Car Storage Options - Airchamber vs Cair-o-Port...or others

[Peter]

Has anybody got experience of the various in garage 'air flow' storage options.

I currently use a Cair-o-Port, but as I am considering maybe moving my car between a couple of garages in the future, I am looking at potentially buying another and wondered if there were any thoughts out there on the best options...and why?

I am guessing the options are really the Cair-o-Port or Airchamber as I want a rigid frame, but interested to know if there are others out there I've not heard of.

Both garages are detached (ie not attached to a house), one has electricity and the other I have rigged up a 20w solar panel, which I figure is enough to run the fans, but can always supplement with another panel, or bigger battery.

Any thoughts, comments, advice?

Thanks,

Peter

[Loz]

Hi Peter,

For many years I housed an MG in a Carcoon. I had the outdoor version and can thoroughly recommend it.

Here's a link to their website. Hope it helps.

http://www.carcoon.com

[squirejo]

Carcoon with the rigid frame is excellent. Cant quite remember the size. Strongly recommend sticking a small dehumidifier in there too.

[Mike]

Hi Peter, just done all the research as I have to buy one shortly and the Cair-o-Port does seem to come out top.
Interesting though that you've been using one and asking about others, you not happy with it?

Let me know what you go for as if I were to get the same maybe a deal might be in the offing?

[Peter]

Hi Mike,

I'm not unhappy with the Cair o Port, simply don't have experience of others, so I was interested in other views. I still can't get my head around what might be the best storage option. Somehow simply keeping the air moving doesn't seem enough....what about filtering moisture out, is a dehumidifier going to help, etc.

P.

[left4dead]

...just done all the research as I have to buy one shortly...

Anything you wish to share, Mike?

[Mike]

yep, the garage roofs getting worse.....

[left4dead]

Foolin' no one.

[IanMcLeod]

Interested in this thread as I need something in which to keep my car. I have always previously dehumidified my garages with great results but this is not an option where I am now. I too am concerned about 'bubble' storage without a dehumidifier as Cornish winters are very damp.

Are people choosing the Cair-O-Port or Airchamber because of the frame? as I am leaning towards a Carcoon without a frame and wondered if anyone has used one?

I have emailed Carcoon about running a dehumidifier inside and also whether the indoor version is OK in a garage where the roof drips in places and the floor can be wet.

Ian.

[Peter]

Ian,

I used my Cair-o-Port in a garage where similarly, the roof drips with condensation. When you open the tent and go in, the car is always dry to the touch on the bodywork. My concern is all that damp air being circulated into crevices and then settling! However, I am not sure a de-humidifier would work with the constantly circulating air being pumped in from outside. The science baffles me a little, so I'd be interested to hear the feedback from Carcoon.

I definitely chose mine for the frame as I used to have a dehumidifying 'bag' for my Caterham years ago and it was a pain to get the car in and out for a quick run, or to take to drive to work. The frame was a priority and I have found it excellent for access.

P.

[squirejo]

Interested in this thread as I need something in which to keep my car. I have always previously dehumidified my garages with great results but this is not an option where I am now. I too am concerned about 'bubble' storage without a dehumidifier as Cornish winters are very damp.

Are people choosing the Cair-O-Port or Airchamber because of the frame? as I am leaning towards a Carcoon without a frame and wondered if anyone has used one?

I have emailed Carcoon about running a dehumidifier inside and also whether the indoor version is OK in a garage where the roof drips in places and the floor can be wet.

Ian.

Ian,

The indoor carcoon floor/ base is a 'groundsheet' type of fairly thick rubberised nylon, so fine on damp ground. Similarly the roof will be fine with the odd drip because 1) the air effect inflates it like a bubble, leaving it taught and rounded and 2) because of the coming, I found any water tended to run off. I ran a basic dehumidifier inside and prior, DrMark did likewise. There are some threads on the topic from last year.

I have however concluded that at say £400+ outlay (can't remember the full cost) plus garage rent, proper secure car storage at Historit in Bicester is probably better to preserve condition and value over the winter.

[IanMcLeod]

Thank you Peter for the feedback and thank you Squire too.

I currently have two cars at Windrush and the problem is that unless the cost at somewhere like Historit is substantially cheaper the cost gets quite eye watering in the long term. The service and standards applied to car storage at Windrush are superb but as I now have free garage space this could remove a lot of the cost and I can buy a lot of equipment for the price of a years rent I am currently paying.

So far I am thinking of bubble or constructing a sealed wood frame and DPC sheet 'internal' garage within the garage with a dehumidifier in it. I have done the dehumidifier route before on my previous garage and it worked very well after I properly sealed it but the running costs of any dehumidifier are quite high. Bubble running costs are quoted as being pennies a day but I not 100% convinced on them yet so this thread is very useful. Running a dehumidifier in a bubble will be cheaper than for a garage but I would have to buy one per bubble so it adds up. If I was going to run a dehumidifier inside I am not sure it would matter which bubble I bought.

Ian.

[Peter]

Ian,

I am hoping my solar panel will run the whole lot for me....it should do easily. At the moment I am planning to use the batteries within the car itself to run the three fans overnight, letting the panel run them during the day and charge the batteries, but if that drains them too much, I'll link up another battery in parallel to take some of the load.

If I go down the dehumidifier route as well, I have been investigating a 12v item to experiment with. I've not purchased yet, but will probably take a punt to try it out as my 'industrial sized' dehumidifier would take a lot more power!

Interested to hear what others have done still, to explore all the options.

P.

[Mike]

Hi Peter, did you get anymore feedback on whats available out there?

[Peter]

Nothing more Mike and with the recent good weather, it's gone down the priority list. As I have a list of work to get done on the car...some paintwork, dash trimming, suspension/ARBs and the usual 'while you're in there' stuff that arises, it may well be that it spends a lot of time elsewhere this winter, so the problem can be deferred for another year. Just need to get my finger out and decide where to get the work done, as the car is in Sussex at the moment and I need to decide whether to bring it back up to London.....which will also determine where the Cair-o-port goes.

Any more info yourself?