Community Forums

Stonehands · 04-12-2021, 12:39 PM

Hello Everyone.

Been watching very closely this winter for mice signs in our 2007 Revolution. We got this coach in late 2019, November just in time to put her to sleep for the winter in Michigan. Found several signs of mice and caught several with spring traps and inside the coach electric traps.

This fall I figured out the reason why. On our Revolution in the electric cord by, the 50 amp cord is used by Unscrewing a large diameter disc out of the floor. No method of sealing it with any cover with a rodent proof closure I could find on the market anywhere. This fall I took two proper size discs cut out of plywood and cut a slit enough in each to allow the cord to go through. Then rotated the discs to seal on themselves and used screws to hold it down. Worked like a champ with 0 as in Zero mice in the coach.

I just ordered and installed a black locale access door like you would see on the Outside of a coach, and large enough to fit the 50 amp plug and any dogbone I use and includes a critter closure. Cut it into the floor of the electric cord compartment which is aluminum and used butyl tape around the flange. Awesome. I will send a pic.

HarryStone · 04-12-2021, 02:17 PM

Sounds great.

computerguy · 04-13-2021, 06:29 AM

I looked for a replacement hatch on my '16 Bounder but could not find one that fit. I ended up making something out of sheet aluminum that closes on around the cord. Also made one for my sewer opening as them seem to be the same size. I did find one for my water hose.
Luckily I have never had a problem with mice or rodents so far.

groveln · 04-13-2021, 07:11 AM

I had the same problem & found the solution with this product..rvcritterguard.com
No more mice!!

astrnmrtom · 04-13-2021, 11:32 PM

Yay! Let me be the first to award you your official Pest Control Merit badge for completing the very first, and best step in controlling rodents, or any pest for that matter - exclusion!

I made similar disks out of some plastic and aluminum I had laying around the shop. Fasten them in place with a wingnut and bar aluminum. Finding and sealing entry points should be everyone's first step. I can be the hardest, but is the most effective step.

In other mouse posts I've told a story of sitting in my chair outside at a campground watching little Yellow Pine Chipmunks go through their RV inspection routine. They'd run from RV to RV stopping at each cord and hose to look up to see if they could get in. Some would even run up the cord to check. One ran right past my feet and did the same at my rig. People fail to realize these little guys are professionals who learn the tricks of the trade very quickly. They have all camping season to find the best entry points on just about every rig imaginable. If you camp in a campground you can bet there's highly trained rodents checking out your cords and hoses. Its their job. I'm surprised at the number of campers who leave a compartment door open because it's easier to run the hose through the open door. kinda' asking for trouble if you ask me.

Great job with your blockers and thanks to grovein for sharing the link for the critter guard. That looks like a good product that should be effective. I'm going to bookmark that link for future mouse posts.

BMGM37 · 04-13-2021, 11:54 PM

I had some good sized openings, they have flaps with cutouts but left quite a gap, for power and water. Being I have a 3D printer, I designed up some 2 piece units that snap together around the cord or hose with glued in magnets and then are a press fit into the holes.

Hittntheroad · 04-14-2021, 11:36 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by astrnmrtom

Yay! Let me be the first to award you your official Pest Control Merit badge for completing the very first, and best step in controlling rodents, or any pest for that matter - exclusion!

I made similar disks out of some plastic and aluminum I had laying around the shop. Fasten them in place with a wingnut and bar aluminum. Finding and sealing entry points should be everyone's first step. I can be the hardest, but is the most effective step.

In other mouse posts I've told a story of sitting in my chair outside at a campground watching little Yellow Pine Chipmunks go through their RV inspection routine. They'd run from RV to RV stopping at each cord and hose to look up to see if they could get in. Some would even run up the cord to check. One ran right past my feet and did the same at my rig. People fail to realize these little guys are professionals who learn the tricks of the trade very quickly. They have all camping season to find the best entry points on just about every rig imaginable. If you camp in a campground you can bet there's highly trained rodents checking out your cords and hoses. Its their job. I'm surprised at the number of campers who leave a compartment door open because it's easier to run the hose through the open door. kinda' asking for trouble if you ask me.

Great job with your blockers and thanks to grovein for sharing the link for the critter guard. That looks like a good product that should be effective. I'm going to bookmark that link for future mouse posts.

Thanks for the post
Just went out and made this one from an old plastic access cover. I keep my motorhome in the yard plugged in all the time.
Glad I don’t throw stuff away!

Fiesta48 · 04-14-2021, 01:50 PM

I've made the cones that look like the ones on ships ropes to keep rats out.
I also use fiberglass insulation stuffed around hose/cables and the hole they go thru. No cost junk laying around.

KF5UMC · 04-16-2021, 01:30 AM

We had a mouse infestation at a RV park in south Florida one winter. Other campers did also. What a nightmare. I caught 8 mice using glue pads 20 of them along the floor/walls. They nested up in the AC/Heat ceiling ducks. I found the nest using my handheld Lizard Cam. Great product. One jump out of ceiling air vent onto the bed while my wife was in bed watching TV! Screams soon followed...That nearly ended our "RV Experience"...

In our case they got in while I had one of the slides pulled in a few inches in order for the bay door to clear the AC shore power pedestal, to get Christmas tree and decorations out. With the slide pulled in, a good size gap resulted. Lesson Learned Always retract the slide all the way in or out to seal out the varmints.

dcfleetwood · 04-20-2021, 09:13 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by KF5UMC

We had a mouse infestation at a RV park in south Florida one winter. Other campers did also. What a nightmare. I caught 8 mice using glue pads 20 of them along the floor/walls. They nested up in the AC/Heat ceiling ducks. I found the nest using my handheld Lizard Cam. Great product. One jump out of ceiling air vent onto the bed while my wife was in bed watching TV! Screams soon followed...That nearly ended our "RV Experience"...

In our case they got in while I had one of the slides pulled in a few inches in order for the bay door to clear the AC shore power pedestal, to get Christmas tree and decorations out. With the slide pulled in, a good size gap resulted. Lesson Learned Always retract the slide all the way in or out to seal out the varmints.

How do they get into the HVAC duct work as I thought it was sealed off other than to the units. Any input would be greatly appreciated as we had the same problem but I can't understand how they get up there!

KF5UMC · 04-21-2021, 06:41 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dcfleetwood

How do they get into the HVAC duct work as I thought it was sealed off other than to the units. Any input would be greatly appreciated as we had the same problem but I can't understand how they get up there!

Once the mice got inside, the mice went into the wall behind the TV in the living room. This wall contains lots of plumping and AC wiring ... then they went up the AC ROMEX wiring , through the holes the romex went through. This ROMEX is for the 2 AC units and chewed through the foil covered air ducting.