GFCI and ants

Status
Not open for further replies.
M

muskiedog

Senior Member
Location
Minnesota
I have come across GFCI on pedastals in our campgrounds that have failed and when you try to test them ants come streaming out. I have had this happen over the last few years. Anyone know the reason the ants like the GFCI?
 
No, but I'll guess that the short ants use the hot slot, the tall ones use the neutral slot, and the fat ones use the grounding hole.
 
Ant's and Bee's seem to love electricity. It's almost like the eat it. I have had more problems with outside circuits and equipment due to ant's, bee,s, wasp's than any other problem. The dead one's short out contacts, the live one's get in the way, and can be painfull. My guy's used to always carry some kind of flying insect killer with them when ever they went out to the substation because even before they could fix anything it was kill them first, then clean contacts replace wire's because insulation was gone. Found mice inside the switchgear from time to time. What's really strange is they seem to like the 115KV better than the 110.

Edit, I gotta get that spell checker.
 
I have read articles that claim ants and other insects are attracted to the electromagnetic fields or possibly noise created by radio frequency or other radiation assoicated with electricity.

I just think they like the pre-built home.
 
Larry

Let?s be careful talking about ?Ants?, we wouldn?t want to hurt anyone?s feelings.
I have ants myself some are fat, some are skinny, some are tall, some are short and a couple of them are just ugly.

By the way I also have an uncle who thinks he is my ant.
:rolleyes:
 
JW
On that note, I have a nephew who's grandpa is my uncle! (figure that one out!!!)
Back on topic, I have had tons of problems with beetles getting into smoke detectors and causing them to go into alarm due to the bug short circuiting the sensor circuit! Whats funny is that when I disassemble the detector, the beetle looks like some of the other components on the circuit board which makes finding the problem a real bear!!!

edit for spelling - duhhh!
 
Last edited:
My father in law (a plumber) once told me about a sump pump in a crawl space that wouldn't work. But anytime anyone got close to it, it would suddenly start.

With the aid of a bright flashlight, they finally found out there was a bullfrog that kept sitting on the float switch. Anytime anyone got close, he would go for deeper water:)
 
It is a real problem where I work. Fire ants get into everything! I read that they actually do like to eat the insulation! during the summer months 9 out of 10 calls about a pole light or something outside is fire ants......... I carry a 5 gallon bucket of fire ant killer on my service truck, if i see a hill i dose it. if i open a box i throw a little in, PM! on a slow day i've actually just went around dropping little hand fulls next to boxes where we have had problems before. They hurt pretty bad when they bite, but the ones in ALABAMA hurt a lot more (I spent a year and a half there). I've read (somewhere?) that the reason they are not as poison here (SC) is because they interbread with ants that could take the cold. The local college (Clemson) is experimenting with some kind of fly to control them, I wish I could buy some and set them lose at home!
 
steve66
That is tooooo funny!
I have one of these outdoor wood burning furnaces at home. It has a small thermostatically controlled draft fan for the firebox. When I walked up to it a couple of days ago, it was humming! I opened the service door and discovered the draft fan motor rotor was locked up. I opened the power switch and then pulled out my mini-mag light. The flashlight revealed the problem. A small snake had tried to crawl up into the integral cooling fan on that 1/25hp motor through a vent hole on the motor case. The fan blade pinned the snake and the motor then proceeded to bake it to a crispy golden brown!!! I pulled the baked snake from the fan, closed the switch, and I was back in business..... Oh, and, NO I didn't eat the snake!!!!!
 
Status
Not open for further replies.
Top