Sealing Cable Ducts against vermin

[awemawson]

I've had quite a bit of a problem with mice (presumed perpetrators) chewing my network cable infrastructure. I have ducts between both front gate pillars joined underground by convoluted 3" cable duct each pillar having a standard 'meter box' recessed into its rear face which receive the ducts within the masonry. The ducts poke into holes in the box that are a tight fit but not 'gland tight' Another set of ducts goto /from the house. So far when I've lost a cable I fortunately had laid sufficient redundant cables that I could wire round it - now doing some cable tidying today I see of evidence of the critters. In the meter boxes are power supplies for CCTV cameras and the paraphanila for operating the electric gates. Both boxes have in the past had a small tray of mouse poison but I've a suspicion this stuff attracts the mice and being outdoors there's potentially an infinite number of them!

Now the ducts aren't sealed so can act as an acess route for the little dears. I'd thought that squiring some expanding closed cell foam might be a possible solution but that has the major drawback of preventing pulling more cables through should the need arise. Then I thought perhaps to tightly pack stainless steel pan scourers in and arround the cables as those could be hooked out if necessary.

I'd love to hear any other suggestions !

 

[voipio]

Yep, pan scourers, or scrunched up chicken wire (hexagonal pattern, 13mm hole size).

 

[julianf]

I thought the usual was scourers and expanding foam to keep them in place.

If you were in control of the amount of expanding foam applied (you would have more skill than me!) you could, I assume, retain some amount of "removability" (I assume that's a word?)

 

[Blobber]

When I was little the old man used to swear by scrunched up tin foil

 

[MetalMonkey]

ideally you want it airtight - if they sense a draft they tend to enlarge a hole to make a run.

 

[Mark 5]

I've had quite a bit of a problem with mice (presumed perpetrators) chewing my network cable infrastructure. I have ducts between both front gate pillars joined underground by convoluted 3" cable duct each pillar having a standard 'meter box' recessed into its rear face which receive the ducts within the masonry. The ducts poke into holes in the box that are a tight fit but not 'gland tight' Another set of ducts goto /from the house. So far when I've lost a cable I fortunately had laid sufficient redundant cables that I could wire round it - now doing some cable tidying today I see of evidence of the critters. In the meter boxes are power supplies for CCTV cameras and the paraphanila for operating the electric gates. Both boxes have in the past had a small tray of mouse poison but I've a suspicion this stuff attracts the mice and being outdoors there's potentially an infinite number of them!

Now the ducts aren't sealed so can act as an acess route for the little dears. I'd thought that squiring some expanding closed cell foam might be a possible solution but that has the major drawback of pulling more cables through should the need arise. Then I thought perhaps to tightly pack stainless steel pan scourers in and arround the cables as those could be hooked out if necessary.

I'd love to hear any other suggestions !

Hi,

Don't do that, for the reason you have stated but also because it introduces a possible overheating issue with the cable/s, the foam acting as insulation.

Rat's or mice, little bleeders, can be a flamin' nuisance.

IMO your best bet as others have said is thick copper or wire wool, the issue is they can pull it out and use it themselves.

You will need to work out a way of keeping it in place both ends and check/change it regularly if required.

Some decent poison near ends will help believe it or not but be wary of domestic animals.

Mice especially rats are exceptionally intelligent and they communicate, once a death or two happens, they stay away for a while, then the blighters get brave, so replace poison.

 

[OJCar]

Baited with a raisin.
Some are clever enough to pull the raisin off the bait pin, so use a drawing pin through the raisin into the wood of the treadle.
Check once a day.

 

[Robotstar5]

We had a control panel at work that was prone to mouse/rat problems so fitted a socket with an electronic repeller which worked well. I think they produce a high frequency noise above human hearing leve..

 

[Agroshield]

...it introduces a possible overheating issue with the cable/s, the foam acting as insulation.

You would have to foam up the entire length of the duct to have any reasonable chance of overheating a cable. A 2" deep plug of foam is never going to cause a cable any trouble unless Andrew is trying to put 13A through his network cable.

Put a few pieces of electrical conduit with screw on end caps (and sellotape the other end) into the space in the duct then foam the lot up. If another cable is needed, unscrew one end cap and use that conduit.

Strange how a CAT cable does not deter the mouse.

 

[Mark 5]

You would have to foam up the entire length of the duct to have any reasonable chance of overheating a cable. A 2" deep plug of foam is never going to cause a cable any trouble unless Andrew is trying to put 13A through his network cable.

Put a few pieces of electrical conduit with screw on end caps (and sellotape the other end) into the space in the duct then foam the lot up. If another cable is needed, unscrew one end cap and use that conduit.

Strange how a CAT cable does not deter the mouse.

Network cable,

Yeah, no chance of heat.

Mice are intelligent, just can't read.

 

[awemawson]

Stainless pan scourers being delivered tomorrow from Amazon.
At least the mice can keep their pans and sinks spotless

 

[Nomad]

We packed any open holes with the wire mesh grills from disposable bbq's. It's a handy size and too thick for the local rats to chew through or pull out.

 

[Turbo]

Chicken wire scrunched up works well, as suggested already.

 

[brightspark]

Chicken wire scrunched up works well, as suggested already.

as long as its less mesh than a pencil cos thats wot mice can get through

 

[The_Yellow_Ardvark]

If you were in control of the amount of expanding foam applied (you would have more skill than me!) you could, I assume, retain some amount of "removability" (I assume that's a word?)

When it has reached the size you want, spray it with cold water.

 

[angellonewolf]

had problems with mice before got rid then next year come back in the end was stuff any vary small gaps mastic it any holes you can tuck steel wool in to pack it in there then mastic over the top seams to have worked

 

[colnerov]

Mice are intelligent, just can't read.

That's a shame.

 

[Erie Fred]

There is a product called "Duct Seal" sold at the electrical supply houses around here.
It's a clay/oil based putty.
Manus is another similar product.

 

[Pigeon_Droppings2]

Forget expanding foam...theyll go thro it like it's not there!

 

[Beeezer]

Forget expanding foam...theyll go thro it like it's not there!

They will make there beds with that stuff…