Chipmunks and electrical cable ??
 

All of a sudden, every time I turn on my driveway lights, they blow the
fuse. I checked and changed the switch (just in case), but the problem
persists. We had a chipmunk problem in the yard, and someone told me that
it's possible the chipmunks ate though the underground cable, and it is now
shorting. (The electric wire goes to the light posts, underground, through
the chipmunk infested area). Before I start digging the yard to check the
wire, is that possible? Is there an easier way to check, other that digging
up the yard? Could it be some other problem?

Thanks

It is often easier to install a new buried wire than inspect the old one.
Same for buried pipes. -B

"Harry" wrote in message
vers.com...
All of a sudden, every time I turn on my driveway lights, they blow the
fuse. I checked and changed the switch (just in case), but the problem
persists. We had a chipmunk problem in the yard, and someone told me that
it's possible the chipmunks ate though the underground cable, and it is
now
shorting. (The electric wire goes to the light posts, underground,
through
the chipmunk infested area). Before I start digging the yard to check the
wire, is that possible? Is there an easier way to check, other that
digging
up the yard? Could it be some other problem?

Thanks

Is there an easier way to check to check , other that digging up the
yard?

Disconnect hot, ground and neutral wires at service panel. Unscrew lamp at
fixture. Check resistance between ground, neutral and hot. All should read
infinity. If there is a short between the hot and neutral it will be close to
zero ohms, same with ground. If that is the case get out the shovel and
consider using plastic conduit. HTH

Joe

Harry wrote:
All of a sudden, every time I turn on my driveway lights, they blow the
fuse. I checked and changed the switch (just in case), but the problem
persists. We had a chipmunk problem in the yard, and someone told me
that it's possible the chipmunks ate though the underground cable, and
it is now shorting. (The electric wire goes to the light posts,
underground, through the chipmunk infested area). Before I start
digging the yard to check the wire, is that possible? Is there an
easier way to check, other that digging up the yard? Could it be some
other problem?

Thanks

Don't worry, a failed light switch would not likely cause a short. If
anything, the lights served by that switch would either not come on at
all, or stay on either way.

So if the switch is off, the fuse does not blow. What if you remove the
light bulb? On second thought, since you are blowing fuses, you should
use an electric meter to check for shorts. Learn how to use the meter to
check the resistance of the white and black wire leaving the switch box.

Remove the light bulb, if everything is fine, you should get infinite
resistance, or something near there. If something is wrong, you'll get
low resistance, and the meter may beep.

Remove the wiring from the lamp, below the bulb socket. It is possible
the short is there. Work your way back. Could a chipmunk have chewed
through the cable? It's possible. But does it really matter? What
matters is finding the fault, and possibly taking steps to prevent it in
the future. Running conduit might be the solution.
--Mike

"Joe Bobst" wrote in message
...
Is there an easier way to check to check , other that digging up the
yard?

Disconnect hot, ground and neutral wires at service panel. Unscrew lamp at
fixture. Check resistance between ground, neutral and hot. All should read
infinity. If there is a short between the hot and neutral it will be close
to
zero ohms, same with ground. If that is the case get out the shovel and
consider using plastic conduit. HTH

There is actually a box outside, for those lights. So I can first check for
a short from the box to the light post. I'll try that, thanks.

Not sure about your problem, but I have had a lot of problems with
squirrels or chipmunks chewing the parts & wires of my electric gate
opener. Large pieces of plastic are chewed away and wires are often
chewed in half.

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

"Nick Hull" wrote in message
...

Not sure about your problem, but I have had a lot of problems with
squirrels or chipmunks chewing the parts & wires of my electric gate
opener. Large pieces of plastic are chewed away and wires are often
chewed in half.


I was afraid of that :-(

"Nick Hull" wrote

Good news; I mounted a Hav-A-Hart trap on top of my gatepost (without
bait) and after a month it caught a squirrel. He is very unhappy, I'm
sure he is telling all the other squirrels to stay away.

Will it work on badgers???

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/35/

In article Rmqfd.4591$8R.3269@trnddc02,
"Red Neckerson" wrote:

"Nick Hull" wrote

Good news; I mounted a Hav-A-Hart trap on top of my gatepost (without
bait) and after a month it caught a squirrel. He is very unhappy, I'm
sure he is telling all the other squirrels to stay away.

Will it work on badgers???

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/35/



Might need a bigger trap for badgers.

The squirrel died, only lasted 2 days. Maybe I should have fed/watered
him?

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

How about beavers?
"Nick Hull" wrote in message
...
In article Rmqfd.4591$8R.3269@trnddc02,
"Red Neckerson" wrote:

"Nick Hull" wrote

Good news; I mounted a Hav-A-Hart trap on top of my gatepost (without
bait) and after a month it caught a squirrel. He is very unhappy, I'm
sure he is telling all the other squirrels to stay away.

Will it work on badgers???

http://www.weebls-stuff.com/toons/35/



Might need a bigger trap for badgers.

The squirrel died, only lasted 2 days. Maybe I should have fed/watered
him?

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/

In article ,
"Joe Fabeitz" wrote:

How about beavers?

Beavers are tougher. The last one stuck it out even when lightning
struck his lodge like a stick of dynamite. The next day lightning
struck again like 4 sticks, haven't seen him since. ;)

--
Free men own guns, slaves don't
www.geocities.com/CapitolHill/5357/