electric fence question

vanderbadger

if your fence isnt earthed right will it show as being down on power a good bit??
my fence seems to be back on power and I have had a good look around and cant find it earthing so wondered if the earth bars them selves could cause it?
I only have 1 in use and its wouldn't really be into softish ground

georgepower

You must have a good earth to get the full power out of your fencer, certain fencers require more than one earth bar to be effective. Also the ground it's in will make a difference, soft damp ground would be good.

5live

Switch off the fencer, pour a few buckets of water around the earth post and try testing it again.

I would also check the connector wire from the fencer to the earth post to make sure it hasn't broken or rusted. Its too late to check when the cattle are gone into the silage ground:o

Ideally though, you should use at least 2 earth posts and make sure the connections are good. My main fencer has 10 earth poles on it and it needs every one of them.

vanderbadger

5live wrote: »

Switch off the fencer, pour a few buckets of water around the earth post and try testing it again.

I would also check the connector wire from the fencer to the earth post to make sure it hasn't broken or rusted. Its too late to check when the cattle are gone into the silage ground:o

Ideally though, you should use at least 2 earth posts and make sure the connections are good. My main fencer has 10 earth poles on it and it needs every one of them.

ya good idea on the water, the connecting wire is good

nhg

Read on a post somewhere here over the last few weeks that there is a special earth wire for electric fences, not just the usual house earth wire. Must try to locate some of it for our own fence.

onyerbikepat

I set up a battery fencer there last week. It was after the heavy rain so a small pool of water where I put it. I ran the fence about 400 yards or so and I was worried that it might loose some power over that distance.
Phew, there was some whack of it. Nothing like water in the ground to give you a good earth.
I also used the proper insulator eggs at the ends and not the baling twine like before.

_Brian

nhg wrote: »

Read on a post somewhere here over the last few weeks that there is a special earth wire for electric fences, not just the usual house earth wire. Must try to locate some of it for our own fence.

Must be double insulated steel wire or your loosing power.
Copper earth wire isn't fit for those voltages plus the copper wire and steel post will react and insulate themselves from each other.

I have a dish shape built up round the earth stakes. Maybe 12 inches across and 6 inches deep. It collects rain water and soaks it down round the earth stakes. Handy in very dry weather to soak them. Last summer I had to run a hose in round rem for half an hour.

If your earth is 100% you should be able to put one hand on the ground beside it and touch the earth post without getting a shock.

The rule for steel wire goes for the power carrying line to the fence. Steel only, copper is a disaster and will let you down.