Author Topic: Bugs that live in or around electircal equipment  (Read 4689 times)

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Offline Rick Law

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Re: Bugs that live in or around electircal equipment
« Reply #25 on: November 05, 2023, 12:22:00 am »

We use moth balls, surface spray insecticide, and mouse poison to try and keep the gear critter free
... ...
As for wires, it is said that common automotive wire attracts them (peanut oil used in manufacture?).  They also went after the ABS system in my truck, which has plastic vacuum lines.  My farm implements are unscathed, except for a few mice nests.

The problem is not peanut oil used in manufacture.  The problem is cables using soy-based insulation instead of petroleum based insulation jacket like polypropylene or plastic.  I would guess your ABS vacuum lines were also coated in soy-based insulation instead petroleum based plastic, which was a problem my in-law had with his truck's brake lines that the squirrels treated as meal on wheels (if memory serves, it was a Dodge RAM and not a Honda).

To combat the problem, Honda sells[1] "chili pepper-infused anti-rodent tape" and I suppose Honda is not alone.
"... ... Honda’s Rodent Tape is designed to wrap around vehicle wiring and is made with a blend of spicy flavorings that Honda claims will deter rodents... ..."

References:
[1] Interesting article (public records in court) of the issue in Chicago Sun Times article: Rats! Warranty won’t cover rodents chewing wires... Search for the word soy, and you will see the "chili pepper anti-rodent tape" is not a joke:
https://chicago.suntimes.com/consumer-affairs/2021/6/4/22519251/honda-rats-rodents-wires-soy-insulation-power-steering-jay-caracci-class-action-larry-smith-bardo

« Last Edit: November 05, 2023, 12:27:42 am by Rick Law »
 

Offline jpanhalt

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Re: Bugs that live in or around electircal equipment
« Reply #26 on: November 05, 2023, 11:06:28 am »
I had read "peanut oil based" but had not confirmed it.  That's why there is a question mark.  Soy-based makes more sense.  As for capsaicin (pepper irritants) infused tape, why should a manufacturer leave that up to owners?  By their nature, mice are small and secretive.  The places I have had them attack wiring in my vehicles are quite difficult to access or in areas where tape is not present, such as right at the connector.  Over the years, manufacturers have addressed rusting problems, it seems reasonable that rodent attraction should also be addressed.
 

Online SiliconWizard

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Re: Bugs that live in or around electircal equipment
« Reply #27 on: November 05, 2023, 09:56:56 pm »
Bugs infused with peanut oil, that must be tasty.
 

Offline MathWizardTopic starter

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Re: Bugs that live in or around electircal equipment
« Reply #28 on: November 10, 2023, 09:23:22 pm »
I wonder what they use in common household wire here in Canada? I have a mouse or 2 living between the wooden floor and concrete floor of my basement. They were in the walls a bit too, but lately it seems just under the floor, near the furnace.

Believe or not since I started this thread, I had corned a mouse under my stove, then in front of a washing machine, and I had a Sony 5-disc CD player standing upright by the wall next to the washer. It's broken and the case was not screwed on, and the mouse tried to escape running between the case and internal parts. And I closed the case together and trapped the mouse inside.

Then I put the whole thing in a garbage bag, and I shook it a few times trying to get the mouse to the bottom of the case, which was barely fitting together. And IDK if the mouse got a bit crushed or hit it's head, or had a heart attack, but it was dead when I opened the case. No blood tho. Or it sure seemed dead, and I flushed it down the toilet, poor little guy.
« Last Edit: November 10, 2023, 09:25:20 pm by MathWizard »
 

Offline Rick Law

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Re: Bugs that live in or around electircal equipment
« Reply #29 on: November 12, 2023, 12:46:09 am »
... ...
Believe or not since I started this thread, I had corned a mouse under my stove, then in front of a washing machine, and I had a Sony 5-disc CD player standing upright by the wall next to the washer. It's broken and the case was not screwed on, and the mouse tried to escape running between the case and internal parts. And I closed the case together and trapped the mouse inside.

Then I put the whole thing in a garbage bag, and I shook it a few times trying to get the mouse to the bottom of the case, which was barely fitting together. And IDK if the mouse got a bit crushed or hit it's head, or had a heart attack, but it was dead when I opened the case. No blood tho. Or it sure seemed dead, and I flushed it down the toilet, poor little guy.

Try a mouse trap.  They are surprisingly effective.  I was actually rather amazed by how well this "old technology" works.

I live near a wood.  Mouse and other wildlife are unavoidable.  Every time I left the garage door open open unattended, a visitor may come visit.  Even brief opening of the garage to get the garbage container from inside to curb side for pickup, a mouse may get in within that very brief moment.  I don't blame them, I too would like to to get out of the winter wind.

I use the more modern plastic mouse traps (came in pair and reusable).  I put some bird seeds in them.  They are more or less permanently deployed.  The mice are rather dumb.  Even if the one on the right is already triggered with his departed buddy still in it, they would see no danger and go for the one on the left...
 

Offline helius

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Re: Bugs that live in or around electircal equipment
« Reply #30 on: November 12, 2023, 04:47:12 am »
The strangest for me was a small dead bat clinging to a furnace control board. Sort of a mouse with wings...
 


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