Mice!!!

[Mark31]

I posted this on here before and I don't think anyone ever made a comment: A farmer had trouble with critters getting in his combine wiring over the winter. His solution was to run tin/aluminum flashing around the machine. I don't remember how tall it was, maybe 12-16 inches. Might have been in Progressive Farmer

 

[Timd32]

are you throwing you new mouse traps away? I have used the same traps for years.

Depends, some are set for many years in certain spots.

I think I have some that have been set for 2 plus years.

The tractor supply ones seem like they lose their spring in like 6mo. I try to tweak the little bar a bit to get them to be a better trigger.

Others I reuse a few times.

 

[jacknife]

The very best I have found and used for 5 are or more is Light " a dawn to dusk led light . Had all the problems mentioned ,wires eaten , air box filled with acorns , Rat living over the bell housing , etc, etc . Put that light under my truck and 5th wheel never a problem again . They are nocturnal creatures that do all their nasty garbage in the dark . They avoid light like the plague ! Just have it shining under your truck or RV and you can sleep at nite knowing a varmint is not munching on your wires .

 

[DavidC]

The very best I have found and used for 5 are or more is Light " a dawn to dusk led light . Had all the problems mentioned ,wires eaten , air box filled with acorns , Rat living over the bell housing , etc, etc . Put that light under my truck and 5th wheel never a problem again . They are nocturnal creatures that do all their nasty garbage in the dark . They avoid light like the plague ! Just have it shining under your truck or RV and you can sleep at nite knowing a varmint is not munching on your wires .

Link ?

 

[dieselshadow]

Here’s what the mice have done. Should’ve included a few pics in the first post, sorry ‘bout that.

I ended up ordering and using some Harris Rodent Repellent. It’s based on peppermint and cinnamon oils. It smells great and makes the cab smell good too as the fresh air intake for the cab gets a whiff of this. I sprayed the battery blankets down to soak them from the top. I figured it’ll work it’s way down the sides. I didn’t completely soak them, just enough to be really obvious. Hopefully this works.

A lot of the suggestions received here just won’t work or upon research didn’t seem to fit my needs or capabilities as to where the truck is parked or for other reasons.

I’d like to thank everyone for their suggestions as this may help others in similar situations but different conditions than myself. Who knows what works in your area compared to mine.

I’ll report back my findings as this science experiment works it’s way out. I’m hoping for positive results.

 

[DavidC]

They sure seem to like those blankets.

 

[endoscott]

Yeah they do. Does anyone know what is in those blankets that they like to chew on?

 

[DavidC]

Yeah they do. Does anyone know what is in those blankets that they like to chew on?

What are they there for ?

 

[dieselshadow]

It’s like a felt. For all I know, it’s a cheap felt.

 

[R.Taylor]

What are they there for ?

It's more just to be prepared for trucks in the colder climates... Who have freezing winters. In warmer climates the felt is not needed.... You could ditch it as long as you're not moving to Alaska. Batteries don't like the cold. The colder the weather gets, the weaker they are. Even a strong, fully charged battery won't feel 100% if the temperatures drop enough. And if your battery is only half-charged, it'll freeze solid at just -10 F. You want those cold cranking amps to turn that 6.7 over... That's why we have 2 batteries, It takes some juice to crank over the Cummins.

 

[lpennock]

It's more just to be prepared for trucks in the colder climates... Who have freezing winters. In warmer climates the felt is not needed.... You could ditch it as long as you're not moving to Alaska. Batteries don't like the cold. The colder the weather gets, the weaker they are. Even a strong, fully charged battery won't feel 100% if the temperatures drop enough. And if your battery is only half-charged, it'll freeze solid at just -10 F. You want those cold cranking amps to turn that 6.7 over... That's why we have 2 batteries, It takes some juice to crank over the Cummins.

The blankets are for hot weather. They don't help with anything in cold weather. Batteries die quickly in heat and the felt is to slow the heat soaking from the engine.

 

[R.Taylor]

The blankets are for hot weather. They don't help with anything in cold weather. Batteries die quickly in heat and the felt is to slow the heat soaking from the engine.

