Rats ate my wiring. Need help.

[davezerg]

Ok so I kinda left my tractor in the ranch outside in the elements for a couple months. When I finally wanted to move it I noticed it wouldn't start. Thought it might be the battery. I opened up the hood and saw that the small ground wire was cut and some other damage. The wires to the headlights are completely cut as well. I was hoping you guys might have some info on how to fix this. I'd post pics but I'm not sure how to. Tractor is a 2013 John Deere 5045e. Maybe you guys have some pics of original so I have an idea how it was before. Thanks.

 

[beowulf]

When you say fix this, do you mean reconnecting the cut-chewed wires or preventing mice or rats from doing this again? It happened to me once - mice chewed through a couple of wires - and they had started to build a nest on top of the gas tank.

There was a thread here - many years ago - about ways to keep the critters away. Things like fox urine, moth balls, cats. .. I don't recall all of the suggestions. I simply respliced the wires and luckily it did not happen again.

 

[davezerg]

I need help on how to fix it. I'll keep it out of the elements from now on and put some mice deterrents on it. Maybe one of those fake owls on top as well. Any info on how to rewire or like I said maybe a pic of the battery cables.

 

[Soundguy]

an onion bag of mothballs will keep the mice away.

As for the cut wires, clean the ends, get some no-ox and butt connectors and just match wire insulation color/stripes / markings. But connectors aren't awesone.. but if you cleant he wire and seal with some no ox grease, etc..

 

[STx]

I prefer to use the waterproof, heat shrink butt connectors for stuff that will spend any significant amount of time in the elements - Amazon.com: SOLOOP 1Pcs Heat Shrink Butt Connectors Crimp Electrical Terminals Heat shrink waterproof wire connector Red: Car Electronics.

Count yourself lucky, we just got my wife's car back from having rat damage repaired. Total was right at $6,000 in damage. They had to pull the entire interior out of the car to inspect the harness, replace one of the control modules, several sensors and quite a bit of wiring repair. Thankfully, insurance covered all but about $1,000 of it.

 

[Zebrafive]

Now is a good excuse to buy the tech manual for your tractor. It will have the wiring diagrams in it.

 

[Ford850]

Be sure to check the air filter too. That's a common area for them to build a nest, or chew through the filter. That's not something you want to suck into your engine.

 

[varmint]

I had a fairly new Chevy pickup that mice got into the wiring just below the fuse box in the engine compartment, and chewed the insulation of dozens of wires... a royal mess. I wound up separating the wires and spraying insulation vinyl onto the bundle of wires... seemed to keep the wires from shorting, and stopped corrosion, but it wasn't pretty. Replacing the harness might have been an option, but jeez!

 

[truckdiagnostics]

I prefer to use the waterproof, heat shrink butt connectors for stuff that will spend any significant amount of time in the elements - Amazon.com: SOLOOP 1Pcs Heat Shrink Butt Connectors Crimp Electrical Terminals Heat shrink waterproof wire connector Red: Car Electronics.

Count yourself lucky, we just got my wife's car back from having rat damage repaired. Total was right at $6,000 in damage. They had to pull the entire interior out of the car to inspect the harness, replace one of the control modules, several sensors and quite a bit of wiring repair. Thankfully, insurance covered all but about $1,000 of it.

FYI, They make a crimper for the insulated butt splices, if you use the crimper for the non_insulated on the insulated you damage them and might has well have saved your money. The above butt splices perfectly acceptable repair. I have been known to cut the cost effective plugs out(for say lights) and use above butt splices instead.

 

[oosik]

No rats here but Lord do we have the field mice. Best answer is moth balls in a cloth sack and a pack of hungry barn cats. I've heard the mice don't like peppermint extract/oil either - haven't tried that yet.

1992 - the mice completely destroyed the wiring in a BRAND NEW Chrysler - $895 bill to fix.

 

[sdef]

Now is a good excuse to buy the tech manual for your tractor. It will have the wiring diagrams in it.

+1. And moth balls in an open weave bag, strategically placed has worked well for me so far.

 

[crazyal]

It really comes down to how handy you are. I've rebuilt lots of wire harnesses over the years. Sometimes mice damage, somethings damage from a wire getting too hot, and even corroded wires. It's not that hard, just can be a little time consuming. If I had to repair a harness that got cut I would rather stagger out the splices if possible than just create a large lump. If the harness will see the elements I will solder the joints and use heat shrink to seal the fix over a crimped on connector. The crimp on connectors will work but you will want to seal them as well use a compound to prevent corrosion. A soldered joint is much smaller in diameter than a butt splice connector and are less prone to causing issues down the road as things age.

 

[Zebrafive]

I got very lucky (for the repair, not the fact it was damaged), we had put our daughter's 2004 Impala out by the road with a FOR SALE sign on it. A week later I wanted to move it to mow. No start. I FINALLY found the varmints chewed a sub harness from the trunk floor to the fuel tank. There was an access panel in the trunk for replacing the intank fuel pump. I went to the salvage yard, found an Impala someone else had pulled the fuel pump from and left the sub harness. Easy unplug and take it home. I paid $7 for it, plugged it in our Impala and it started right up!

 

[big bubba]

just a footnote for the already good advice on your problem. rodents don't like to nest in daylight areas. i notice a lot of hoods open on stored vehicles etc. on my rural dirt road...... i cover my tractor w/tarp, then open hood. plus a container of aforementioned m'balls close to radiator or elsewhere on engine away from exh manifold, etc. (btw they eventually evaporate) some say dryer sheets also work to do the trick... so daylight + repellent should help
good luck, been there before.