mice in electrical boxes best prevention methods

[paulthefarm]

having just spent funds on rewiring two electrical boxes with wiring and new breakers, they are sited outside and are of the white plastic cabinet type with a door, both were the result of small mice, vowl, shrew type beasts who seem to be able to get in via the door seal as all the entry points for cables have been sealed with silicone. You cannot seal up the door as need access to earth leakage trips.

what do you do to stop it happening again?

 

[Horn&corn]

Moth balls. Mice hate them. Or lime apparently. No eyelids and they can’t stand it in their eyes. Both of those might be folklore

 

[Lili]

Peppermint oil

 

[paulthefarm]

Do not think you can buy moth balls anymore, but thanks for the suggestion.

Was going to try finely ground up chilli flakes mixed into any old engine oil spread on aluminium foil tray shaped to the box floor as they will not like licking off their feet.

Buy the way electrical replacement costs for two boxes >500 squids

 

[Chae1]

@agricontract put some kind of soap in electric boxes to deter them. Can't remember what it was called.

 

[paulthefarm]

thanks Chae1 but already had a problem with mice eating soap in the house, have changed to liquid hand soap

 

[benny6910]

@agricontract put some kind of soap in electric boxes to deter them. Can't remember what it was called.

Irish spring soap I think he used as I was told it worked a few years ago but I couldn’t really say that it did to be honest.

 

[Nukemall]

Not used it, but this might help.

 

[SilliamWhale]

Do not think you can buy moth balls anymore, but thanks for the suggestion.

Was going to try finely ground up chilli flakes mixed into any old engine oil spread on aluminium foil tray shaped to the box floor as they will not like licking off their feet.

Buy the way electrical replacement costs for two boxes >500 squids

you can on ebay

 

[Treecreeper]

I've had mice in the farm truck this winter,caught 8 at different times, wifey sprayed liberal quantities of Zoflora disinfectant around inside and around the engine compartment, no evidence since.

 

[paulthefarm]

good tip have ordered chinese moth balls based on naptholene from ebay

 

[Princess Pooper]

 

[Adeptandy]

@agricontract put some kind of soap in electric boxes to deter them. Can't remember what it was called.

It didn’t work though, ratty still chewed away

 

[Exfarmer]

having just spent funds on rewiring two electrical boxes with wiring and new breakers, they are sited outside and are of the white plastic cabinet type with a door, both were the result of small mice, vowl, shrew type beasts who seem to be able to get in via the door seal as all the entry points for cables have been sealed with silicone. You cannot seal up the door as need access to earth leakage trips.

what do you do to stop it happening again?

Surely all electrical equipment for outdoors should be manufactured to be waterproof I think IP55 which would definitely exclude rodents

 

[paulthefarm]

Dear Exfarmer I do not think that our mice voles and shrews respect IP55 or any other electrical status, our electrical boxes are outdoors rated, but they still get in through closed doors and sealed wire entrances, once in they make nests and chew on wires and trip switches. Having nice new equipment am desperate to maintain them so that they do not need further future replacment.

 

[milkloss]

You've got the problem now so I understand the need to solve it. But if they were decent boxes then rodents wouldn't be able to get in. Whoever charged you £500 quid for them wants telling they are sh1te.

 

[paulthefarm]

Was not unhappy with the cost of replacing 2 electrical boxes and internals, just do not want to have to repeat in 2-3 years time. Have no idea of the attractiveness of hard plastic trip switches and pvc wire covering but they just seem to love eating them to the point where trip switches were worn away and pvc wiring stripped back and gone to the metal armor cladding, very dangerous.

 

[Alchad]

if you can be bothered I’d love to see a photo of the boxes. I’m very surprised mice can get in proper IP rated enclosures. I fitted a couple of these a few months and there’s no way a mouse could get through the door

https://www.cef.co.uk/catalogue/products/1935092-400mmx300mmx200mm-grp-hinged-lid-enclosure-grey-ip66

Also I don’t think an electrician worth his salt would use silicone to seal cable entry, they should use IP rated compression glands.

 

[Netherfield]

Why use plastic when there's steel available, some are galvanised.

 

[paulthefarm]

sorry did not explain properly, old boxes had rodents in with nests, could not figure out how they got in as glands on the cable entry points, cleaned them out and I put silicone sealer around each entry point. 2 years latter electrical problems nests again and chewed trip switches and stripped pvc off wires. new boxes are similar design where door fits in a groove on the box. I just do not see how they get in. hence the request for suggestions of products to deter them.