Table of Contents
Does electric fence have to make a loop?
The answer is no, an electric fence DOES NOT have to make a complete loop. Creating a continuous loop will increase voltage on the fence line, because power is pushed in both directions. Essentially, with a continuous loop, voltage only has to travel half the distance.
How do you connect an electric fence to a battery?
Place two 12-volt batteries, one in front of the other, in an enclosed area next to the electric fence controller. Turn the batteries so that the positive and negative terminals are on the same side and next to each other. For example, place both positive terminals on either the left or right.
What happens if you don’t ground an electric fence?
When an animal comes in contact with an electric fence, a pulse travels from the fence, through the animal and into the soil. Via the soil moisture, this pulse is captured by the ground system and returned to the energizer. Without proper grounding, the fence’s electrical circuit can not be completed.
Can electric fence wires touch each other?
Wires tend to flip due to the wind. Many people tend to install in-line strainers above each other, but this is not the right way to do it. You should separate them by a fence post so that they don’t catch on each other.
How many grounding rods do you need for an electric fence?
Most fences will require two or three grounding rods positioned about 10 ft. apart, near the starting point of the fence. Make sure that your ground rods are far enough away from your utilities, in particular your telephone lines.
How do you disarm an electric fence?
Fully disabling an electric fence requires not only removing the power source but also disconnecting the fence from the charger. Disconnect the power source to the electric fence charger. Remove the fuse on the outside unit. Remove the fence wires from the terminal inside the fence charger.
Can I power an electric fence with a car battery?
You can certainly use solar fence chargers; however, one easy way to keep your electric fence charged is to hook it up with to 12V car batteries in a parallel manner. Doing this doubles the amount of time that you have before you need to recharge your fence.
How long does a 12 volt battery last on an electric fence?
We always recommend the use of leisure and deep cycle batteries with electric fencing as, unlike car batteries, they are designed to be repeatedly discharged and then re-charged. This battery should have a life of 200 cycles and can last up to 2-7 years if treated correctly.
Can you use a battery charger for electric fence?
Insert the batteries or attach the charger to external batteries, depending on the model. Connect the grounding terminal of the charger to the grounding rods with a piece of electric fence wire. Connect the positive terminal of the charger to the electric fence with another piece of wire. Turn on the charger.
Can you use rebar as a ground rod?
Proper Grounding Rod In most cases, pipe or rebar can be used. The grounding rod needs to be made of galvanized steel and also needs to be at least four feet in length for best results.
Why is my electric fence snapping?
Almost all radio noise generated by electric fences is caused by a spark or arcing of the electrical current across fence hardware. Typical sources of arcing include bad splices in fence wire and gate hooks. Fence wire acts as an antenna to broadcast the arc. Vegetation can also cause arcing that is cyclic.
Do you need a grounding rod for electric fence?
In fact, the majority of electrical fence systems will actually require at least three grounding rods. These rods should be about 10 feet apart and should be placed at the start of the fence. Grounding rods can actually interfere with phone service as well as electrical lines that may be located on the property.
Can you run an electric fence in a straight line?
Electric fence lines can be straight and dead end Most folks would be combining electric with permanent fence lines or something non electric like cattle panels.
How far apart should ground rods be?
Approximately 90 percent of all grounding electrode systems for structures are driven rods. The NEC requires all driven rods to be a minimum eight feet in the earth and for multiple connected rods a minimum spacing of six feet between rods.
How do I check the ground on my electric fence?
Lay an iron bar across the wires, making a direct connection from the fence line to the ground. Then place your volt meter on the last earth rod in the line to see if there is any voltage between the earth rod and the ground. No reading to under 500 volts – move on to Checking your Fence Connection.
How many ground rods do I need?
The requirement is 2 rods spaced at least six feet apart unless you can prove one rod will turn less than 25 ohms resistance. That is all the requirement is. Run all the extras you want, the requirement for rods is two unless there is less than 25 ohms on one rod.
How far apart should fence posts be for electric fence?
Although it’s really up to you, the commonly accepted distance between posts is 12 feet. However, others recommend anywhere between 15 feet and 30 feet.
Can barbed wire be used for electric fence?
When converting a barbed wire fence to an electric fence, you’ll want to remove the existing wire. Understand that electrifying barbed wire is very dangerous – people and animals could get trapped on the fence and subjected to repeated shocks as they struggle to get free.
Can you touch an electric fence with rubber gloves?
Among other electricity myths: Myth: Rubber gloves and rubber shoes protect you from electricity. Truth: That’s true only if they are 100 percent pure rubber with no holes or tears (the kind that electrical linemen wear). Truth: As a rule, power lines aren’t insulated.
How do burglars get over electric fences?
A professional criminal will easily breach the perimeter system by tapping the electric fence without the alarm being raised known as wire tapping. Wire tapping – is use of wire clamps to bypass the electric circuit without sounding the alarm therefore leaving an area/section unelectrified.
Can you turn an electric fence on and off?
Electric fences are powered either with a battery or AC outlet. There might be multiple switches for each wire on the fence, depending on the installation method; turn off all switches if this is the case.
How long does a 9v battery last on an electric fence?
The advantage of this type of battery is that they can usually run the energiser for between 3 months and 9 months depending on the Ah of the battery and the type of energiser and fence you have – this means no more worrying about lugging a heavy 12 volt battery across a field for recharging.
How does a fence charger work?
Pulsed fence chargers send a voltage spike through the fence about once every second or two. A timer switch turns on briefly every second or so, sending a pulse through the fence and another pulse through the ground. If nothing completes the circuit, very little electricity is used.
How do you hook up an electric fence?
Can I use rebar to ground electric fence?
In most cases, pipe or rebar can be used. The grounding rod needs to be made of galvanized steel and also needs to be at least four feet in length for best results. Using copper rods will diminish the overall effectiveness of the electrical fence system.
Do electric fences work in the rain?
During a rainy year, you may have lots of plant growth touching the wires. That’s when you will need extra power to shock through the heavy, wet vegetation. It’s also handy to find folks with an extra charger they can loan to you while yours is being repaired. Expect some breakdowns, especially from lightning.
Why is my electric fence clicking?
Clicking is part of normal fence operation when a charger releases energy that travels along the fence. Almost all radio noise generated by electric fences is caused by a spark or arcing of the electrical current across fence hardware.
What is the minimum depth for a ground rod?
The only legal ground rod must be installed a minimum of 8-foot in the ground.
Will grass ground out an electric fence?
Grass or other vegetation touching your electric fence will reduce power going through the fence line. Excessive grass contact on an electric fence can completely ground out your fence.
How tight should electric fence wire be?
Tensioning Wire High-tensile wire is typically tensioned to approximately 200-250 pounds. Be sure you do not apply too much tension to wires, as excessive tension will damage wire and may lift fence posts out of the ground in low spots. You can use a ratchet in-line strainer or tightener to tension wires.
How far should a grounding rod be in the ground?
Drive the rod into the ground. You need to drive your rod all the way into the ground. The electrical code states that it must have 8 feet (2.4 m) of contact with the ground, so you need to drive it all the way down.
Can a ground rod be galvanized?
Galvanized steel, copper-bonded steel and stainless steel are the most common materials considered for grounding systems in most parts of the world. Galvanized steel rods are often the go-to material because they are cheap, allowed by the NEC and UL listed.
Which is better copper or galvanized ground rod?
If the facility being grounded has a life expectancy of less than 15 years, a galvanized ground rod is appropriate and will provide the most cost-effective solution. For installations with a longer service life, copper-bonded ground rods are the best fit.
