How-to Store a Soaker - Over-winter storage

For questions, articles and discussions regarding water blaster maintenance and repairs.
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isoaker
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Post by isoaker » Tue Aug 23, 2005 9:58 am

The following protocol is what is used here at iSoaker.com to store soakers for the winter. This procedure is a little different than what is used for really long-term storage which is done only for soakers that will not be used for many years. A description of the other storage protocol will be written up in due time.

For soakers being stored for longer than 1 week without intended use, various things are done to ensure the soaker will be in good working order when being used again.

The soaker is first depressurized, emptied of any water in its reservoir, and left with its nozzle angled downwards on a shelf with the reservoir open. For pressurized reservoir blasters, the reservoir is checked after a day and drained of any residual water that may have pooled on the bottom.

For blasters with separate firing chambers, after a day, the blaster is first air-pumped and fired without significantly changing the downward angle of the nozzle in attempt to drain out water from the internal tubings. The blaster is then tipped to empty the reservoir of any pooled water within. While the blaster is upsidedown, it is pumped a few more times and fired to help drain water from within the pump shaft.

This draining process is repeated for at least 2 or 3 more days until no water is seen being shot from the nozzle.

Once the blaster appears dry, the reservoir is closed (but not tightly). Blasters are stored in a cool, dark place that is clearer of dust and dirt (often in plastic storage boxes). Storing inside containers also reduces the chance of having bugs entering any part of the internals.

During winter storage, blasters are checked after a couple of weeks of storage and dry-shot a couple of times since, despite previous efforts, there always tends to be a little remaining water within the internals.

The less water left trapped in the blaster, the less likely one will have problems with mold/mildew growth gumming up the internals.

:cool:
:: Leave NO one dry! :: iSoaker.com .:

DX
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Post by DX » Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:19 am

Storing inside containers also reduces the chance of having bugs entering any part of the internals.


When my soakers used to be stored in the barn, I would find a whole array of bugs who decided to call my CPS 4100 home. Spiders, ants, earwigs, roaches, etc. Of course, those spiders that spun their webs in the nozzles were due for a nasty surprise. :laugh:

Guns are best stored in a part of your house that has a constant temperature and a place that you use often, so there are less bugs.
marauder wrote:You have to explain things in terms that kids will understand, like videogames^ That's how I got Sam to stop using piston pumpers

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isoaker
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Post by isoaker » Tue Aug 23, 2005 10:24 am

Mmm... tasty! Thanks for sharing that.. uhh.. interesting mental pic of a CPS4100 nest of buggies. Based on what I've seen on our BBQ grill, I can somewhat visualize what a CPS4100 may look like after being in a barn for a longer period of time. Tasty! :goofy:

There are some more details I plan to add to the guide, above, but will do so when I've got a little more time to type.

:cool:
:: Leave NO one dry! :: iSoaker.com .:

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Iceman
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Post by Iceman » Fri Aug 26, 2005 12:24 am

When I said earlier that I was putting soakers down for a while, I meant a good 10-15 years or so of very little activity. Here is what I have done to preserve them for their very long sleep:


1.) I left triggers out and not clamped in as to not put stress on the springs or triggers for this very long period of time. Checked any repairs on any triggers to see how they were doing.


2.) Dried the guns completely out. The Reservoir is dry, the tubing will main dry (moderatly, probably microscopic drops of water are still in them). This is so mildew does not build up and the tank or gun itself does not smell of rotted watter after 2 decades :p


3.) I did however tape up the nozzles, again to prevent foreign invaders and mildew. Every gun was airshot before I taped the nozzles up.


All of my guns are being stored now in my closet (pretty big, about 5 by 5?) In a corner where I can see them. There is a vent in there, so the temperature is constantly around 76 degrees farenheight (or about 24.4 degrees Celsius) and it is constant. May get a little warmer around Winter in there, but it is a controlled environment where I think they will live their long sleep. I long for the day I pull out those relics :cool: May have a few battles in between now and then, but probably not many.
_

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Post by isoaker » Fri Aug 26, 2005 6:57 am

Thanks, Iceman, for sharing what you did to prepare your soakers for longer-term storage. However, I may end up moving your post into a different thread as I was planning on writing up an article on what I do for long-term soaker storage as well!

:cool:
:: Leave NO one dry! :: iSoaker.com .:

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