Please help mouse proof my 802A.

[Chrispyny]

After last weeks outtage, i decided to do some general maintenance. My main concern was the mouse piss i smelled and some debris i saw.

After taking the cover off, i did find some nesting material behind the control box. Thankfully it was only a start. Most of the mess was in the center of the genset at the bottom where the drian holes are under the black foam below the engine. That is clearly the entry point.

I spent 2 hours cleaning it well. I put everything back together, and propped up the genset on wood blocks after using a leaf blower to blast the remains of the main nest out from under the genset.

Screening over the intake vents on the side will be easy, but what are you all doing to seal the bottom drain holes from mice, and yet still allowing the drain holes to function as designed?
I would appreciate any pics of what you did, for both the holes, and the sides.

I didn’t have time to check if my fuel meter was stuck in the tank, showing full all the time, and i want to change out the oil to deere break in oil. I picked this genset up with 22 hours in the meter, and changed the oil to full synthetic. It now has approx 35 hours on it. I have been meaning to change it out till 100 hours but have been lazy.

Any idead would help. Thanks.

 

[Captaincarrier]

A hungry cat maybe, but I once had a live aboard raccoon on my boat and was told to soak paper towels with ammonia and lay them about.

 

[Light in the Dark]

Get a piece of 1/4" hardware cloth, and use either sheet metal screws, or nuts and bolts... and adhere a sheet of the stuff to the large bottom hole. If you dont know what hardware cloth is: https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...nized-Steel-Hardware-Cloth-308212EB/205960834

 

[Light in the Dark]

The stuff will work just as well on all other openings you call out. Just paint to match if you so desire, and screw it into place (or bolt). Cheap insurance, and guaranteed to work on critters (small bugs could still get it, but what are you gonna do).

 

[NV555]

I use gopher snakes around the house.

Good old mouse trap works as well. It's a war of attrition.

 

[milstencil]

Okay, I've got mice in my truck, my wife's car, my M8606 forklift and my kubota tractor. But, not in my MEP-003a gen set.
I made a concerted effort to rid them in the gen set after finding the air hose from the air cleaner packed solid with a nest.
The things that solved the problem was a Bird-x transonic squarker and and a cheap product found at tractor supply called
Fresh Cab rodent repellent.
I haven't had any rodent trouble since I started using in the genset.
All items are available on that auction site that everybody hates. Shop around prices vary greatly.
Hope this helps?
Rick
for info see:
www.bird-x.com
www.earthkind.com

 

[Light in the Dark]

You can also use expanded sheet in place of hardware cloth

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...PIPHorizontal2_rr-_-204225784-_-204225783-_-N

 

[69birdman]

I used some 1/4" hardware cloth

 

[Gunnermac]

A couple pounds of moth balls will do the trick. Put them in tin plates, will get rid of mice, squirrels, bats and by the way, moths.

 

[smokem joe]

I used the fan shield of the genset. Cut each side in half and it will do 4 units.

 

[Farmitall]

You can also use expanded sheet in place of hardware cloth

https://www.homedepot.com/p/Everbil...PIPHorizontal2_rr-_-204225784-_-204225783-_-N

A mouse can fit through a hole the size of a dime. That 1/2X1/2 expanded metal is really not the best stuff to use.

1/4 inch hardware cloth is about as large as you want to go to be sure they won't get in.

A simple piece of aluminum with 4 or five 1/4 inch holes in it will suffice to keep out rodents but still provide drainage.

 

[Light in the Dark]

I thought I had linked to the 1/4" expanded sheet. Oh well.

 

[Chrispyny]

View attachment 728058 I used some 1/4" hardware cloth

Are those self tapping screws with washers?

 

[av8or]

A couple pounds of moth balls will do the trick. Put them in tin plates, will get rid of mice, squirrels, bats and by the way, moths.

As Gunnermac indicated moth balls do the job. I leave them in the perforated bags and mouse problem gone!

 

[69birdman]

Yes Chrispyny

 

[Chrispyny]

Was busy yesterday on my day off. Both sides and bottom sealed. Considering sealing the top. I’d like to take the top off and clean her out a bit first.

Still have to change the oil and find the always full fuel guage issue. One step at a time. All this while battling a horrible cold i caught from my girlfriend. Sigh...

 

[Light in the Dark]

Are you going to put cloth under the battery trays, to block their entrance through those two holes? I would. You should be able to just cut a piece and put it under each battery tray if you don't want to lift the whole machine up again. If you locate the battery with the tie downs... the sheet under it shouldn't go anywhere.

 

[smokem joe]

Are you going to put cloth under the battery trays, to block their entrance through those two holes? I would. You should be able to just cut a piece and put it under each battery tray if you don't want to lift the whole machine up again. If you locate the battery with the tie downs... the sheet under it shouldn't go anywhere.

I do this for every unit I go through. The big hole on the bottom and battery tray holes get something to keep critters out.

 

[csheath]

A couple pounds of moth balls will do the trick. Put them in tin plates, will get rid of mice, squirrels, bats and by the way, moths.

I put a bag in the engine compartment and one behind the control panel as soon as I got my unit. I have read some accounts that say they don't work but I haven't had any in my unit. In the past I had the squirrels nest in a car I had parked in the same location so I think they may have some effect. I know I can smell the moth balls when I am working on it. Smell has died down some but still there after a year and a half. I should probably buy some new and replace them.

 

[Chrispyny]

I looked at the battery holes. I tried to think of how a mouse would get past the tray and battery. There is no way. I said forget it. Maybe if bored, i’ll throw a couple small sheets under the battery trays. Honestly there is NO WAY a mouse is getting in thru there.