Enclose Front Propane Compartment

[rip]

I have a new 2013 Windjammer 2809W. The propane tanks are in a compartment up front with latch doors on each side. The bottom of the compartment is open to the ground below. This is likely a safety design.

Have any of you enclosed that open floor with a mesh or material of some sort? What did you use? How/where did you attach it? I realize it must need to breathe. It took about a day for a couple wrens to decide their nest would be perfect on top of a propane cylinder in the compartment.

I need to seal it well to stop the birds and bugs.

[dretired]

seems like some plastic type widow/door screen should work fine...lets air in.. without the critters

[B47]

Originally Posted by rip

I have a new 2013 Windjammer 2809W. The propane tanks are in a compartment up front with latch doors on each side. The bottom of the compartment is open to the ground below. This is likely a safety design.

Have any of you enclosed that open floor with a mesh or material of some sort? What did you use? How/where did you attach it? I realize it must need to breathe. It took about a day for a couple wrens to decide their nest would be perfect on top of a propane cylinder in the compartment.

I need to seal it well to stop the birds and bugs.

My Silverback FW propane compartment is partially open on the bottom, but otherwise the two tanks are in an enclosed compartment. I haven't had any problems yet with either birds or rock damage.

[Indymule]

expanded metal can be welded to the frame.

[RVChick]

I wonder if itty bitty chicken wire would be nice and sturdy!

[rip]

Originally Posted by RVChick

I wonder if itty bitty chicken wire would be nice and sturdy!

I installed JCJ Mud Dauber Screens on my water heater, furnace and refrigerator vents. I also had these on my last trailer after the mud and paper nests caused problems in the appliances.

[rip]

Originally Posted by Indymule

expanded metal can be welded to the frame.

I saw some decorative expanded metal at Home Depot. And, I saw some galvanized expanded metal used to hold wall plaster (this may be too big to stop our dirt daubers, country hornets and yellow jackets).

If you open an exposed compartment one time with a big nest of yellow jackets in it, you get paranoid about making sure they're closed up. The dirt daubers and birds are more nuisance and weekly maintenance problems.

The peculiar shape and edges along the bottom of the propane closet offer me some engineering challenges.

[RVChick]

Originally Posted by rip

I installed JCJ Mud Dauber Screens on my water heater, furnace and refrigerator vents. I also had these on my last trailer after the mud and paper nests caused problems in the appliances.

We actually purchased these at the store part of our dealer as we were doing the PDI, and had them install it! They work perfectly!

[TURBS]

I would install a cat .

[tinkerreknit]

I would try a temporary fix to discourage birds. Maybe cram some nylon netting or just about anything down there. I think this could be a one-time problem.

[Fivenikkels]

Like the cat idea!

[rip]

Originally Posted by tinkerreknit

I would try a temporary fix to discourage birds. Maybe cram some nylon netting or just about anything down there. I think this could be a one-time problem.

The birds are just nuisance. They really like to build nests on top of the diesel motor in my tractor. The field mice are less a problem, but they love nylon netting.

I know I need to put a grid or metal mesh under there of some sort and fasten it somehow to wierd angles of the frame and trim... a good long-term solution.

Thanks for all the quick suggestions that you used on your bottomless compartments. If no one has pictures of their solution, I'll post mine when I get this figured out.

[rip]

Originally Posted by f1100turbo

I would install a cat .

Even the mouser felines that occasionally choose to live here won't tangle with a yellow jacket nest.

If I install a really good cat, my neighbors feed it better than me. The mouser goes over to the easy meals. Of course, their easy meals in bowls ruin that really good mouser.

[TURBS]

Originally Posted by rip

Even the mouser felines that occasionally choose to live here won't tangle with a yellow jacket nest.

If I install a really good cat, my neighbors feed it better than me. The mouser goes over to the easy meals. Of course, their easy meals in bowls ruin that really good mouser.

Lol! Just tryin to help!

[Horns07]

Any updates

[OldCoot]

Screen wire under steel expanded metal solves the bird & mud dauber problem. Cleaning up feathers after the cat can be a nuisance.

[Oaklevel]

Originally Posted by OldCoot

Screen wire under steel expanded metal solves the bird & mud dauber problem. Cleaning up feathers after the cat can be a nuisance.

Either that or the cat will leave you the bird on the doorstep as a present ..........then ya get a dog to take care of the cat......... then ya end up feeding all of them..................

[rip]

Originally Posted by Horns07

Any updates

I've been working on some other projects, and put this one off until I get materials.

I'm currently looking at some aluminum flashing to trim the edges of wall plaster wire mesh. The bottom area to enclose under the propane tank cabinet is a very irregular shape. Haven't decided to try one big enclosure or divide it into sections.

I had a suggestion to try coating a small piece of plaster mesh I already have with some rubber underbody spray coating and see if that thickens the mesh, making the openings smaller, enough to stop the yellow jackets. Right now, the plaster mesh I've seen is too open.

Just backed off a bit since no one had solved this before. Last week, hosed cabinet area down with hornet spray and removed first nest. This spring looks bad for my house, there are country hornets, yellow jackets, and daubers everywhere looking for nest sites.

I closed a slide last night while working on the trailer. When I opened it this morning, my son pointed at a small yellow jacket nest that wrapped up under the slide topper awning overnight. He said the couple came out from under the top a little ticked off. Guess it didn't squish them enough.