Usage of mothballs - long term effects?

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I use mothballs to keep the critters out from under my hood and around the car. Just wondering if the material in it - naphthalene - would cause any harm to the plastic bits or wiring long term?

I couldn't find anything one way or another
 
I wouldn't have thought so. My pool electronics have always had naphthalene in them and after 15 years the guts are still as good as new. I had to replace a worn microswitch in a timer recently and I was floored at the condition of my chlorinator which sits outside in the weather and exposed to all sorts of vermin. No insect ingress and all cabling and plastics were as good as new.

There are always potential minor material compatibility issues, and there are certainly a larger variety of under bonnet materials than found in an electronic appliance, so ymmv.
 
I use mothballs effectively every winter in my stored vehicles and remove them when driving resumes. If there are any effects, it has to be better than a rodent building nests or chewing on wiring harnesses.
 
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I have a homestead in the middle of either corn or bean fields and rodents are a major issue. Have used moth balls for decades and have seen no issues. I found some that even come in small sachets are great for in car use. Late fall a sprinkling of flakes around building helps deter the vermin.
 
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