Forum Title: SE Cable vs Woodpecker
So, very early this morning, I was awakened by a drumming sound coming from outside my second floor bedroom window. I jumped out of bed and threw on some clothes while hoofing it down the stairs and out the door. I look up and I see this little black and white woodpecker about 6" long, pecking away on my service cable. I shooed him away, but the little bugger had already punched a hole, dead center, right through the outer PVC jacket.I filled the hole he made with silicone as a temporary repair, but now it looks like I have yet another project to do when the weather warms up, that being changing my service. I think now I will probably switch from SE cable to PVC pipe and wire.After almost 30-years in the trade, I can?t say I’ve ever heard of, or seen a woodpecker attacking SE cable before, until now. Is this something that happens often in some areas? Do you go out of your way to avoid using SE cables because of situations like this?
Category: General Electrical Discussion Post By: Bill Montross (Anthony, KS), 03/23/2017
I am glad we dont have such a cable in Canada

- Rick Griffin (Diana, NY), 03/25/2017

Never heard of a woodpecker attacking an SE cable. I do go out of my way to not use SE at all. Unless a customer refuses to have it on their house, I always install a mast. The big enemy here seems to be UV radiation, it degrades the outer jacket, and when it cracks water wicks into the meter base which is never good.

- Query Jeff Poe (Waldoboro, ME), 03/25/2017

Usually a woodpecker only goes after something if they see a bug in there so it may have already been compromised.

- Stewart Lee (Camden, MO), 03/25/2017

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