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How to Protect Your RV Shore Power Box From Mice and Small Rodents

This post was updated on March 15th, 2024

Sometimes you might notice that mice climb up your power cord and get inside your camper by way of the shore power bay.

Even if you keep the bay door closed, there still might be enough of a gap to allow mice to squirm their way into the friendly confines of your RV.

Prevent Mice From Making a Home in Your RV Shore Power Bay

Mice can be very tricky little creatures. They can be a real problem, especially if you happen to be living or staying in one location for a longer period of time.

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Sometimes removing all food supplies isn’t practical or enough.

It’s a proven fact it takes a very small opening for mice to get into your RV. Having the RV heated and stocked with food makes it that much more appealing to mice, making the extra effort for them worthwhile.

Vigilance is essential.

Sealing up your water line entrance points is a great start, but you need to think about the electrical cables as well.

Rat Guards Will Stop Mice From Climbing Your RV Power Cables

Think of sailing ships in days of old.

They used hollow cones placed around the mooring lines that secure the ship to the docks. Rats climbing the rope couldn’t get past the cone and gain access to the ship.

They still use these today, they’re called ‘rat guards’

The rat would climb up the rope and face a dead end. He could either turn around and descend the rope, or try to get around the barrier and fall into the water.

This may look a little over the top for your electrical connection, but if mice are a problem you need to take action. 

You can buy rat guards designed for small diameter mooring lines (1/2″ to 1″) and use them on your RV shore power cables. 

Just be sure to get the ones with the appropriate inserts that will fit the diameter of your own equipment.

small diameter rat guard
Rat and mice guard for cables less than 1″ in diameter – perfect for RVs

Is the Cover Around Your Shore Power Box Secure?

There are two usual ways electrical power is provided to RV’s.

In my own large diesel pusher the power comes into a storage bay that is loaded with electrical panels and gear.

The wiring from these panels is secure and enclosed in a way that no critters can get beyond the storage bay that houses the cord.

rv electrical door
Replacement shore power bay door, note the outer hinged door and the inner “mini rat guard”

In most travel trailers and smaller RV’s the power cord comes out through a plastic cover that has a small secondary cover.

The secondary cover is designed to be slid up allowing the larger cover to be secured around the electrical cord when plugged into shore power.

If you fail to close this outer cover, mice can easily climb up the power cord and enter through the larger opening.

From there, they’ll get into the storage area under your cabinets where the power cord resides during travel.

Inside this cover is a secondary block for rodents, a mini rat guard of sorts.

When new, this is usually a satisfactory block for mice. But if there are sections broken and missing it will provide an opening that is large enough for access.

Replacement covers are available at a very modest cost through eBay.

If all is well with your electrical cord door, and you are faithful about securing it properly, it’s unlikely you will have mice problems. Make sure to check it!

If they still manage to get past this blockade you can stuff the interior of the power cord door with fiberglass insulation.

Conclusion

Take a queue from the sailors, use rat guards to isolate your RV from mice and other small rodents.

If you haven’t checked the integrity of your RV’s electrical bay door, now might be a good time to do so. They’re cheap to replace and work well in keeping your RV rodent free.

Read this article if you’re looking for more tips on keeping mice out of your RV.




7 thoughts on “How to Protect Your RV Shore Power Box From Mice and Small Rodents”

  1. And, after one has done all of this – get a cat! On a trip to North Dakota our cat got some “extra protein”…my hubby, not wearing his bedroom slippers, found the head and tail but not the body…

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