storing trains

[union pacific 4014]

we might be move soon now  to a 4 bed room house with basement   on farm  now thinking  about new layout ideas 

[jbrock27]

Matt, I am wondering if this same problem, is the reason why you have burned out several power packs in the past  ??

[union pacific 4014]

 it might be i never burned out power packs before until we move in to this mobile home  i still have to get a power pack

[Jerrys HO]

I know that in Canada the parents would be smart enough to handle this.

Things must be different in America.


Sid

Wow, hate Americans do we? I feel hurt.

Matt,
Hope everything works out for you in the new place. I know you will enjoy the basement for your trains.
Is it possible the freezer is old and is starting to go out? I would move it outside for now till you move to be on the safe side. Mobilehomes can go up in smoke rather quickly.

Jerry

[union pacific 4014]

my parents   bought the freezer new when i was  9 years old im 22 now  so it possible  its going out now

[jbrock27]

Agree with Jerry's point about the danger of fire in a mobile home.
I would say, at the least, the freezer is a power hog.

[union pacific 4014]

never mind about possible fire  a  tornado  that touch down   a mile  form us  it did no damage tho it was in a field  that  4 bed room house with basement  seems a lot safer   for life and for model trains

[Doneldon]

my parents   bought the freezer new when i was  9 years old im 22 now  so it possible  its going out now /

4014-

Yes, it's possible. But refrigerators and freezers have an expected economic and useful life averaging 14 years. That means they can be expected to operate safely, correctly AND at an economically efficient level for that time. It does not, however, mean that the equipment will break down or be dangerous after 14 years. It's just that the appliances might cost more to operate or repair than they're worth. So ... I don't think the freezer is a automatically suspect.

On the other hand, freezers do use quite a bit of electricity, especially large ones. They should be plugged into a 20 amp circuit, not the typical 15 amp circuit found for lighting, clocks, radios and other small appliances. Please note that you can't upgrade a 15 amp circuit by replacing the fuse or circuit breaker with a 20 amp device; indeed, that is exceedingly dangerous because the 14 gauge wire used for 15 amp service is too small to handle a 20 amp load.

You and your family need to find someone who knows about home safety before some or all of you are hurt. I suggest that you call the local power company to see if they offer a home inspection service or possibly a home energy audit which would likely identify any unsafe conditions. In the mean time, don't put your trains into your shed unless it is a well-built and well-maintained structure.

Whatever you do, don't ignore the safety of your home. Although it's possible that the alerts reflect poor ventilation or an overly sensitive smoke alarm, you MUST operate on the assumption that there is a danger until you have conclusive evidence that the home is safe.
                                                                                                                                                        -- D

[jbrock27]

Matt, agree w/your point about tornadoes.  No basement='s bad news in a tornado.  In Doc's state of MN, trailer parts of a certain number, are required to have a tornado shelter built for the residents of the park.  These sometimes serve the dual purpose of a community center.

Also agree with Doc's safety talk, he brings up a good point about having a qualified inspector.  This should also be applied prior to the purchase of any other home(s), a thorough, what is usually called, "home inspection" which includes the home's electrical system.

Re: storing trains:  I think if you were able to put your train stuff in sealed Rubbermaid or similar type containers with secured lids, you could store your stuff somewhere safely and w/o rodent intrusion, while all this gets straightened out. 
Good luck.