to have to read up on battery care. I was wondering if I shouldn't do that anyway since there is no electricity at the RV storage to allow me to bring in shore power once in a while. I had thought I'd get a genset before storage time that I could periodically use to charge the system but that looks less likely now. Probably easier to keep the batteries at home.


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Brian, I'd get a good battery charger and deep cycle charge them, much cheaper than a generator and the chargers are designed to condition the battery too.


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Y-guy 
How important is the need to match the batteries? The battery I got with the camper is an interstate and I can likely get another just like it, will that be enough?
Brian


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## Central Mass Outbackers (Jun 13, 2004)

We've arranged to store our TT at a local fairgrounds for the winter. They allow RV owners to store them inside the livestock buildings from October to April for $10/foot. Once you're in, you cannot go back inside to get anything out of the TT until spring, the place is locked up tight. Honestly, I really like the idea of storing it in a covered space, as water leaks can be disasterous during the winter, as we learned with our last trailer. It's apparently pretty popular, as there is a waiting list of RV owners trying to get a spot there. I just wonder about the pricing- $220 per year. Is that too much for covered storage for 6 months a year?


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## Travelers Rest (Feb 27, 2004)

Central Mass,

$226 per 6 months is $452 per year...thats a lot of money for storage but not really for what you describe. In fact its darn cheap!! Think about it, for $226 you don't have to worry about snow, rain, burglers, tanks theives, UV damage and so on and so forth. You're getting all that for $37 per month.... I pay $20 for outdoor storage!

While it is a chunk of money, I would pay it for the benefits! Others may feel differently, but thats my thought!

Steve


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## Y-Guy (Jan 30, 2004)

Brian - as new as your camper is you should be able to find one like it. The bigger issue is not so much the same brand is that you use the same group, check your battery to see if its a Group 24 or Group 27. If the battery was a few years old then matching would be more important since the newer battery would find its upper charge limit the same as the old one.

Central Mass - That actually sounds like a pretty good deal to me.


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## Golden Mom (Apr 25, 2004)

Fortunately for us we are able to park and keep ours in the driveway. We have had to extend the driveway out some more. We put gravel down for a base last year and the concrete man is coming this week to pour. I just don't know how I would live without the camper being close by. In the summer, I'm in it constantly piddling around. Also it's a great escape to go take a peaceful nap. (No one ever thinks to look for you in the camper







). As soon as we get home from a trip, we take the bedding, etc... out, wash it, then put it back in. If I had to park it somewhere, I could only imagine everything I would forget.....









Have a great day! sunny


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## mswalt (Sep 14, 2004)

CentralMassOutbacker,

Here in Abilene you can get covered RV storage from $35 per month. I rented one of those (there was only one left) but it was too hard to get in and out of! Especially for me, a rookie.

So I ended up at another space with much bigger spaces and a gravel surface. Easy to get into and out of but expensive. The lot is closed off, you need a code to get into the razor-wired lot, the office is on-site (even though someone is only there during the day) and each gate opening and closing is monitored by code.
Trouble is, it costs $70 per month! But, I guess you pay for convenience.

I think I will remove my battery and take it home with me. And the idea mentioned about leaving a note on my "neighbor's" unit sounds good, too.

Mark


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## NDJollyMon (Aug 22, 2003)

Central...I'd pay that much in a heartbeat for covered storage!


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## BigBadBrain (Aug 26, 2004)

Covered storage here is a little like waiting for an open slip at a marina on Puget Sound, if you've got a relative who leaves it to you in their will you've got a chance, otherwise, look for the best outdoor storage site and go from there.

Someday I'll have a special place for me and my Outback. Oh, and my wife too of course. shy


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