rodent-proofing an existing electrical switchgear enclosure

[K8MHZ]

KBMHZ:
You did not mention any effectiveness of sand filling cable ducts to keep out rodents.

That's because I have never done it and do not ever plan on doing it. There are better ways. Also, the rodents I know of dig through sand like it's not there. And when they finally do make it to the gear, they will scatter the sand all over the inside. Sand, being dirt and all, will also have dust, bugs, larvae, worms, etc. in it, none of which I would want in my switch gear.

If expense is an issue, regular old duct seal, the stuff that looks like modeling clay, works very well. As I mentioned, I have never seen any rodent or any critter of any sort chew through duct seal.

(And it's K8MHZ, which is my ham radio call sign. No biggie, I just thought it would be easier to get it right if you knew that it was a call sign and not just random letters and a number.)

 

[zbang]

I did a bunch of low-head hydro generator systems in Idaho one year at the end of the '70s, by the end of the summer we were 100% on our ratio of installations with rattlesnakes inside. The first one was such a shocker that to this day I think of that every time I open an electrical cabinet.

Bees.

I'm not allergic, but still. It's especially fun when you're up on a 30' high catwalk, the ladder is 50' away, and the spray only seems to excite them. That's the time for a different sort of PPE.

 

[ritelec]

Opening switchgear one day and discovered one of these.....

 

[hurk27]

Somthing I learned back when I was a youngster in the everglades was to put moth balls in any cars not being driven under the hood as well as inside including the trunk, it always kept the field mice and other rodents out, well when I started installing generators I did this and never had a problem, but I have been out to repair a few that did without moth ball in it, so after the repair I just put some in and never had the problem again.

is that Dennis Rodman? remember him from the Bulls and a few movies?

 

[ritelec]

moth balls

Nice!