Vermin chewed through my drop line in a crawlspace near Phoenix

I was working a new install in a house off Bell Road and went to check the cable drop. Turns out rats had gnawed through the RG6 right where it entered the crawlspace. I had to splice in a new section and wrap it in steel mesh to keep them out. Has anyone else dealt with critters wrecking their runs in the summer?

2 comments

2 Comments

hernandez.finley10d ago

I read somewhere that some guys out in Tucson started using copper mesh instead of steel because the rats actually hate the taste of copper. Something about the oxidation bothers them more than steel. But you're right about the galvanized steel being the standard. That split loom trick is smart though, I've definitely seen issues where just mesh wrapped tight caused weird impedance problems down the line. The dry heat out here makes the jacket brittle too so critters have an easier time getting through once it cracks a bit.

thomasshah10d ago

Actually the steel mesh trick works but you gotta be careful with how you wrap it. If you use bare steel mesh touching the copper center conductor or even just tight against the jacket it can cause signal loss over time or even short out the line. I'd recommend using a split loom tubing first then adding the mesh on top of that. That's what we do on the commercial side and it keeps the rodents out without messing with the signal. Also Phoenix rats are tough little buggers they'll chew through cheap mesh so make sure you're using galvanized steel not that thin aluminum stuff.