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Shipping containers offer a semi affordable way to provide outside storage of bulk preps.
At first glance they are perfect for the survivalist. Long term use however proves "perfect" to be less than correct.
The temperature differences between outside temperatures and temperatures inside the container tend to make the inside of the container "sweat" for lack of a better term.
On days of extreme temperature change, like fall and spring, it's common to see big drips of water hanging on the inside ceiling of the container if opened up in the morning.
Leaving one of the doors cracked helps but also then invites bug problems, mice, etc. It also doesn't really solve the problem.
The vents that shipping containers come with- if they have any- are tiny and over the long term, pretty much worthless. Remember the original use of these containers- a one way trip usually from Asia to America carrying consumer goods.
So in an ongoing effort to modify and hopefully correct the problem of "sweating" and the inherent problems of mold and moisture brought on by the same, I start adding more ventilation.
A little more than a year ago on a different one, I cut a vent and added a solar powered gable fan. These are the type sold to be installed on the gable of your roof to withdraw some of the warm attic air out. We have had a gable vent working great on our house for a couple years, but it had the 20 watt panel with it.
I opted for the 10 watt panel system in an effort to save money. I've decided to change the 10 watt panel out to a 20 watt panel after seeing better results with the 20 watt panel.
Cutting into a container is a daunting thing to do. You have $1500. or more tied up in this thing and to think that you are going to start hacking it up is a bit unnerving. First and foremost develop a plan to vent. The just one vent one fan approach had some bearing in the other container, but I wanted to expand a good bit with the next one.
The ridges in the sides and top of the container also make the cutting of vents just a bit tricky. Their will likely be an approximate 18" wide flat section close to the front and close to the back of the container on both sides. I suggest you look here first for venting options. Making the cuts to a flat surface is much easier than the corrugated or ridgey type surface.
Contrary to stupid TV shows showing a goofy couple shooting a container with a .22lr.... Actually shooting the CORNERS which are the thicker metal..... The bulk of the metal in a container is not that thick. You will need nothing more special than a 4" angle grinder with a quality metal cutting disk and a reciprocating saw with a quality metal cutting blade to do this job.
I opted for standard sized gable vents versus custom sized vents. Why? First and foremost commonality. If something happened to these vents they are everywhere. Also these vents are considerably larger than the vents marketed specially for containers, like these
Also, the gable vents are almost half the price.
But security? Well as usual, I'M NOT GOING TO SHOW YOU EVERYTHING ;)
Yes, additional measures to add a more security front to these vents were made, and they ended up considerably stronger than the commercial container vents.
Begin by drawing out the area of the vent with a black magic marker on to the container. I used the flange for the gable vent as my template.
So you will end up with rectangle drawing. Begin at the bottom left corner and using the angle grinder, cut a horizontal cut following the black magic marker line. Your aim with the angle grinder is simply STARTING THE CUT, not cutting the whole thing with the angle grinder. Next making a VERTICAL cut with the angle grinder that starts at the vertical cut in the corner and goes up. Again, you only need a bit to get started. Go to the opposite corner of your marked out rectangle- the top right corner and cut a horizontal cut to the left and a vertical cut down.
Now set the angle grinder down and pick up the reciprocating saw. The angle grinder cut you made now allows you to insert the blade from the reciprocating saw. This allows you to follow the lines and cut out the entire piece.
Fit whatever vent you choose in place and secure it. Be sure to caulk the hades out of it also, inside and out. Any security apparatus for the outside can be placed now or later- will not be shown in photos sorry.
Here's how one of the gable vents looks from the inside-
Pic is pre- crazy week of carrying out, cleaning, painting and re arranging...So yes it looks messy in there ;0
Now also, you can add a solar gable vent fan.
Depending on the type of gable vent and the mounting apparatus, you can bolt this right to the container.On the first install on the other container I built a wood rack to hold the fan. I will at some point re-do that and attach it similar to above. The wire for the panel is snaked through the vent and the panel placed on the best location within reach on the top of the container that gets the most sun.
When it's even remotely sunny out, that thing goes like mad. While the other fan with the 10 watt panel located very similarly doesn't even start up till late morning, this one is chugging away almost immediately once the sun is up and goes way longer into the evening than the other one. The panel being twice the size of the other certainly has a lot to do with it.
Four other vents in the flat surfaces on the sides I spoke of have been installed.
The temperature is greatly reduced in there, no "sweating" has yet been seen although it's highly likely that in the extreme temperature swings we will still see SOME.
I'm not done with the whole venting scheme but this is approximately 60% of the plan and it's worked out great so far.
