Help with mechanical/physical problem with feeder?

FirstFreedom · October 10, 2006, 09:16 AM

I have a wildlife feeder, to which I have attached a solar charger to recharge the battery. There is a wire going from the solar collection unit to the feeder unit. *EVERY SINGLE* time I go down to the feeder, something has chewed the wire in half (squirrels I'm pretty sure), even though all of this is up off of the ground about 4.5 feet or more. So I keep stripping and repairing with tape, and the wire keeps getting shorter & shorter with each repair.

So, what's the best solution, do you think, as for some sort of "wrapping" or shroud to keep the wire in? Just ordinary aluminum electrical conduit or what? Anyone faced & solved this problem somehow? Thanks.

And if you're wondering, no I don't hunt directly over the feeder for deer or turkeys. Nearest deer stand is 75 yards away or so, through a lot of trees.

Wild Bill Bucks · October 10, 2006, 10:15 AM

FF,

I don't have the fancy stuff, like you have.

I have to keep replaceing batteries in mine.

Just a suggestion, since the wire is probably getting chewed by bushy tails, is there a way you can put a piece of copper tubing around it?

I had to make a metal box around my straight shot feeders to keep them from eating them up. They actually ate the batteries, and the computer board out of mine, but the metal box seems to be working.

I spent last week hunting, but have yet to see the one I'm looking for. Have you had any luck?

Eghad · October 10, 2006, 03:59 PM

or some metal braid flexible hose

Art Eatman · October 10, 2006, 04:38 PM

Whee! You have just discovered the joys of wire with insulation made of a vegetable-based plastic!

I had the same problem with my feeder. Rock squirrels in west Texas. I took window-screen wire and wrapped the wires from the solar panel. Held in place with mechanic's wire (Like baling wire, except from a car parts store.

)

I even had to do a wraparound with one-inch chicken mesh fence to keep the little (Bleep) from chewing on the spreader unit!

The supplier of these feeders finally responded to complaints from folks like me and how the line comes in a flexible steel sheath.

How bad is veggie-based plastic? Well, a farmer limped into a Ford dealer, his new truck barely running. When a mechanic raised the hood, "It looked like an explosion in a spaghetti factory!" Ford bought its wiring harnesses from a supplier in Brazil. Think, "Soybeans". Don't park in the barn...

Art

Spur0701 · October 10, 2006, 05:52 PM

I had the same problem.....I used a spare stainless steel mesh hose.......you know, the ones that you use to feed hot and cold water to the underside of a sink.....they're not much but I had a few spares laying around in the garage.

FirstFreedom · October 10, 2006, 06:49 PM

Quote:

How bad is veggie-based plastic? Well, a farmer limped into a Ford dealer, his new truck barely running. When a mechanic raised the hood, "It looked like an explosion in a spaghetti factory!" Ford bought its wiring harnesses from a supplier in Brazil. Think, "Soybeans". Don't park in the barn...

Ha.

Thanks guys, that ourta do it.....

Trapp · October 10, 2006, 07:21 PM

try a little pepper spray (OC) too!!

Art Eatman · October 11, 2006, 11:11 AM

A wrap with duct tape, plus Luzianne Hot Sauce, will work for a while. Rain wipes out the Sauce; sun wipes out duct tape. Then, back to Square One.

, Art

Foxman · October 11, 2006, 11:19 AM

Squirrels, good eatin!. 40 grns of expanding lead from a 22 rimfire and lots of fried squirrel might do the trick.

kingudaroad · October 11, 2006, 12:44 PM

I have 3/4 inch pvc used as a conduit from the charger and into the timer box through a hole in the box. A male threaded end goes into the box where it is secured with a bolt screwed onto the pvc end. A hose clamp secures the top of the pvc near the charger.

