Something every MEP TQG owner should undertake... rodent proofing

[Light in the Dark]

Going through a low hour, good condition 802 for an existing customer. This thing was on a trailer, way up and away from problems... Looks super clean and in awesome shape right?



Almost EVERY single time.... and you won't ever know unless you take the roof off and/or see sign near the air intake hose



Do yourself a favor... identify any and all ingress points for rodents on your particular machine, and use some 1/4" (or smaller) hardware cloth to refuse entry to the little nest builders. This was on a trailer unit... how easy can they sneak in to your machine, if its ground mounted? Short money today... big savings in the future!

 

[2Pbfeet]

Where else do you recommend? I did the intakes, the drain under the engine, and sealed the power feed through. The coolant drain I protected with a female brass GHT to barb adapter, with the female section flipped over to protect the hose. Anywhere else of concern? Can mice get in through the battery hold down slots?



All the best,

2Pbfeet

 

[Godspeed131]

After reading on here about the havoc that the little buggers cause, that was one of the first things I did to mine when I got it. I posted it here awhile back

Screens to keep out pests, any problems with restriction?

I thought I was all done cleaning up and doing maintenance on my new to me MEP-803A. Then I saw a photo on this site of the second wiring compartment that sits behind the first wiring compartment. So I took off the top panel to investigate, only to discover a large mouse nest. Luckily no wires...

www.steelsoldiers.com

Fast forward to two weeks ago I pulled it out of storage and all the screens must have worked cause the only place they got in was the top screen where the radiator intake is, but it doesn’t lead to anywhere so they can’t hurt anything further. Anyways while cleaning it all out, I apparently had help removing the pest by the 2-3 ft long snake skin that remained in the rats nest lol. I chock that up as a win.

 

[Fungal]

I apparently had help removing the pest by the 2-3 ft long snake skin that remained in the rats nest lol. I chock that up as a win.

Hah! Nice... I never kill snakes... even venomous ones get to live (unless I catch them in the house).

Because they have snake-things they need to go do... like eat rodents.

And you usually only have trouble with snakes if you're careless, or dumb (or drunk)... and snakes don't chew-your-wires/start-fires... or give you Hantavirus... or Bubonic Plague...

 

[spotrep]

Where else do you recommend? I did the intakes, the drain under the engine, and sealed the power feed through. The coolant drain I protected with a female brass GHT to barb adapter, with the female section flipped over to protect the hose. Anywhere else of concern? Can mice get in through the battery hold down slots?

View attachment 915356

All the best,

2Pbfeet

Can you clarify for me how this is fastened?

 

[Light in the Dark]

I see small zip ties on the inner grating.

 

[spotrep]

I took care of mine today. I’m think about adding aluminum tape to the side not sandwiched between the vent and the exterior panel. Not sure how the tape will hold up though. Any advice?

 

[spotrep]

I see small zip ties on the inner grating.

good eye! I see them now!

 

[2Pbfeet]

Can you clarify for me how this is fastened?

I used stainless steel safety tie wire to hold the screening on. (Sorry LITD, not zipties on mine.) I have had rodents chew off zipties before, so I wanted something a bit more vermin resistant.
Here is an enlargement, where you can see the twists. I did the twist on the outside, and used a small rod to push the sharp ends behind the screening. I used a sheet metal brake to fold the ends of the screening over as it is quick and mostly uniform, but any straight edge like a square will work. I used a hammer to flatten the corners where there is a quadruple layer of screen. It is about 1/8" 304 stainless screening, #10 mesh, the wire is 0.45mm. I painted the screens after they were installed, trying to line the camouflage pattern, but I'm no artist.

Does that help?

All the best,

2Pbfeet

 

[spotrep]

I used stainless steel safety tie wire to hold the screening on. (Sorry LITD, not zipties on mine.) I have had rodents chew off zipties before, so I wanted something a bit more vermin resistant.
Here is an enlargement, where you can see the twists. I did the twist on the outside, and used a small rod to push the sharp ends behind the screening. I used a sheet metal brake to fold the ends of the screening over as it is quick and mostly uniform, but any straight edge like a square will work. I used a hammer to flatten the corners where there is a quadruple layer of screen. It is about 1/8" 304 stainless screening, #10 mesh, the wire is 0.45mm. I painted the screens after they were installed, trying to line the camouflage pattern, but I'm no artist.

Does that help?

All the best,

2Pbfeet

View attachment 929439

Yes I see now! Thank you much

 

[2Pbfeet]

Yes I see now! Thank you much

Happy to help!

I took care of mine today. I’m think about adding aluminum tape to the side not sandwiched between the vent and the exterior panel. Not sure how the tape will hold up though. Any advice?

I doubt that the aluminum tape will hold long term as pressure on the screen will tend to lift the tape, and the tape doesn't have much area to adhere to on the wires, but in my experience a lot would depend on the adhesive.

I'm impressed that you got the screening installed on the inside. I started to do that and ran into difficulties with getting the screen installed due to interference.

All the best,

2Pbfeet