Just cover the electrical sensitive stuff. I usually use a thin mil plastic and cut a square to fit around it and a rubber band to secure it. Now getting the musty/moldy smell out of your props next year is another story.

 

That's what I was kind of thinking. Theres minimal chance on Halloween now for rain but I'm going to play it safe and cover the electrical part of the props. I have a garage heater I can always dry them out, I store them as one piece anyway so they will dry out just like normal clothes.

 

I don't leave any "indoor only" props outside at all; they get set up the day of, and I am outside with them to monitor them (because of weather/it's more fun being outside anyway and watching the TOTs come up and hearing the comments) And if it's raining, they don't go out period. I've had to deal with rain many years and the first couple of years in the early days, I lost some of my electronic stuff due to a sudden downpour one year.

If it was me, and it was just a small chance of rain and I want to try to risk setting those outside... I'd figure out a way to either arrange the props under a porch overhang or inside the bay of a garage (rig up a black curtain using black plastic dollar store tablecloths?) or else get some clear plastic garbage bags like these and put one on the ground, fitting the prop inside it so it can be pulled up fast and have one handy to cover over the top of the prop so you can cover the top and bottom of the prop fast, then clothespin them together in the event of rain.

But if it's steady rain or harder, you do still risk possibly ruining your props.

 

I don't leave any "indoor only" props outside at all; they get set up the day of, and I am outside with them to monitor them (because of weather/it's more fun being outside anyway and watching the TOTs come up and hearing the comments) And if it's raining, they don't go out period. I've had to deal with rain many years and the first couple of years in the early days, I lost some of my electronic stuff due to a sudden downpour one year.

If it was me, and it was just a small chance of rain and I want to try to risk setting those outside... I'd figure out a way to either arrange the props under a porch overhang or inside the bay of a garage (rig up a black curtain using black plastic dollar store tablecloths?) or else get some clear plastic garbage bags like these and put one on the ground, fitting the prop inside it so it can be pulled up fast and have one handy to cover over the top of the prop so you can cover the top and bottom of the prop fast, then clothespin them together in the event of rain.

But if it's steady rain or harder, you do still risk possibly ruining your props. <img src="http://www.halloweenforum.com/images/smilies/sad.gif" border="0" alt="" title="Frown" class="inlineimg" />

I totally agree!!! If there is even a slight chance of rain I will not put my animatronic or my led lights out. Eventhough the lights say "waterproof" I know they are not by the reviews online. It gets to be a pain in the rear putting them all out and bringing them in every nite but it's an investment I want to protect.

 

I have several that I leave out for about 2 to 3 weeks prior to Halloween. In good weather I don't cover them but, if it looks like rain, I found that the plastic that comes off store mattresses works wonderfully. Make sure to cut one end open so you can slide it over the item and then trim to the length you need. I have several pieces that I've used for years doing this. If you only have a couple items then covering them each night probably won't be to much of a problem.

 

That makes sense. I just set them out on Halloween day/night. There's a minimal chance of rain after 10am so all things are looking good.

 

Just plan ahead. I set all my stuff up the day of and tear it down that night. It takes 8 hours to set up and 2 to tear down. There have been many times rain comes through and have to leave it. I waterproof all my props with the plastic mil painters tarp and zero issues.

With all the stuff I build with controllers I staple it to the wood or rubber band it. I will leave it loose because varibles change and I may need to reprogram things.

For bigger control boards I will place them in plastic bins and just have the eletrical cord coming through the side.

Store bought I rubber band the painters plastic around it horizontal and vertical

Here is an example

 

Just plan ahead. I set all my stuff up the day of and tear it down that night. It takes 8 hours to set up and 2 to tear down. There have been many times rain comes through and have to leave it. I waterproof all my props with the plastic mil painters tarp and zero issues.

With all the stuff I build with controllers I staple it to the wood or rubber band it. I will leave it loose because varibles change and I may need to reprogram things.

For bigger control boards I will place them in plastic bins and just have the eletrical cord coming through the side.

Store bought I rubber band the painters plastic around it horizontal and vertical

I like the painters plastic idea, actually have a lot of it around i got for another project.

 

I will leave battery powered props out I haven't had any not work because of it.I leave them out all of October.Plug in props tho no they never get left uncovered over night.But id you have them in a place to where they may just get rain mist use trashbags and zip ties to cover the conections.