October 10, 2006, 09:16 AM	#1
FirstFreedom Junior member Join Date: May 31, 2004 Location: The Toll Road State, U.S.A. Posts: 12,451	Help with mechanical/physical problem with feeder? I have a wildlife feeder, to which I have attached a solar charger to recharge the battery. There is a wire going from the solar collection unit to the feeder unit. EVERY SINGLE time I go down to the feeder, something has chewed the wire in half (squirrels I'm pretty sure), even though all of this is up off of the ground about 4.5 feet or more. So I keep stripping and repairing with tape, and the wire keeps getting shorter & shorter with each repair. So, what's the best solution, do you think, as for some sort of "wrapping" or shroud to keep the wire in? Just ordinary aluminum electrical conduit or what? Anyone faced & solved this problem somehow? Thanks. And if you're wondering, no I don't hunt directly over the feeder for deer or turkeys. Nearest deer stand is 75 yards away or so, through a lot of trees.

October 10, 2006, 03:59 PM	#3
Eghad Senior Member Join Date: May 28, 2005 Location: Texas Posts: 6,231	or some metal braid flexible hose __________________ Have a nice day at the range NRA Life Member

October 10, 2006, 07:21 PM	#7
Trapp Senior Member Join Date: December 5, 2004 Location: KTN Posts: 1,221	try a little pepper spray (OC) too!! __________________ HDR Ban!? It's a shame all of my guns sank with my boat last week... Time to catch up.....like mayonnaise

October 11, 2006, 11:19 AM	#9
Foxman Senior Member Join Date: August 13, 2005 Posts: 466	Squirrels, good eatin!. 40 grns of expanding lead from a 22 rimfire and lots of fried squirrel might do the trick. __________________ Better the man suspected of being a fool keep his mouth shut, than to open it and remove all doubt.

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October 10, 2006, 10:15 AM	#2
Wild Bill Bucks Senior Member Join Date: December 28, 2005 Location: Southeastern Oklahoma, Next door to Sasquatch Posts: 1,266	FF, I don't have the fancy stuff, like you have. I have to keep replaceing batteries in mine. Just a suggestion, since the wire is probably getting chewed by bushy tails, is there a way you can put a piece of copper tubing around it? I had to make a metal box around my straight shot feeders to keep them from eating them up. They actually ate the batteries, and the computer board out of mine, but the metal box seems to be working. I spent last week hunting, but have yet to see the one I'm looking for. Have you had any luck?

October 10, 2006, 04:38 PM	#4
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	Whee! You have just discovered the joys of wire with insulation made of a vegetable-based plastic! I had the same problem with my feeder. Rock squirrels in west Texas. I took window-screen wire and wrapped the wires from the solar panel. Held in place with mechanic's wire (Like baling wire, except from a car parts store. ) I even had to do a wraparound with one-inch chicken mesh fence to keep the little (Bleep) from chewing on the spreader unit! The supplier of these feeders finally responded to complaints from folks like me and how the line comes in a flexible steel sheath. How bad is veggie-based plastic? Well, a farmer limped into a Ford dealer, his new truck barely running. When a mechanic raised the hood, "It looked like an explosion in a spaghetti factory!" Ford bought its wiring harnesses from a supplier in Brazil. Think, "Soybeans". Don't park in the barn... Art

October 10, 2006, 05:52 PM	#5
Spur0701 Senior Member Join Date: February 2, 2005 Posts: 208	I had the same problem.....I used a spare stainless steel mesh hose.......you know, the ones that you use to feed hot and cold water to the underside of a sink.....they're not much but I had a few spares laying around in the garage.

October 11, 2006, 11:11 AM	#8
Art Eatman Staff in Memoriam Join Date: November 13, 1998 Location: Terlingua, TX; Thomasville, GA Posts: 24,798	A wrap with duct tape, plus Luzianne Hot Sauce, will work for a while. Rain wipes out the Sauce; sun wipes out duct tape. Then, back to Square One. , Art

October 11, 2006, 12:44 PM	#10
kingudaroad Senior Member Join Date: March 11, 2005 Location: austin Posts: 735	I have 3/4 inch pvc used as a conduit from the charger and into the timer box through a hole in the box. A male threaded end goes into the box where it is secured with a bolt screwed onto the pvc end. A hose clamp secures the top of the pvc near the charger.