Ants in access control keypad

[JRobyn]

Hi guys. I just discovered hundreds of ants inside my gate access control keypad. It is a Millenium 950/951, which is relatively well sealed, but there is a small gap around the outer edge so that it can be opened for battery changes. It's mounted on a flat board, so all the normal mounting/access holes are sealed. The ants were building "nests" around the edges of the circuit boards, which looks like they have held just enough moisture against the main board that it has started to delaminate!

Since I can't "hermetically" seal the enclosure closed, got any tips to prevent future infestations? I already plan to sprinkle some Triazicide granules in the bottom of the box and all around the post.

 

[Thomas]

Try a moth ball.

 

[Redlands Okie]

I drop one or two of those ant bait traps in the electric gate control boxes when i service them.

 

[Thisusername4sale]

My mighty mule has been good with mothballs in the box when I close it and I sprinkle various ant granular products all around box and I've been good. My neighbor poopooed it when I told him and replaced his board twice before adopting my strategy. Not exactly scientific method but new moth balls every year or so and sprinkling once every three months has been good. Also, we all have a massive "crazy ant" issue here and of all the things they've over run this hasn't been one...yet.

 

[oosik]

I sprinkle a 2' to 3' wide strip of Diazinon granules all the way around the house, annually. Never have ant problems in the house. A ring of that chemical - Triazicide - around your post should do the job. My diazinon is old, old & probably not full strength anymore - but it still does the job.

 

[tractchores]

Have had this issue too, not sure why - but ants love to hang out in anything electronic. I just spray the post it's mounted on with something like ortho home defense max, keeps the ants from accessing the keypad and lasts quite a while. I usually just do it once in the spring. Moth balls work for a short period, but in summer heat they melt and are gone within a couple days so not great.

 

[JRobyn]

Thanks guys. I'll do both the Triazicide and Ortho - granules around the post on the ground and inside the box and spray on the post. I took all the separate component boards apart and cleaned out all the "nest" stuff with a small stiff brush. Burnished the connector pins a bit with a small wire brush. At least everything looks clean now.

 

[Larry Caldwell]

The fabric softener sheets for the dryer will repel ants and seem to last longer than moth balls.

 

[Alien]

I had a real nice wireless weather station and the ants made a nest in it. It stopped working and I think the acid they produce damaged and shorted the circuit boards. It couldn't be repaired anyway. Any stuff left for long term needs to be checked regularly for the little sods.

 

[Alien]

The fabric softener sheets for the dryer will repel ants and seem to last longer than moth balls.

Excellent tip mate. Thanks