Electric Fence & Tester

fawlty towers

Looking for a bit of advice. Have a fair bit of what I would call semi permanent electric fence around the place. What I have at the moment is timber post at each corner and polywire and pig tail in between.

Toying with the idea of replacing the polywire with mild steel. Don't want to use high tensile as I would need to move it every few years. Just finding that the polywire is cracking every few years and I'm giving longer and longer looking for fault. Anyone else having this problem?

Any any advice on a good fence tester

_Brian

If you look for the white wire with higher numbers of Steel wire strands it definitely lasts longer. We’d have water courses fenced off more than 10 years with it.
Have tried light steel “tying wire” to replace some.

ruwithme

Nothing beats the steel wire,even it's only the lighter stuff for conducting good consistent current. Have you a good earth and insulators combined with the steel wire. Also get rid of any Cooper wire and replace with the insulated galvanised steel for under grounding

If your after a simple fence tester,i got afew of these locally. No wire and probe with this.works a treat.
https://www.farmcareuk.com/hotline-electric-fence-tester.html

EvanFahy

Hi, id highly recommend using poly-braid instead of poly-wire it is stronger and lasts at least 10-20 years

The best polybraid I know of is 'Powerflex PolyBraid Mixed Metal'

satstheway

The lightest galvanised tying wire you can get is cheap and no problems. . I think 1.2mm is available but most stores stock heavier but I found lighter is handier for permanent paddocks.

If your using alot and have earthing problems. A gsm switch and a gallagher tester with amps and fault direction is a lifesaver.

Micey.ie

EvanFahy wrote: »

Hi, id highly recommend using poly-braid instead of poly-wire it is stronger and lasts at least 10-20 years

The best polybraid I know of is 'Powerflex PolyBraid Mixed Metal'

Where can you purchase this?

Zimmerframe

satstheway wrote: »

A gsm switch and a gallagher tester with amps and fault direction is a lifesaver.

Exactly, what that man said.

Sami23

Just wondering what power would ye normally be getting with yer electric fence testers on average.
I usually get the 4000 here and wondering is that good or bad in comparison to others.

_Brian

We’ve a 30 year old Alfa Laval 6Mj fencer here.
Have a dose of wee fields fenced, I’d say 8-9 Km of fencing. The tester is showing 5000v on farthest away point and that’s top rating on tester.

emaherx

Sami23 wrote: »

Just wondering what power would ye normally be getting with yer electric fence testers on average.
I usually get the 4000 here and wondering is that good or bad in comparison to others.

Less than 6000 V and I'm looking for potential issues, mostly solar powered fences here 7-8000V would be normal.

Having said that 4000V should keep cattle in, below 3000V and you could be in trouble.

Sami23

emaherx wrote: »

Less than 6000 V and I'm looking for potential issues, mostly solar powered fences here 7-8000V would be normal.

Having said that 4000V should keep cattle in, below 3000V and you could be in trouble.

I might need to add another earth bar so. I have 3 already but in fairness ground is a bit dry.

What brand solar fence do you use.

emaherx

Sami23 wrote: »

I might need to add another earth bar so. I have 3 already but in fairness ground is a bit dry.

What brand solar fence do you use.

I use Voss electric fence units, which I find great. Having the right spec of fence unit is as important as good earthing. My farm is made up of a number of disconnected blocks, 20 acres is my largest block and a 2 Joule fence unit serves it well. About 1 Joule per 10 acres should keep any farm fairly well.