hornetnz

So I live in Michigan, and it can get pretty nippy. As of this year, Ive been storing my planes in a homemade rack in the garage. I'm wondering if I should move my planes in the basement for the winter? The garage is insulated n all, so it wont get SUPER cold, but it will get cold. Whats everyones tips for preparing your planes, engines and radios for the long winter?

jbflier

hornetnz; I've been flying r/c for 35+ years in the Cleveland, OH area and have stored my planes inside the house or out in the garage without any problems with nicad batteries. The last 3-4 years I have been flying more electrics so I think I'm more concerned about the lipo's and the cold. This year everything is in the basement. I fly all winter with skiis and will just use one plane for that...........[8D]

tkilwein

In denver area, store them in a trailer or garage - both unheated, no problems for 13+ years.
I do remove the batteries when not in use and store them in the basement.
The lipos do not like the cold. Been moving from nicd to lipo and a123 over time.

Steve

My Feedback: (54)

Just store them dry, no batteries or fuel. I always pull my fuel tanks in the spring time and check fuel lines and clunk lines. Make sure there is no sludge in the tank. I also clean the carbs and check every thing real good in the spring time. Cycle the batteries and check glue joints and nuts and bolts.

BarracudaHockey

My Feedback: (11)

I store mine in the back of my Suburban on the way to the flying field

Barry Cazier

My Feedback: (17)

I usually just crash my airplanes in the fall. Then buy new to build over the winter for the spring.
Thanks
Barry

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

I fly all year in Colorado. My planes are stored inside when not flying.

If I have to store a plane for a long time, I'll just charge the battery before storage. Slap it on the charger once every month or two to make sure it's topped up. Then cycle it 3 or 4 times before flying. Never had a problem.

busted blade

can somebody tell me if its a bad idea to store a gas airframe standing on the spinner? I have been keeping my electric planes this way with no bad effect, but I'm not sure if it will harm the gasser or not? I do empty the tank and run the engine dry at the end of a days flying.

I keep my electric airplanes in the house when not in use, but since going to gas on the bigger airframes I'm not sure if I will keep them indoors or not yet. I did bring one gas plane in the house for storage a few days ago and so far I cant smell anything from it.

Thanks

Rcpilot

My Feedback: (78)

Most of my gas planes are so large and my apartment is so small......... the planes must be hung from the ceiling. So, mine are level when in storage. I do not think it would hurt a gasser to sit on the spinner. The gasoline and oil doesn't cause rust like glow fuel does.

A friend of mine used to store all his glow planes with the nose down. He started shooting front bearings out of engines. On a few occasions, the front bearing gave way and caused other damage inside the engine. It was the left over glow fuel byproducts that were causing the rust. His front bearings looked like the hull of the Titanic at the bottom of the ocean. He had to tear down every engine and put bearings in them. They were all rusted to kibbles and bits. The sad part of it........ he thought he was doing the right thing. He was thinking the oil in the glow fuel would settle on the front bearings and keep them lubed and prevent rusting. I would have agreed until I saw his engines. Keep in mind we live in Colorado too. Not much humidity in the air, but enough to cause damage over time. I can't imagine storing a glow plane on the spinner in Florida and leaving it sit for 6 months. [X(] After run oil would probably help, but it's been my experience that most guys don't use enough.

Gasoline and 2-stroke mix doesn't do that though. If anything, the oil might settle into a bearing and gum it up if the plane sat idle for a year or two without ever turning it over or starting it. But it could just as well settle into the bottom of the bearings if the engine was stored flat and level. Wouldn't get to the whole bearing. But consider that when "part" of a bearing is shot ....... the whole darn thing is shot.

I wouldn't worry about it. How many guys do you think bother to drain the fuel out of their weed eater or chainsaw for the winter? My guess is...... not too many. Drain the tank and run the carb dry, as you've been doing. Put a gasket kit in the carb every couple seasons.

bdtsr

My Feedback: (5)

I put the really aerobatic stuff away in the winter as my fingers just don't move fast enough to feel comfortable flying them. For glow and gas engines I run them for a while, pull the fuel line and let them run dry, crank until it won't fire anymore, spray in some CRC Engine Store and flip the prop to get it all around inside. For the batteries, I pull them out, cycle them a few times and them store them in the basement fully charged.

hornetnz

Thanks everyone for your responses!

Zeeb

My Feedback: (41)

Rcpilot has given you most of the considerations about bearings and so forth that might be a concern, but there's one more I've seen guys post about and I don't store mine on the nose so I can't say if it's an issue or not....

I've seen reports of the clunks causing problems if they happen to get folded over in the tank while standing on the nose. Now if it's the appropriate length, I don't see how that could be a problem but some have said it is. That could be overcome if it is an issue by replacing your fuel lines on an annual basis which a lot of folks do. It won't hurt anything if the lines are okay and it'll give you a chance to look the beasties over when getting them out again in the Spring, while doing that line changing.

Just a thought...

busted blade

I guess I will continue storing them as I have been and not worry about it. Changing out the fuel lines is something I plan on doing every new flying season just for piece of mind.

I appreciate your replies, Thank you.

hornetnz

My clunk got stuck in the front of the tank just from landing in the tall weeds. Fixed the problem by putting in a 2" piece of stiff plastic tubing halfway between the tank hole and clunk. Now its virtually impossible for it to bend up front.