Mouse meets furnance

Coconutz · 06-07-2021, 07:40 AM

And we all know how that ends up with the temperatures are low in the spring. I'm only posting this because I don't see much regarding my particular model of trailer.

At about 1 AM a few weeks a mouse decided to inspect the "squirrel cage" of my furnace. Sad to report that while it was working, the mouse did not live to tell me about it. Instead the merely a couple ounces of mouse shook the entire trailer and nearly ended the weekend of camping.

Now, why am I telling you all this? Because in order to remove the mouse, inspect the furnace and ensure everything is ok on a 2015 Hideout 232LHS, you must dig under the stove and cut...yes, cut the wires to the furnace. Simply no other way and not enough wiring to pull it through the wall to remove.

so find yourself a rather small individual who can fit their arms under everything, because you can't remove the bottom of the cabinet above the furnace without ruining it (it's stapled and glued). Best way to access is to remove the paneling under the sink and come at it sideways. When reinstalling, cut yourself about a foot of wiring, this will give you plenty to work with in the future. All in all, took about an hour and a half, couple of cuts/scrapes/bruised knuckles, but all is well and we are back into camping mode.

**sourdough** · 06-07-2021, 07:45 AM

Yep, many of the components in an RV are placed then built around without a thought of how it's going to come out. I don't think I recall ever pulling anything out that I didn't have to cut the wires to, that's why I have rolls of different gauges of wire in different colors along with all kinds of connectors - you just never know. Glad you got it fixed and my condolences for mr. mouse.

Coconutz · 06-07-2021, 07:49 AM

Thanks to RV ownership I've developed many skills, wiring is now another one with the supplies to go with it in the repair kit, lol.

**chuckster57** · 06-07-2021, 08:07 AM

Welcome to my world.

German Shepherd Guy · 06-07-2021, 09:27 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by chuckster57

Welcome to my world.

And to think

You RETIRED from law enforcement to do this

But we love that you are here with us!

**chuckster57** · 06-07-2021, 10:25 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by German Shepherd Guy

And to think

You RETIRED from law enforcement to do this

But we love that you are here with us!

Thanks. Funny but true:
I was only going to do this for 1 year to fund the purchase of a new 500mag. Got it end of year 2, but here 10 years later I’m still working on these things.

**flybouy** · 06-07-2021, 01:07 PM

At least they don't shoot at you

LHaven · 06-07-2021, 01:14 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by sourdough

Yep, many of the components in an RV are placed then built around without a thought of how it's going to come out. I don't think I recall ever pulling anything out that I didn't have to cut the wires to, that's why I have rolls of different gauges of wire in different colors along with all kinds of connectors - you just never know. Glad you got it fixed and my condolences for mr. mouse.

I guess there's no standard. There was sufficient slack behind my breaker box/converter to slide it completely out of the way to install an EMS. There was such luxurious slack behind my ceiling lights and my front marker lamp that I easily reconnected them when our own Mickey ate through the wiring. (Those lights hung down several feet!) Similarly in the TV/power wiring running straight through the middle bay in the pantry, such that I was able to route it around the edges inside loom and regain the blocked-out bay. But try to remove the furnace for service, and it's all snip-snip.

In our old rig, we had a mouse move into the squirrel cage and nest, no idea when. We had a heat pump A/C, so I think we used the furnace only maybe twice in 20 years. About a year before we traded up, we managed to mis-set the thermostat to enable the furnace. In the middle of the night, it kicked on, and my first thought was that an earthquake was occurring! It sounded like a cement mixer and scared the bejeezus out of both of us until we figured out where it was coming from.

**chuckster57** · 06-07-2021, 01:23 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by flybouy

At least they don't shoot at you

I worked in a state prison, they stabbed you literally in the back.

**sourdough** · 06-07-2021, 02:28 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by LHaven

I guess there's no standard. There was sufficient slack behind my breaker box/converter to slide it completely out of the way to install an EMS. There was such luxurious slack behind my ceiling lights and my front marker lamp that I easily reconnected them when our own Mickey ate through the wiring. (Those lights hung down several feet!) Similarly in the TV/power wiring running straight through the middle bay in the pantry, such that I was able to route it around the edges inside loom and regain the blocked-out bay. But try to remove the furnace for service, and it's all snip-snip.

In our old rig, we had a mouse move into the squirrel cage and nest, no idea when. We had a heat pump A/C, so I think we used the furnace only maybe twice in 20 years. About a year before we traded up, we managed to mis-set the thermostat to enable the furnace. In the middle of the night, it kicked on, and my first thought was that an earthquake was occurring! It sounded like a cement mixer and scared the bejeezus out of both of us until we figured out where it was coming from.

I was speaking more to the electrical wiring to the appliances. Lights, speakers etc. I've not had a problem. Some of the bigger items; water heater, furnace etc. are placed then built around. Those things that are wired, holes cut, then placed haven't been an issue.....yet.

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