Storing Electronic Equipment

Years ago a 36” television with cathode ray tubes were nearly impossible to lift by one person. Two people moving an old television was a tricky situation due to their size and  horribly imbalanced and weigh over 100 pounds.The first televisions weighed over 900 pounds¹.

Even though today’s flat screen televisions can weigh less than 20 pounds, they need to be handled with care when being placed in storage to prevent scratches or worse yet, breaking the screen. The same holds true for other electronics. Computer monitors are fragile in the same way televisions are. Stereo equipment have knobs that can snap off. Kitchen appliances like microwaves, blenders need care when packaging up for storage. Small devices like flashlights and many power tools run on removable batteries and need their own care.

What’s The Best Advice For Storing Electronic?

1. Check The Owner’s Manual - If you still have your owner’s manual, start there. Oftentimes, there is guidance from the manufacturer on storing their built equipment.
2. Clean and Dust Everything Off - Though a little bit of dirt never hurts, over time the grit can build up and when moved next could get caught up in one of the connections and cause some issues.
3. No Moisture! - Pat dry all of your electronic equipment. Moisture will cause some metal parts to rust and discolor plastic. Not to mention you can easily fry out circuit boards when devices are plugged in again.
4. Disconnect All Cords - While packaging and moving your equipment, bending cords may wear down the wires inside. Though, the main reason to remove cords is so they don’t break off in the devices. The AC cord tips of many laptops are flimsy enough to snap off leaving the connection stuck in the machine. 
5. Keep organized with your cords. Keep them separate from the equipment (and other cords). Labeling them in will help find all your pieces later on. Sandwich bags make great containers for small and medium length cords.
6. Remove Batteries - If your equipment uses removable batteries (AA, AAA, C, D, etc.), then remove them! After time, the liquid electrolytes inside them breakdown and release hydrogen gas creating pressure². The pressure may cause the insulating seals to break and the liquid electrolyte will escape. This will cause rust and corrosion that will make the batteries useless and potentially wreck the housing on the equipment.
7. Packaging it up - If you have the original box, that’s the smart place for storing your electric equipment. It’s already the perfect size.

   If you do not have the original box, avoid plastic to wrap your devices. Plastic will hold in any moisture that may occur during storage (think of those humid days). We recommend using cotton cloth to wrap your electronics in as it’s more breathable and wicks away moisture. You will want to use styrofoam packing peanuts or plastic bubble wrap with your televisions and monitors as they provide a cushion and additional air flow.

8. Take Pictures Of Everything - Before you start pulling everything apart, it's a smart idea to take photos of cable connections. That way you’ll know if it’s the white cord with this special input that goes into the green socket that makes the red thing work.

Got Everything Packed?

Move your electronics to the back of your storage unit. This gives some extra protection to your equipment from items falling forward when removing them.

Citations

1. https://weightofstuff.com/how-much-does-a-tv-weigh/
2. https://www.consumerreports.org/batteries/whybatteriesleak/