chewed circuit cables

[417welly]

Hi All
I'm renovating my house which has had a (hopefully now historic) rat problem.
The hose is currently stripped out with the cables exposed. I've found a few areas of chewed cable and just want to check a couple of things about repairs

I'm thinking amalgamating tape will be suitable where its just the outer grey insulation that is a bit nibbled?

With the cables that have been chewed through so the inner coloured wires are showing i'm thinking choc box connector where there is enough slack to remove damaged section?

a couple of sections there is not enough slack. I could splice in a new section using 2 boxes?

Can the more knowledgeable advise if any / all of this is acceptable practice?

Thanks

 

[sparkwright]

Ideally you should replace the entire length of cable.

Failing this, the chewed bits (if only down to the inner insulation) could be sleeved with heatshrink, or encased with an enclosure such as a junction box.

 

[Keithmac]

I'd be a bit weary about them coming back too, we had rats in loft a few years back then this year they were back in again.

Ours are coming in from next door (up the cavity wall). Joys of living next door to a council house..

 

[EFLImpudence]

Ours are coming in from next door (up the cavity wall). Joys of living next door to a council house..

Perhaps you could persuade the local authority to stop housing the rats in your area.

 

[Keithmac]

Perhaps you could persuade the local authority to stop housing the rats in your area.

It would be easier than persuading them to perform building and drainage maintenance on their own properties!.

 

[flameport]

amalgamating tape will be suitable

It isn't.

choc box connector where there is enough slack to remove damaged section?

I could splice in a new section using 2 boxes?

Only if that section will be accessible in the future.

Damaged cables need to be replaced, and as you have the house 'currently stripped out with the cables exposed' it's the ideal time for a rewire.

Rats can get to places you can't so just replacing damaged areas you can see won't fix anything.
Cables are cheap. Repairing fire damage caused by chewed cables is not.

 

[opps]

I am not an electrician...... mightn't it be prudent to use some kind of rat proof metal conduit given that you cannot be sure that they won't enter from adjoining properties again.

AFAIK they need to constantly chew stuff to prevent their teeth from becoming too long. If you don't want to use metal conduit, then perhaps leave something sacrificial for them to chew on. In all seriousness, I would make sure that any "plastic water pipes are replaced with copper whilst you are at it. By all accounts they will chew though copper pipes in exceptional cases but it isn't all that common.

 

[SUNRAY]

I am not an electrician...... mightn't it be prudent to use some kind of rat proof metal conduit given that you cannot be sure that they won't enter from adjoining properties again.

AFAIK they need to constantly chew stuff to prevent their teeth from becoming too long. If you don't want to use metal conduit, then perhaps leave something sacrificial for them to chew on. In all seriousness, I would make sure that any "plastic water pipes are replaced with copper whilst you are at it. By all accounts they will chew though copper pipes in exceptional cases but it isn't all that common.

This door includes a thin steel sheet for radio frequency screening to withing a few mm from the bottom or just enough to clear the threasdhold (arrowed).

EDIT: Just to clarify the pic, the arrow points to the top of the metal weather bar, the brighter part is the concrete step t'other side

 

[sparkwright]

I am not an electrician...... mightn't it be prudent to use some kind of rat proof metal conduit given that you cannot be sure that they won't enter from adjoining properties again.

AFAIK they need to constantly chew stuff to prevent their teeth from becoming too long. If you don't want to use metal conduit, then perhaps leave something sacrificial for them to chew on. In all seriousness, I would make sure that any "plastic water pipes are replaced with copper whilst you are at it. By all accounts they will chew though copper pipes in exceptional cases but it isn't all that common.

Nah, far too much bother.

You'd never be able to install an entire MODERN lighting circuit in metal conduit.

You could in the old days, but nowadays there will be bits that can't be protected - such as the flexes from recessed downlights.

I suppose there are other ways of covering unprotected cables, in all fairness.

I know a house COULD have all it's wiring fully in metal conduit - after all houses were often done in this way in the old days - but it really isn't worth the hassle, and it should be far more easier and less disruptive to get the fodent problem solved, and any holes in the house filled or covered properly.

 

[Taylortwocities]

Get a fox terrier. Or a cat, or both.

 

[Keithmac]

Honda do a Rat Repellent insulation tape (costs a fortune!). I wonder if they could do the same for wiring?.

 

[Robin0577]

Get a fox terrier. Or a cat, or both.

What he said.

The human race has thus far failed to invent anything more long term effective at rodent control in the way of traps. poison, etc. than a cat or a small terrier.

 

[JohnW2]

Damaged cables need to be replaced, and as you have the house 'currently stripped out with the cables exposed' it's the ideal time for a rewire.

Possibly, but, as you go on to say ...

... Rats can get to places you can't so just replacing damaged areas you can see won't fix anything.

In what would be 'a rewire', per se, prevent the new 're-wired' cables attracting the interest of the rodents?

Unless all cables are to be given rat-proof mechanical protection, the only answer (possibly after a 're-wire') is to solve the rat issue, isn't it?

Kind Regards, John

 

[sparkwright]

I think all he is saying is that by simply repairing what can be seen means there could still be damaged cables left.

For instance in a brick cavity - they could be damaged and go totally unnoticed.

 

[flameport]

Unless this is a thatched property, rats/mice can usually be got rid of.