# Preparations for a rainy Halloween!



## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

So.... I guess for many of us, it'll be raining on Halloween. the hour-by hour forecast for my neck of the woods has a rainy could every hour. I've spent most of the day today preparing for the wet stuff. Here are a few things I've done to try to keep things going smoothly. I suggest other folks add their ideas as well.

- overall, I've covered all my electrical connections with sandwich baggies and electrical tape and made sure to place them to make sure water does not drip down the cords into the baggies. This includes the 3-way Ts, simply done by snipping a small hole into the 3 non-zippered edges of the baggie to stick the cords into, and securing them closed with a small piece of electrical tape.

- spider web black light lean-to. I use two 48" black lights in a shop light housing to light our spiderweb, obviously it can't go out in the rain. I made a lean-to out of some spare pallet wood and plastic sheeting. It's a 5' wide, ~24" deep rectangle that's propped up in the front and the rear edge just sits on the ground. I added 2 3" long sheetrock screws to the legs that stick out the front and anchored it down using tent stakes hooked into these screws, so the wind doesn't lift it up if it blows into the front.

- torso crawler... my guy has 2 external pc speakers I usually hide in the grass or under his arms, I wrapped both of these in shopping bags and secured with electrical tape, I also stuck the mp3 player (mpja special) in there such that I can just hit the button when we're ready to go. It's powered by a pc power supply that usually sits under his shirt - I stuck it on a piece of 4x4 on the ground and covered it with a utility pail that I spray painted flat black, and formed grass around it to help it blend in. It's not perfect, but I think I might set a pumpkin on it, it would make a nice pumpkin stand... I also placed my motion sensor in a ziplock freezer bag. These aren't really made to be out in the rain, as I found out when the lens was all full of condensation after having been out in the rain yesterday. 

- My thunder and lightning rig is made into a 6' tall obelisk, but it's not weatherproof. I'm going to place this in the corner of my garage and have run two 100' extension cords out to the flood lights on the utility pole. I normally use the clamp-on, aluminum reflector utility light holders for the lightning flood light bulbs, they do have an on-off switch built into the light housing. I'm not sure what I am going to do about these yet, may wrap or shield them in some plastic yet, such that the housing doesn't get directly rained on. They're strapped 12' up on the telephone pole in the front corner of our yard using a ratchet strap. 

- MIB, well... this is going to have to sit up on our porch this year. I'll bag the motion sensor.

I've still got to work on my partial toe pincher, it has a 110v light bulb on a basic, screw-on bulb socket and a pair of PC speakers inside (also on a motion detector) However, the design doesn't really lend to preventing water from getting on the bulb assembly, as it's on the door. I'm considering moving it to the "roof" temporarily.


----------



## Fester (Sep 17, 2006)

Just watch out for the wind tomorrow. The latest weather.com forecast has 20-30mph winds tomorrow.


----------



## RoxyBlue (Oct 6, 2008)

I might have to give my graveyard goblin Wellies and an umbrella

Good suggestions, Nick. We're still playing it by ear as to what will go out on Saturday because of the weather.


----------



## madmomma (Jul 1, 2009)

So far, four of my single stake floodlights got toasted with all the rain getting into the sockets, so after having to buy new ones, I've been more protective of how I place and cover them. I think your ideas for protecting the electric props are great, Nick. Definitely err on the side of caution with this stuff.


----------



## HomeyDaClown (Oct 3, 2009)

I started preparing things a few years back and we got rain again last week right up until our Haunted Trail party Saturday. I use plastic kitty litter buckets to house my lights and speakers for each scene and stick them into big black garbage bags. If it's rainy I just take out the lights and leave the speakers/connections in the buckets covered with the bags. For some of the animated props I use 55 gallon contractor bags. 

The drip loop is a good idea I learned a long time ago while installing TV antennas on houses to keep water from following the wire into the house.


----------



## NickG (Sep 12, 2006)

as far as the flood lights, I got a few of the cheep ones and was not impressed and bought the $10 metal ones that have a rubber boot that seals against the bulb as it screws in. however, they're enclosed in little plywood hoods that just set on the ground to help filter out extra light pollution and make them look less obvious.

I made little rain jackets for the clamp on lights, taped them on with electrical tape like little capes with a tail to cover where the electrical cord enters the housing and then attached the clamp to the outside. Yes, drip loops are key, also play a part in taping up the connections with plastic baggies, go to make sure the water won't run down the wire into your connection anyway. 

I also ran 3 guide-wires to my 14' tall pumpkin rot to secure it during the day today because the main stick is only 3" thick and it's been dead for a while. 

It started raining here at around 5pm and is to continue until 9am (10%) and then it's home free, 0% chance after that. Awesome.


----------



## SeaHoCaptain (Sep 20, 2009)

Our forecast just keeps getting worse.. 

David


----------



## madmomma (Jul 1, 2009)

Great idea for the stake lights, Nick. I'll have to do that to mine. Thanks. 
It's heeerrrreeee...Have a HAPPY HALLOWEEN!


----------

