Squirrels and exposed cables

[FaradayFF]

Greetings,
I have a project in outdoorsy area where I'll be putting up solar panel and antenna on a 15' pole. I was thinking about running the exposed cables from the control panel up the solar and antenna, but then realized that I squirrels or other rodents could chew on the cable, and so it would be better to run the cables in a conduit up the pole.

How relevant are my concerns?

Thanks,
EE

 

[Hv&Lv]

Very. I make a good living on squirrels and the damage they can do.

I have see the old neoprene cable Insulation chewed completely off and the squirrels will actually chew the aluminum ACSR.

(Sorry, had to delete the dead animal picture)

 

[McLintock]

Did a job were flying squirrels got in to the panel. The whole bottom half of the thing was filled with their poo. Had to replace a couple circuits and seal up the hole they got in


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

 

[gadfly56]

Very. I make a good living on squirrels and the damage they can do.

I have see the old neoprene cable Insulation chewed completely off and the squirrels will actually chew the aluminum ACSR.

View attachment 2552328

Once, anyway.

 

[goldstar]

Squirrels are going to chew through any cables they can. One morning I was sitting at my computer and around 7:00 AM I heard a bang and a second later my power went out. Around an hour later the POCO crew came by and were at a pole 3 houses away. I went down to see what had happened and they found a squirrel bit onto the primary lug of the transformer. With 11,400 volts he welded himself to the transformer and blew about 4 holes in his little body. AND, he managed to blow the fuse and knock out the whole block.

 

[PaulMmn]

Had squirrels nibble the wires under the hood of my truck! $$

 

[hillbilly1]

They chewed the seatbelts up on my Jeep, passenger side was all the way in two. Always finding walnuts in my parts storage bins!

 

[Dennis Alwon]

Run conduit

 

[hbiss]

This is why I don't like NM.

-Hal

 

[McLintock]

This is why I don't like NM.

-Hal

Sooooo... how do you wire a house?


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

 

[al hildenbrand]

My old church was supplied Telco plain old telephone over a 12 pair drop. Over a decade or two, a weed tree was allowed to grow under it, eventually lifting the drop slightly in the crotch of a fork in the trunk.

I was called to find out why the main phone line had failed and the local Telco Central Office was showing that the phone service was good. I found squirrels had enjoyed gnawing on only the top of the cable, for about an 8" length, while they were sitting in the fork. Eventually, after getting though the metal gopher-guard and gel, one pulled up the pair carrying the main number and bit through it. What amazed me was the leisurely nature of the damage.

 

[garbo]

Greetings,
I have a project in outdoorsy area where I'll be putting up solar panel and antenna on a 15' pole. I was thinking about running the exposed cables from the control panel up the solar and antenna, but then realized that I squirrels or other rodents could chew on the cable, and so it would be better to run the cables in a conduit up the pole.

How relevant are my concerns?

Thanks,
EE

Best pratice is to go with a metal conduit such as EMT (thinwall ) or heavier rigid conduit. Would not go with PVC.

 

[Hv&Lv]

(Sorry, had to delete the dead animal picture)

Awww...
he wasn’t dead, he was showing how good squirrels are at “planking”...

 

[hbiss]

Sooooo... how do you wire a house?


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

MC if it's my house. Seen NM attacked by too many varmints to make me comfortable.

-Hal

 

[McLintock]

MC if it's my house. Seen NM attacked by too many varmints to make me comfortable.

-Hal

How about varmint proofing the place, I have two outdoor cats and a outdoor dog and have not seen any squirrels or varmints in years, and I live in the woods.


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

 

[petersonra]

Critters have chewed up my cable tv cable 3 or 4 times.

 

[hbiss]

How about varmint proofing the place, I have two outdoor cats and a outdoor dog and have not seen any squirrels or varmints in years, and I live in the woods.

Found mouse droppings in the kitchen cabinet. I have three cats. They all probably made friends with each other. So I had to trap them and find out how they were getting in.

-Hal

 

[McLintock]

Found mouse droppings in the kitchen cabinet. I have three cats. They all probably made friends with each other. So I had to trap them and find out how they were getting in.

-Hal

Someone is not doing their job.


“ shoot low boys their riding shetland ponies”

 

[hbiss]

Someone is not doing their job.

Yes, I did have a word with them about that.

-Hal

 

[Buck Parrish]

Greetings,
I have a project in outdoorsy area where I'll be putting up solar panel and antenna on a 15' pole. I was thinking about running the exposed cables from the control panel up the solar and antenna, but then realized that I squirrels or other rodents could chew on the cable, and so it would be better to run the cables in a conduit up the pole.

How relevant are my concerns?

Thanks,
EE

Of course conduit is the best way to go, but I have coated the out side of the wire with sticky liquid tape. Then they won't mess with it.