Wildlife and Electrical Equipment Don’t Mix

If you’ve worked in the electrical industry for any length of time, you have probably seen all kinds of creatures that have suffered a shocking demise. Mice, squirrels, snakes, birds and even some larger “pests” cause billions of dollars in damage and economic disruption each year. Here is a list of the usual suspects and some noteworthy examples:

• Mice and Rats – Mice and rats are attracted to the warmth and shelter provided by electrical equipment. They can chew on wires, build nests in machinery, and cause all sorts of damage.
• Squirrels – Most of the time squirrels perform impressive high-wire acts on power lines without consequence. Occasionally they chew or touch the wrong thing and major outages can occur.
• Snakes – Snakes can slither into small openings or thru conduit. Their presence can be a byproduct of rodent intrusion and a desire to hunt for food.
• Birds – Birds are the most common cause of animal faults on both transmission systems and air-insulated substations. They can often be seen on power lines without incident, but when their wings or nests get too close to two different potentials at the same time, outages can occur. Nesting birds also attract predators such as raccoons, snakes etc.

6 Tips for Prevention:

Preventing wildlife from coming in contact with electrical equipment can help avoid human and animal suffering alike. Whether you have one piece of electrical equipment in a back closet or multiple substations to oversee, here are some simple tips to increase your electrical system’s reliability.

Tip 1: Clean up!

Things like old pipes, trash, and vegetation overgrowth can attract pests looking for food and shelter. Remember that small pests can attract large pests!

Tip 2: Seal up!

Prevent access to the inside of your equipment. A mouse can enter an opening the width of your finger. Insects can get into even smaller spaces. Take a walk around your equipment and think like your pest. Use materials they cannot nibble thru to close all openings.

Tip 3: Seal conduit openings.

This is often overlooked. Sealing conduit openings can prevent pests from roaming from one piece of equipment to the next.

Tip 4: Insulate.

Wrapping or covering energized conductors can help prevent animal exposure to voltage. Outdoor equipment can be upgraded with silicone boots and tape. The inside of equipment can receive similar treatment to insulate bus bar and energized components.

Tip 5: Perform Electrical Preventive Maintenance (EPM).

 Work with a qualified electrical equipment expert to perform periodic inspection and service to your equipment. Consider this as a checkup for your equipment. The goal is to find issues early, correct them, and prevent failures by identifying root causes. Be on the lookout for droppings, nests, or other signs that your equipment is inhabited.

Tip 6: Modernize your equipment.

There are many options to upgrade your electrical equipment without the expense and hassle of replacing it. Whether you need to repair some rot on the outside of the enclosure or replace an obsolete circuit breaker, upgrading components can extend its useful life.