Paul C. Buff, Inc. Technical Forum

I'm a long time reader, first time poster here and I'm looking for some advice, both technical from the PCB staff as well as other photographers who may have similar experience.

I am considering building a closet in our large garage to store all of my photographic equipment which ranges from camera, lenses, monolights, wireless receivers/transmitters, light stands, and light modifiers. My concern is how the environment will affect the equipment. During the coldest winter days, the garage temp is about 40 - 45 degrees and on the hottest summer days, the temp is 90 - 95 degrees in mid to late afternoon. I'm in Oklahoma where the summer brings humid days. Dust is also a concern since our home is in the country.

What recommendations does technical support have for the equipment offered by Paul C. Buff? I'm concerned about corrosion in the electronic components of the Alien Bees and the wireless transmitters/receivers. How about mold concerns with the light modifiers? Corrosion concerns with the light stands?

Have other photographers done this and what has your experience been? What sorts of precautions have you taken to control the storage environment? I'm thinking that storing the equipment in cloth containers (dust and moisture protection) plus putting silica desiccant in the closet for humidity control.

I'd love some good advice before I make a decision to move forward with this project. Thank you for your help.

The temperatures listed are well within our recommended storage range, typically 32-140F. Dust can be a concern, and if it gets heavy where you are, the cloth covers should be fine. I doubt the humidity in Oklahoma would get so high as to be a problem, especially if the equipment is stored and used in the same environment. Going from cold to hot can lead to moisture build up, which should be allowed to dissipate before use.

I have never seen a light stand corrode, though I can see it happening if left in the weather for a while. In a garage is no problem. A desiccant would not hurt to keep with your fabrics, but would only be necessary if gotten damp from use or humidity, then stored before drying. However, I can see storing white fabrics in a hot environment may accelerate discoloration (we have no absolute data on this, but it would not happen immediately).

Thank you for the response and information. Good information about the white fabrics that I hadn't thought about. Hopefully, the forum has users who have stored their equipment in the garage and can add their experience. Thanks again.

Storing your strobes in a pelican case would be the best way (imo) in that environment. I use a Pelican 1650 for storage and travel.

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