How long to test cache for?

[Bushman]

How long would you leave a buried cache, below frost line for testing. I want to test after enough time to see if water permeated the container or any rust formed on test items or moisture damaged them in general (steel cased ammo, matches, cheap knife). Have not had any freezing temperatures to test with either yet though. But when there are freezing temperatures, how much time to leave buried for testing?

How much time to test cache but still have enough time to re-test if it failed? Re-test with an alternate method that is. I want to be able to do it again this winter if the first test fails. Don't want to wait another season if I can avoid it as it's been long overdue...

Ideally one would be able to test over several years, but this project is years behind...

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[Joe13]

Put a small smear of 100% silicone on the threads or lid and a moisture desiccant and if burried I can't imagine it would ever leak...

Depends on how much freezing weather you get - PDX area sometime only freezes during clear nights.

 

[oknow]

I would do it over the winter with stuff that would go bad quickly (rust, moisture, rotting etc.) instead of well oiled equipment and check on it in the spring also why not do both at the same time it will cut your test time in half.

 

[Joe13]

Stick a smaller version in the freezer

 

[Bushman]

Stick a smaller version in the freezer

Doesn't exactly mimic buried conditions with rain, vermin, etc.

 

[Certaindeaf]

Put a small smear of 100% silicone on the threads or lid and a moisture desiccant and if burried I can't imagine it would ever leak...

Depends on how much freezing weather you get - PDX area sometime only freezes during clear nights.

Yeabut roots split rocks in half.

 

[mjbskwim]

In the 35 +- years I worked in pugetropolis,there was only 1 year it was frozen deep enough to go home. The he chances,if you bury your stash a few feet below the surface,that it will freeze in western wa.
If you are in the valley,the river bottom, it will get wet for sure.
But a good deal on the ends and some desiccants in side,you should be fine.
Silicon is fine,some teflon tape works great,regular pipe dope can work too.
I would use pvc pipe and glue 1 end then use a threaded end on the other. Then teflon tape and take care tightening it. The teflon will make it feel like it ain't tight and you can crack the fitting.
First hand knowledge

 

[Martini_Up]

1 year in the mountains where the weather is much more extreme.

 

[Camelfilter]

Interesting experiment & an even more interesting thought experiment.

I'd say setup the cache initially so you can alleviate most concerns of failure. Cache in a pipe? As Joe mentions above, properly seal the ends & use desicants. I'd even take that a step further by repacking anything possible going inside the cache inside its own vaccuum bag with an O2 absorber, including ammo in its original boxes.

Haven't tried it, but there's no reason you couldn't vaccuum pack any weapons you'd cache as well. Caution obviously on any edges which may rub thru the bag, so proper care in loading the cache would be needed (might need extra space for foam blocks as an example).

That way if a heavy frost hits & cracks/shifts the threading and moisture does seep in, the internal contents are still themselves isolated. Same applies to after an earthquake, might take a while before you'd have a need or even be able to get to the cache, but when you do, the internal contents should hopefully still be isolated.

 

[ATCclears]

Waterproof Underground PVC Cache
Waterproof Underground PVC Cache

 

[AMProducts]

Waterproof Underground PVC Cache
Waterproof Underground PVC Cache

That's a pretty cool way to do it, I think the big question is whether you can get those clean out plugs in larger diameters, for most guns you're going to want something more like a 6-10" pipe. In most cases stuff like this I've buried has been glued shut, and I hide a small wire saw nearby or in a smaller simpler cache you can dig up and open with a rock. Also, wire saws can be completely covered in grease to weatherproof them.

Individually packing your items is the way to go, really what you always want is all the items tied from strings so you can just pull everything out at once without having to dig up the whole thing. Even in desert sand digging a deep hole is a massive pain in the butt. It's even harder when you're contending with tree roots and mud.

 

[Ura-Ki]

I have done this many times with rifles and ammo, as well as assorted tools and food. The Plastic pipe with glued on caps is the most secure method of insuring absolute Proof against moisture or any other contaminate. I have found pipe plugs up to 10'' but they will rot and fail in time, and when freezing, they can crack unless made out of Silicon. I Stashed an SKS rifle with 200 rounds of good ammo in a glued plastic tube after coating it liberaly with grease and the ammo was left in cardboard boxes and wrapped in aluminum foil. That rifle sat in the ground for 6 years under/between tree roots and it didn't fail! (Tree's will keep the ground from hard freezing) I also burried 7 days worth of MRE's the same way, and they were still perfect when dug up and cut open! So in a way, that was my test, but I knew the plastic pipe glued shut wasn't likely to fail unless crushed!

 

[mjbskwim]

I have used clean out plugs to 12" and pretty sure they come bigger
I would rely on glueing both caps though. If you need the guns you aren't going to be that concerned about the cap and 6" of pipe. (10 bucks?) I mean how many times are you going to open it? The pvc is going to last better than the rubber seals under ground
Even for the test I would glue them and waste a cap
For reference I did bury pipe for a living

 

[mjbskwim]

I have used clean out plugs to 12" and pretty sure they come bigger
I would rely on glueing both caps though. If you need the guns you aren't going to be that concerned about the cap and 6" of pipe. (10 bucks?) I mean how many times are you going to open it? The pvc is going to last better than the rubber seals under ground
Even for the test I would glue them and waste a cap
For reference I did bury pipe for a living

OK so I changed my mind

 

[Ura-Ki]

OK! Lay it on us!

 

[mjbskwim]

OK! Lay it on us!

An earlier post I mentioned threading one end.
Glueing makes a more positive seal

I would use pvc pipe and glue 1 end then use a threaded end on the other. Then teflon tape

 

[Ura-Ki]

Roger that! I never tried a screw on cap, I went strait glue as I wasn't figuring to have to open it more then once!!! after I dug it up and opened it to check it all out, I got a new cap and re glued it back together and buried it in my new A.O. I did another one for under hood of my Jeep, it's been there 2 years with no signs of any issues from engine heat ( my Mountain Motor gets smokin hot) so I'm extra happy that this seems to resist that kind of heat!

 

[DunRanull]

Stick a smaller version in the freezer

A freezer will dessicate materials, while outside underground will moisten over time.

 

[Joe13]

A freezer will dessicate materials, while outside underground will moisten over time.

Depends on what type of freezer it is…

A frost less freezer will but one that doesn't thaw and dehumidify won't.

 

[Siglvr]

2 years. Alternatively, check it after year one.

How long would you leave a buried cache, below frost line for testing. I want to test after enough time to see if water permeated the container or any rust formed on test items or moisture damaged them in general (steel cased ammo, matches, cheap knife). Have not had any freezing temperatures to test with either yet though. But when there are freezing temperatures, how much time to leave buried for testing?

How much time to test cache but still have enough time to re-test if it failed? Re-test with an alternate method that is. I want to be able to do it again this winter if the first test fails. Don't want to wait another season if I can avoid it as it's been long overdue...

Ideally one would be able to test over several years, but this project is years behind...