At first glance they are perfect for the survivalist. Long term use however proves "perfect" to be less than correct.
The temperature differences between outside temperatures and temperatures inside the container tend to make the inside of the container "sweat" for lack of a better term.
On days of extreme temperature change, like fall and spring, it's common to see big drips of water hanging on the inside ceiling of the container if opened up in the morning.
Leaving one of the doors cracked helps but also then invites bug problems, mice, etc. It also doesn't really solve the problem.
The vents that shipping containers come with- if they have any- are tiny and over the long term, pretty much worthless. Remember the original use of these containers- a one way trip usually from Asia to America carrying consumer goods.
So in an ongoing effort to modify and hopefully correct the problem of "sweating" and the inherent problems of mold and moisture brought on by the same, I start adding more ventilation.
A little more than a year ago on a different one, I cut a vent and added a solar powered gable fan. These are the type sold to be installed on the gable of your roof to withdraw some of the warm attic air out. We have had a gable vent working great on our house for a couple years, but it had the 20 watt panel with it.
I opted for the 10 watt panel system in an effort to save money. I've decided to change the 10 watt panel out to a 20 watt panel after seeing better results with the 20 watt panel.
Cutting into a container is a daunting thing to do. You have $1500. or more tied up in this thing and to think that you are going to start hacking it up is a bit unnerving. First and foremost develop a plan to vent. The just one vent one fan approach had some bearing in the other container, but I wanted to expand a good bit with the next one.
The ridges in the sides and top of the container also make the cutting of vents just a bit tricky. Their will likely be an approximate 18" wide flat section close to the front and close to the back of the container on both sides. I suggest you look here first for venting options. Making the cuts to a flat surface is much easier than the corrugated or ridgey type surface.
Contrary to stupid TV shows showing a goofy couple shooting a container with a .22lr.... Actually shooting the CORNERS which are the thicker metal..... The bulk of the metal in a container is not that thick. You will need nothing more special than a 4" angle grinder with a quality metal cutting disk and a reciprocating saw with a quality metal cutting blade to do this job.
I opted for standard sized gable vents versus custom sized vents. Why? First and foremost commonality. If something happened to these vents they are everywhere. Also these vents are considerably larger than the vents marketed specially for containers, like these
Also, the gable vents are almost half the price.
But security? Well as usual, I'M NOT GOING TO SHOW YOU EVERYTHING ;)
Yes, additional measures to add a more security front to these vents were made, and they ended up considerably stronger than the commercial container vents.
Begin by drawing out the area of the vent with a black magic marker on to the container. I used the flange for the gable vent as my template.
So you will end up with rectangle drawing. Begin at the bottom left corner and using the angle grinder, cut a horizontal cut following the black magic marker line. Your aim with the angle grinder is simply STARTING THE CUT, not cutting the whole thing with the angle grinder. Next making a VERTICAL cut with the angle grinder that starts at the vertical cut in the corner and goes up. Again, you only need a bit to get started. Go to the opposite corner of your marked out rectangle- the top right corner and cut a horizontal cut to the left and a vertical cut down.
Now set the angle grinder down and pick up the reciprocating saw. The angle grinder cut you made now allows you to insert the blade from the reciprocating saw. This allows you to follow the lines and cut out the entire piece.
Fit whatever vent you choose in place and secure it. Be sure to caulk the hades out of it also, inside and out. Any security apparatus for the outside can be placed now or later- will not be shown in photos sorry.
Here's how one of the gable vents looks from the inside-
Pic is pre- crazy week of carrying out, cleaning, painting and re arranging...So yes it looks messy in there ;0
Now also, you can add a solar gable vent fan.
Depending on the type of gable vent and the mounting apparatus, you can bolt this right to the container.On the first install on the other container I built a wood rack to hold the fan. I will at some point re-do that and attach it similar to above. The wire for the panel is snaked through the vent and the panel placed on the best location within reach on the top of the container that gets the most sun.
When it's even remotely sunny out, that thing goes like mad. While the other fan with the 10 watt panel located very similarly doesn't even start up till late morning, this one is chugging away almost immediately once the sun is up and goes way longer into the evening than the other one. The panel being twice the size of the other certainly has a lot to do with it.
Four other vents in the flat surfaces on the sides I spoke of have been installed.
The temperature is greatly reduced in there, no "sweating" has yet been seen although it's highly likely that in the extreme temperature swings we will still see SOME.
I'm not done with the whole venting scheme but this is approximately 60% of the plan and it's worked out great so far.
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