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02-27-2021, 11:03 AM
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#1
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 88
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LED rope lights on ground under RV
We have noticed a number of RV's (we are in Arizona) have long strings (ropes) of LED lights laying under their rigs. Most seem to be laying around the perimeter of the rig.
Being in AZ with the issue of packrats getting into the unit, are these lights a fashion statement or an attempt to discourage rodents?
If I see the owners outside I will ask them, but with the current climate about getting close to strangers I figured someone here would know.
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02-27-2021, 11:25 AM
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#2
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Part-Time Campground Host
Join Date: Jul 2019
Location: Upstate NY
Posts: 3,187
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We don't use ours in a campground, but we do use them at home to deter the squirrels and mice from entering the camper. So far it's worked well.
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Craig & Cath
2018 2902WS Rockwood Ultra Lite (with tons of Mods)
2022 F250 Lariat Super Cab, 7.3 gas w/10 Spd Xmsn
Equalizer Hitch w/4-Point Sway Control
Days camped since 2015(retirement): 1687
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02-27-2021, 12:18 PM
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#3
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Member
Join Date: Sep 2020
Posts: 88
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So does it really keep them away?
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02-27-2021, 12:27 PM
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#4
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Member
Join Date: Mar 2014
Posts: 51
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I don't know about pack rats but the lights will attract skunks as they root around the lights looking for bugs that are attracted by the light.
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2016 Vibe Extreme Lite 315BHK
2006 F150 Supercrew 4x4
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02-27-2021, 02:38 PM
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#5
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2016
Posts: 158
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Rope lights
Just to make the site look better and since when are squirrels out at night ?
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02-27-2021, 02:41 PM
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#6
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Member
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 54
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We stayed at the Karchner Caves State Park campground and the camp host suggested that string lights under the RV would keep pack rats away. We noticed other RVs had string lights under theirs. The RVs on both sides of us had strings lights illuminating the ground so we hoped that we might be protected. We had no problems while there. Afterwards we purchased some rope lights but haven't had occasion to use them yet.
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02-27-2021, 02:46 PM
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#7
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Member
Join Date: Jun 2015
Location: Houston TX
Posts: 59
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Fashion statement in Texas
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02-27-2021, 02:54 PM
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#8
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Junior Member
Join Date: May 2017
Posts: 9
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Rope lights under RV
We have citrus and pecan trees in our yard and we keep our RV in our yard between trips. We found pecan shells and rat droppings in the RV engine housing. I started putting the rope lights under the perimeter of the RV when we park it at home. This has kept the mice and rats from going under the RV and into the engine housing. I tried spraying, traps and even two cats we have but the rope lights work the best. My trail cam shows the rats come out after darkness and stay away from the light. I have a 60ft roll of rope lights on a timer and I just lay it on the ground around the RV.
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02-27-2021, 03:29 PM
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#9
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: MT & CA
Posts: 272
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We've had numerous problems with pack rats and mice - pack rats on the toad engine and mice on/in both.
About a month ago we began using a perimeter string around our MH and also looping beneath the toad engine abutting the end of the MH.
We haven't had any traces of uninvited visitors since. Might just be coincidence, but we'll keep at it. Need more time to make an intelligent conclusion.
The string is fed through a photocell switch, so no attention needed beyond setup/removal.
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John, KA6CHX
2018 FR Berkshire 39A
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02-27-2021, 03:54 PM
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#10
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Northern KY
Posts: 5,725
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interesting that it is good for critter control...
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"nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle."
Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell pg. 2, June 11, 1807
2014 Shamrock 183
2014 RAM 1500 Bighorn Crew Cab, HEMI, 3.21 gears, 8 Spd, 4X4 TST TPMS
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02-27-2021, 03:59 PM
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#11
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: San Jose, CA
Posts: 998
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If you want to go one step further you can hardwire LED Rock lights to a switch I had 6 of them permanent attached to the bottom of my trailer Waterproof ct.. 12v power to a switch inside where I could turn them on an d off at my desire
https://www.google.com/search?q=rock...w=1536&bih=722
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2019 FR3 33DS Motorhome
650 Watts Solar, 400Ah LIFEPO4, 2000 Watt Inverter, 40A DC/DC Charger, SumoSprings, Roadmaster Steering Stabilizer, BlueOx Trac Bar, Truma AquaGo WH, NVIDIA Shield TV
Days Camping
2019 57:2020 20:2021 30:2022 46:2023 47:2024 7
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02-27-2021, 04:07 PM
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#12
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Junior Member
Join Date: Dec 2018
Posts: 16
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rope lites
We have been boondocking in Az in winter for 7 yrs and have always put solar string rope lites beneath our trailer and engine compartment of the truck and have never hade a problem with pack rats or mice even though we know for a fact they are in the area. Those little critters can do a lot of damage to the wiring of your RV engine. I've heard the wiring insulation on newer vehicles is made from soy beans....
