Mains Fencer - Setting Up

patsy_mccabe

I just bought a new mains fencer and I want to set it up right, so a few questions? :rolleyes:

- Do I really need the 3 earth bars, 6 feet long and 10feet apart, as recommended? Should I keep these well away from the shed where I will have the fencer.
- When going across gates, I want to go underground.I was thinking of burying a length of the yellow corrugated drainage pipe and then putting both a water pipe (which I need to take across too) and the insulated underground fence cable in together. Would it be risky putting the high voltage so near the water pipe.
- When attaching the live wire to the fence, should I use one of those little clamps or would it do to just wrap it around a few times.
http://gallagherelectricfencing.com/collections/l-gallagher-fence-hardware-staples-strainers-clamps/products/gallagher-joint-clamp-l-shape-10-pack

I probably think of a few more Q's as I go too. Thanks!

orm0nd

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

I just bought a new mains fencer and I want to set it up right, so a few questions? :rolleyes:

- Do I really need the 3 earth bars, 6 feet long and 10feet apart, as recommended? Should I keep these well away from the shed where I will have the fencer.
- When going across gates, I want to go underground.I was thinking of burying a length of the yellow corrugated drainage pipe and then putting both a water pipe (which I need to take across too) and the insulated underground fence cable in together. Would it be risky putting the high voltage so near the water pipe.
- When attaching the live wire to the fence, should I use one of those little clamps or would it do to just wrap it around a few times.
http://gallagherelectricfencing.com/collections/l-gallagher-fence-hardware-staples-strainers-clamps/products/gallagher-joint-clamp-l-shape-10-pack

I probably think of a few more Q's as I go too. Thanks!

at least 3 earth bars ..more if the ground dries ,, no harm to keep back a bit from the shed especially your'e feeding/handling cattle there

under gap should be ok , but why do you want to put the water pipe inside the yellow,? it would be fine by itself place a little sand around it if the soil was rough


no need for the clamps , just wrap the wire around very tightly a few times
don't use electrical cable as it will cause oxidization & lead to a poor connection & power loss

foxy farmer

The galv earth rods are a waste of time. The coating will break down over time and the steel will corrode in a short time due to earth fault current returning to the fencer. Pulled up 3 rods here a few yrs ago and couldnt believe what was left. They weren't the thickness of a pencil. The galv coating was gone where it was in contact with the soil.
Get an old copper cylinder and cut out the flat centre section flatten it out connect your earth cable to it and bury it.

patsy_mccabe

orm0nd wrote: »

.. but why do you want to put the water pipe inside the yellow,?

Convenience really. Two fields beside each other and I move water trough between both fields.

foxy farmer wrote: »

The galv earth rods are a waste of time. The coating will break down over time and the steel will corrode in a short time due to earth fault current returning to the fencer. Pulled up 3 rods here a few yrs ago and couldnt believe what was left. They weren't the thickness of a pencil. The galv coating was gone where it was in contact with the soil.
Get an old copper cylinder and cut out the flat centre section flatten it out connect your earth cable to it and bury it.

I was thinking they would rust alright. I have some stainless here. I might bury a strip of it.

farawaygrass

foxy farmer wrote: »

Get an old copper cylinder and cut out the flat centre section flatten it out connect your earth cable to it and bury it.

What exactly would you do? Cut of top and bottom and flatten out the cylinder part?

foxy farmer

farawaygrass wrote: »

What exactly would you do? Cut of top and bottom and flatten out the cylinder part?

Yes and then cut the cylinder from edge to edge and make a single flat sheet of it. You now have a large area in contact with the soil.
A length of heavy copper cable would do as well.

orm0nd

you can buy copper earth rods as well,

what I use here is a lightning conductor I got off an old mill chimney that was being knocked

patsy_mccabe

They do say in the literature (Gallagher) not to use any copper wire in the circuit. I remember it being discussed on here before. The copper reacts with the steel where they meet. I think they have to be proper sealed from moisture. Galvanic corrosion, they call it.

farawaygrass

foxy farmer wrote: »

Yes and then cut the cylinder from edge to edge and make a single flat sheet of it. You now have a large area in contact with the soil.
A length of heavy copper cable would do as well.

I also heard of someone burying an old gate, to get a big area too. Will the cylinder disentergrate quickly over time?

foxy farmer

farawaygrass wrote: »

I also heard of someone burying an old gate, to get a big area too. Will the cylinder disentergrate quickly over time?

Would be more resistant than the galv rods. Can't say for certain. ESB use all copper for earthing and galv rods in certain circumstances.

Bscan86

I used 6 earth bars roughly 1.5 metres apart with galvanised rods driven in the shape of a horseshoe, linked them with 10 sq. mm earth copper cable and only stripped the insulation when clamping onto the rods (don't cut the cable). I then put a lug onto the earth when fixing to the fencer. From the fencer to the fence itself I used 2.5mm steel wire which is covered in some form of plastic. There's a wicked crack off of it!!!! And wen going onto the fence with the insulated wired I interrupted with an electric fencer switch, I've put in a good few which allows maintenance on 1 section without having to switch the whole lot off.
Regarding the rods corroding after 8 or 10 years if they have to be replaced is it really the end of the world

patsy_mccabe

Another question - when a fencer works normally (not shocking an animal) does it discharge the shock through the earth bar? By that I mean is every shock, every second, got rid of through the earth. Someone said that to me recently.

Jimlh86

patsy_mccabe wrote: »

Another question - when a fencer works normally (not shocking an animal) does it discharge the shock through the earth bar? By that I mean is every shock, every second, got rid of through the earth. Someone said that to me recently.

No my understanding is the only time the circuit is complete is when something I.e a heifer touches the fence while standing on the ground. Hence a bird can land in the fence without getting shocked. The shock travels through her and back to the earth.