Protecting PV cables from rodents? - ground mounted setup

[marktandan]

Hi my backyard has squirrels, rabbits and mice. Am running about 20' of PV into the basement from 4 ground-mounted panels.
Is there a preferred solution for protecting the cable from getting chewed apart by critters?
Would PREFER not to dig a trench but if that's the only option, I'm up for it. Thanks.

 

[Supervstech]

Steel conduit?

 

[v_green57]

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40067905/

Fold it lengthwise with your cables in the "crease". Vermin hate it. In my case it has never failed to keep their little choppers out of things.

 

[marktandan]

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40067905/

Fold it lengthwise with your cables in the "crease". Vermin hate it. In my case it has never failed to keep their little choppers out of things.

Amazing, THANK YOU. I was hoping for a simple solution and this looks like the one.

 

[v_green57]

Amazing, THANK YOU. I was hoping for a simple solution and this looks like the one.

You're welcome.

I now it's kind of ugly, but it IS effective.

Works especially well for taping LAN cable to things like wireless site towers. LAN cabling sometimes has cornstarch in the jacketing which makes it very tasty.

 

[hwy17]

The array is 20ft away from the foundation? The correct solution is indeed a trench for a permanent installation.

 

[Supervstech]

You're welcome.

I now it's kind of ugly, but it IS effective.

Works especially well for taping LAN cable to things like wireless site towers. LAN cabling sometimes has cornstarch in the jacketing which makes it very tasty.

Really? Cornstarch? Wild...

 

[marktandan]

The array is 20ft away from the foundation? The correct solution is indeed a trench for a permanent installation.

Thanks, but I haven't decided if it's a permanent installation. Will see how much energy I'm able to pull in winter months.

 

[v_green57]

Really? Cornstarch? Wild...

Yeah, take that with a grain of salt. It could be an "urban rumor" that I picked up on.

I CAN say that if rodents have a choice of PVC jacketed power wiring or LAN cable within the same enclosure (if the bastards figure a way in) they attack the LAN cable more aggressively. Which perpetuates the rumor, of course.

If might be that the cornstarch was used during manufacture to make the cable slide more easily. Dunno.

 

[Tomthumb62]

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40067905/

Fold it lengthwise with your cables in the "crease". Vermin hate it. In my case it has never failed to keep their little choppers out of things.

This is good to know! We have also used steel wool to stuff into nooks and crannies to keep out rodents and it works. If we care about looks or rust, we’ll use stainless steel wool, but that stuff isn’t cheap.

 

[v_green57]

This is good to know! We have also used steel wool to stuff into nooks and crannies to keep out rodents and it works. If we care about looks or rust, we’ll use stainless steel wool, but that stuff isn’t cheap.

Yup. I do that with large conduits that only have a few wires in them such that a really determined rodent could shimmy alongside and find a way through...

If you don't like the rust use these:

https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Brite-Stainless-Steel-Scrubbers-16-Scrubbers/dp/B00MAKOMJ8

Last forever.

 

[Tomthumb62]

Yup. I do that with large conduits that only have a few wires in them such that a really determined rodent could shimmy alongside and find a way through...

If you don't like the rust use these:

https://www.amazon.com/Scotch-Brite-Stainless-Steel-Scrubbers-16-Scrubbers/dp/B00MAKOMJ8

Last forever.

Those look handy for a smaller job. This is the stuff we’ve used:

434 Stainless Steel Wool (8 pad Pack) - Medium Grade - by Rogue River Tools. Made in USA, Oil Free, Won’t Rust. Choose from All Grades! https://a.co/d/6t4kMgT

 

[kolek]

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/b40067905/

Fold it lengthwise with your cables in the "crease". Vermin hate it. In my case it has never failed to keep their little choppers out of things.

@v_green57 This link is down. If you don't mind, can you please let me know what the product was you recommended?

 

[v_green57]

@v_green57 This link is down. If you don't mind, can you please let me know what the product was you recommended?

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v101063171/

or

Amazon.com

 

[kolek]

https://www.3m.com/3M/en_US/p/d/v101063171/

or

Amazon.com

I've searched for anyone saying this stops rodents, can't find anyone saying this works. I'd like to try it but I'd like more sources. Where did you come up with this as a solution? Like people talking on a some forum or....? I'm not saying it won't work but just would like more info.

 

[Supervstech]

I have seen where rodents avoid steel wool, maybe use both?

 

[kolek]

I have seen where rodents avoid steel wool, maybe use both?

Steel wool yes, but how would you implement that on a long cable?

 

[Supervstech]

I have seen cat 5 shielded cable obliterated by rodents… it has an aluminum jacket internal to the pvc insulation… maybe the foil tape on the outside could deter chomping, but it doesn’t affect it on the inside.
Hard conduit for the entire run?

 

[v_green57]

I've searched for anyone saying this stops rodents, can't find anyone saying this works. I'd like to try it but I'd like more sources. Where did you come up with this as a solution? Like people talking on a some forum or....? I'm not saying it won't work but just would like more info.

Since 2004, I've lived part time off grid in a couple trailers in the middle of nowhere in Southern Utah with rattlesnakes and bazillions of mice and pack rats. When things begin to get chewed, I apply the foil tape if the chewing hasn't penetrated to any conductors and it stops. My neighbors report the same.

At the same location, I operate a wireless ISP that has several remote solar powered sites. Same problem, same solution.

At least in my location, the vermin hates the metal tape. It is pretty thick - much thicker than household Reynolds Wrap.

Now, I pre-emptively use it whenever any wiring that the miserable bastards can get their teeth around can be accessed from the ground or by climbing up whatever. Occasionally, they surprise me with their abilities and manage to get to something that I never would have imagined they could get to, but that's my fault.

"Ounce of prevention...".

 

[v_green57]

I have seen cat 5 shielded cable obliterated by rodents… it has an aluminum jacket internal to the pvc insulation… maybe the foil tape on the outside could deter chomping, but it doesn’t affect it on the inside.
Hard conduit for the entire run?

Well, yes, of course conduit would work...IF it's at least 3/4 or larger. Pack rats can and have chewed 1/2 PVC. Running conduit is a giant PITA with wireless sites that you have to hike two miles to get to and have lots of separate runs to many devices.

I haven't left any of the Shireen DC-1021 that I use exposed to the vermin. It always get the "foil treatment".

The STP chewing you saw was probably because the PVC jacket was the initial target. The foil shielding on the Shireen is way, way thinner than the flue tape and probably isn't much of a deterrent.