Squirrels chewed propane hose

[vcrt]

These critters love to chew! On the seventh and last stop of our month-long trip along the Gulf coast and up to Tennessee, we were at Croft state park in Spartanburg SC. Lots of squirrels running around and after my wife said she smelled gas outside our camper, I went looking to see where it could be coming from. Baffled at first, but persistence paid off when I looked under and found a hole chewed right through the rubber hose between the regulator and the pipe through the frame header. At this point, I'm thinking I should change the regulator also (original 2006) but I'd like to get one with a braided steel covering on the hose to prevent that from ever happening again. Anyone know who sells a kit like this?
Thanks,
Rich

[johnnybgood]

I had the same issue, more than once.
Ended up wrapping the propane hose with aluminum foil and covering it with a section of split wire conduit. No problems since.

[vcrt]

This morning I did a search here with "squirrels" and that brought up a thread from 2010 on this subject. It seems that the popular solution then was similar to johnnybgood's idea, to wrap the hose in aluminum duct tape and then a plastic wire loom conduit. So, since I'm having difficulty finding a braided stainless steel hose in the size I need, I'll go this route.
Rich

[JohnB]

Hi Rich,

Yeh, the squirrels... I know we like to camp in "their" backyard, but the LP hose and the truck are prime targets. I knew of the squirrels and the LP line, but I did not know about the truck until they got me. We were camping at Moffit Beach in the ADK's of upstate NY, and that year between the squirrels and the chip monks they where frolicking in full force.



I lifted the truck hood to check the oil and well, was shocked. Within one day, as I checked under they the day before for washer fluid, they tore up my fender well insulation. They built a monster size nest next to the heater motor right on top of the exhaust manifold. Some pics,



I filled and 8 gallon trash bag with what I pulled out.


What is left of my fender insulation.


Live and learn, each time before I pull out with the truck at the campsite, I check under the hood. If I had not done that by accident, I would of for sure had a fire by the exhaust manifold under the hood once I hit the highway towing heavy in the summer.

The Marshall auto change over regulator original on your camper has been out of stock for a good while since Covid hit the last I looked in January this year. Marshall sold out and is now Marshall Excelsior MEGR-253 regulator that will be a direct drop in.

Here it is, out of stock at RV Upgrades, https://www.rvupgradestore.com/Marsh...-p/66-9377.htm

You can try and hunt for one somewhere else. My normal go to places where all out of them in Jan this year. I found this Camco one at Dyers RV in AZ and bought 2 of them. I have not yet mounted one to know if I need to drill a new mounting hole in the bracket on the all thread rod that holds it yet, but at least I could get one.
Camco Double-Stage Automatic Changeover Regulator #59002 https://www.dyersonline.com/camco-do...regulator.html

The hose is what they call a low pressure vapor hose since it is down stream of the main tank regulator and only at 11" WC. I think the last ones I bought where 5 psi rated. Not like the main tank hoses which is high pressure.

Have a good trip

John

[vcrt]

Thanks John,
Good recommendations. I will try to get one of them and will certainly be vigilant about checking under the hood from now on!
Rich

[mainah]

Steel wool works too.

[JohnB]

Originally Posted by mainah

Steel wool works too.

Hi Mainah,

H'mm, how far up the hose do you have to wrap steel wool? Wouldn't it rust?

I never heard of the steel wool.

[mainah]

I used it primarily where any thing enters my camper when it's stored. The mice in my case were the problem they latterly chewed through the power cable down to bare wires trying to get in right were it enters. I guess steel wool is the buzz word there are non rusting types. It's kind of interesting I never found any electrocuted mice. So far the all time rodent deterrent for me has been the bucket of death. After the power cord incident I was a little more diligent with the bucket and had 11 dead mice the next morning it does works for squirrels too. I highly recommend the roller type bar for the bucket! Taking it on the road is a little cumbersome but all you need is some bait (peanut butter works well) and some water.

[JohnB]

Hi mainah,

Ah, OK got it. Using the steel wool to keep critters out of the camper, that I heard of. I thought you meant you where using it to keep squirrels away from the LP hose.

The bucket trap, yes I have heard they are very effective. Never had to use one yet, but know of them. The new barn is a lot tighter then my old barns thankfully.

[mainah]

Squirrels are destructive critters, over the years I have repaired a lot of squirrel damage to automotive wiring. I think it's more so in the colder months looking for a nice warm home even inside of blower housings! I have caught squirrels in the bucket of death. I am in the middle of 80 acres so we are likely to get most any kind wild creature!

[MACK C-85]

Originally Posted by johnnybgood

I had the same issue, more than once.
Ended up wrapping the propane hose with aluminum foil and covering it with a section of split wire conduit. No problems since.

I think I reported the aluminum foil/plastic wire loom fix originally. Update.... happened the first summer after we bought trailer, no squirrel damage since....[emoji41]

[vcrt]

I replaced the hose, pigtails and the regulator (marshall Excelsior) I bought from Tweety's RV and wrapped the low pressure hose with aluminum tape. The only problem I ran into was that the camper end of the hose was a bit smaller than the original. Turns out, Sunline used a hose that threaded directly to the 1/2" pipe, but the new hose was made for a 1/2" flare fitting. A trip to Home Depot and I had a fitting that made the transition.
Also, unlike the old regulator, which had a 360 degree view of the fill indicator, the new one was visible from the lever side only, so I mounted the new one with the regulator facing forward instead of backward as Sunline did it.
Now the indicator and the flip lever face to the front of the camper.
Thanks for all the advice!
Rich in

[JohnB]

Glad is all worked out Rich. Thanks for reporting back.