Makes more sense there.. Dealer service said they were part of the snow chief package when I asked.

I remember my 06' had a "felt belt" that surrounded the batteries but they were open on the top, The later seem to be partially covered on the tops.

 

[AH64ID]

Battery blankets have been part of the cold weather packages as long as I can remember. I’ve never heard of them being for high temps.

 

[DavidC]

In my opinion. Unless they are like a heating blanket with a thermostat and heating elements they are worthless except for rodents. But like I said, it's only my opinion.

 

[AH64ID]

In my opinion. Unless they are like a heating blanket with a thermostat and heating elements they are worthless except for rodents. But like I said, it's only my opinion.

The factory ones are just blankets. There are aftermarket ones with 120V heaters.

 

[lpennock]

Battery blankets have been part of the cold weather packages as long as I can remember. I’ve never heard of them being for high temps.

Every vehicle I have bought new over the last 15 years has had a wrap on the battery(s). If the battery is in the engine compartment there will be a wrap. All these were set up for AZ, so the manufactures have no incentive to add any cold weather options that aren't needed.

Insulators serve one purpose, slow the transfer of heat from a heat source to a heat sink. The battery doesn't generate heat (except a bit when being charged) so it will be a heat source if the surrounding air is cooler, a sink if the surrounding air is warmer and neither when the air and battery reach the same temperature. The engine is a heat source when running so the wrap reduces the transfer of heat from the engine compartment into the battery. Heat will kill a battery faster than cold will (just ask any AZ desert dweller that goes through batteries ever 2-3 years); however, cold does reduce capacity but doesn't kill the battery unless it is left discharged which makes is subject to freezing.

When the truck is shut off in cold, the battery is initially a heat sink until the engine compartment gets cooler than the battery and then becomes a heat source. By the time you come out in the morning to start the truck the battery is at same temperature as the outside air so it is neither a heat source or sink and the insulation is doing nothing to help the cold cranking.

Now the electric battery wraps are for cold to help keep the battery capacity up by not allowing it to cool.

 

[AH64ID]

Every vehicle I have bought new over the last 15 years has had a wrap on the battery(s). If the battery is in the engine compartment there will be a wrap. All these were set up for AZ, so the manufactures have no incentive to add any cold weather options that aren't needed.

Insulators serve one purpose, slow the transfer of heat from a heat source to a heat sink. The battery doesn't generate heat (except a bit when being charged) so it will be a heat source if the surrounding air is cooler, a sink if the surrounding air is warmer and neither when the air and battery reach the same temperature. The engine is a heat source when running so the wrap reduces the transfer of heat from the engine compartment into the battery. Heat will kill a battery faster than cold will (just ask any AZ desert dweller that goes through batteries ever 2-3 years); however, cold does reduce capacity but doesn't kill the battery unless it is left discharged which makes is subject to freezing.

When the truck is shut off in cold, the battery is initially a heat sink until the engine compartment gets cooler than the battery and then becomes a heat source. By the time you come out in the morning to start the truck the battery is at same temperature as the outside air so it is neither a heat source or sink and the insulation is doing nothing to help the cold cranking.

Now the electric battery wraps are for cold to help keep the battery capacity up by not allowing it to cool.

They do work well in either application, and maybe that's why they are now standard equipment vs the option they used to be.

On more modern Dodges/Ram's they all have the blanket, regardless of location sold. I don't recall when they switched, but they were standard on my 05 as well.

On vehicles that it's not standard I have only seen it listed as part of a cold weather package.

 

[Ozymandias]

Even longer then that, my good ol 98 GC has the blankets too.
I'd go so far to say that every car i watched at within the last 20 years had battery blankets.

 

[RammerJam]

I think the mice like to use the felt for their nests.

And I think the blankets are as much for vibration as anything else.

 

[jacknife]

Just put a dusk to dawn led flood light under your truck , rv or car and they will stay away . They are nocturnal creatures and they hate light at nite ! Works for me for over 5 yrs . Had all the above mentioned problems . Gone !