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02-27-2021, 04:25 PM
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#13
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Junior Member
Join Date: Apr 2019
Location: Mesa,AZ
Posts: 11
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in AZ it's to keep the pack rats away. They chew on the wires of your coach or TT like it's going out of style.
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02-27-2021, 05:20 PM
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#14
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 426
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wwestman
We have noticed a number of RV's (we are in Arizona) have long strings (ropes) of LED lights laying under their rigs. Most seem to be laying around the perimeter of the rig.
Being in AZ with the issue of packrats getting into the unit, are these lights a fashion statement or an attempt to discourage rodents?
If I see the owners outside I will ask them, but with the current climate about getting close to strangers I figured someone here would know.
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Much like old western cowboys with a lariat, it's to keep snakes away.
__________________
2016 Nike Take Down Wrestling Shoes
42 ft square Dollamur high school wrestling mat
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02-27-2021, 05:22 PM
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#15
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 426
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Quote:
Originally Posted by denlinsen
We have been boondocking in Az in winter for 7 yrs and have always put solar string rope lites beneath our trailer and engine compartment of the truck and have never hade a problem with pack rats or mice even though we know for a fact they are in the area. Those little critters can do a lot of damage to the wiring of your RV engine. I've heard the wiring insulation on newer vehicles is made from soy beans....
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Soybean insulation is precisely correct. I know of a couple of friends that had to purchase new wiring harnesses for their trucks. Over $1k.
__________________
2016 Nike Take Down Wrestling Shoes
42 ft square Dollamur high school wrestling mat
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02-27-2021, 05:24 PM
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#16
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Senior Member
Join Date: Feb 2015
Posts: 426
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Quote:
Originally Posted by sfsgm
Much like old western cowboys with a lariat, it's to keep snakes away.
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Actually, I saw many, many years ago a test of the theory on "You asked for it" (that should give you an idea of how many years ago). They laid out a lariat and then opened a bag of snakes inside of it. The snakes crawled right over the rope.
__________________
2016 Nike Take Down Wrestling Shoes
42 ft square Dollamur high school wrestling mat
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02-27-2021, 05:33 PM
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#17
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Senior Member
Join Date: Aug 2014
Location: Northern KY
Posts: 5,725
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Quote:
They laid out a lariat and then opened a bag of snakes inside of it. The snakes crawled right over the rope.
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YES... I recall many episodes of You Asked for IT... maybe time for a re-make?
The better test would have been to put food INSIDE the rope ring and see if snakes crawled over the rope to get to the food. Crawling OUT of the ring is not the same as crawling INTO the ring... ALSO was it the exact same rope material as was used by cowboys?
Same could be said of mice trapped inside a rope light ring... would they stay in the ring if caught there? or would they just be reluctant to crawl INTO a rope light ring?
__________________
"nothing can now be believed which is seen in a newspaper. Truth itself becomes suspicious by being put into that polluted vehicle."
Thomas Jefferson to John Norvell pg. 2, June 11, 1807
2014 Shamrock 183
2014 RAM 1500 Bighorn Crew Cab, HEMI, 3.21 gears, 8 Spd, 4X4 TST TPMS
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02-27-2021, 06:19 PM
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#18
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Senior Member
Join Date: Oct 2018
Location: MT & CA
Posts: 272
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Well, if I can't trust my snakes to stay inside their rope "corral", then I guess I won't take them camping anymore,
__________________
John, KA6CHX
2018 FR Berkshire 39A
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02-28-2021, 06:08 AM
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#19
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spooky
Join Date: Jan 2019
Posts: 48
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Quote:
Originally Posted by wwestman
We have noticed a number of RV's (we are in Arizona) have long strings (ropes) of LED lights laying under their rigs. Most seem to be laying around the perimeter of the rig.
Being in AZ with the issue of packrats getting into the unit, are these lights a fashion statement or an attempt to discourage rodents?
If I see the owners outside I will ask them, but with the current climate about getting close to strangers I figured someone here would know.
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Decorative......imagine the money the LED industry would be making if the lights kept out rodents!!!
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02-28-2021, 12:38 PM
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#20
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Senior Member
Join Date: Sep 2016
Location: Colorado
Posts: 1,311
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I'm interested in this theory myself. We camp in dispersed camping on occasion and have been inundated with mice, and chipmunks. One chipmunk even chewed through a screen on an open window to get in. We trapped 7 mice on our last trip, and 2 more when we got home. I don't have a problem at home.
__________________
2003 Duramax
2017 Crusader 315
2016 Boston Whaler Montauk 150
Former Montana owner
Colorado Cruiser, Over the Pass and Down the Hill
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