Mains fencer installing earth rods

Joebobs · 22-05-2026 09:15AM #1

Hi I want to put down 4 earth rods for my new M60 cheetah Mains fencer. I've picked a location outside shed (out of the way) along a 2ft deep wet sheugh is it okay to have them sunk beside it, it's an out of the way location on the bank of the sheugh? Also I've a Hydro Piping HG running along under the existing fencing and wondering if it okay to have the earth rods beside a water pipe (that goes to cattle drinkers out the fields) , I was thinking just having water pipe about 1ft away from earth rods..
could this cause an issue?

Conversations 3 · 22-05-2026 09:33AM

It'll be grand, the earth won't have any effect on the water pipe.

Keep the rods 2 meters apart and I'd put down 6 with a good sized cable back to the fencer.

Joebobs · 22-05-2026 10:01AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124489218#Comment_124489218

Thanks for the cheetah m60 it says (off memory) just 4 rods needed four mtrs apart. More rods better job?

Joebobs · 22-05-2026 10:05AM

And I've some 1.6mm underground cable that I've left over.. Would that be thick enough for connecting the rods together to mains fencer? . Might cut some LG Piping to put that cable into to protect it in between rods (nettles, bryers etc have a firm grip on the proposed site atm)

cuculainn · 22-05-2026 10:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124489289#Comment_124489289

I have the four rods down for mine, but used the 2.5mm cable. Getting 8,000 volts at the end of the run, which would be over a mile perimeter. and I know there's an section that could be earthing at the moment along a hedge that i need to cut back

Joebobs · 22-05-2026 10:14AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124489289#Comment_124489289

I see I should have a stronger insulated cable like this 🙄

https://www.cheetah.ie/product-page/cheetah-underground-cable-25m-x-2-6

Conversations 3 · 22-05-2026 11:44AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124489284#Comment_124489284

More rods the better, also if you could run a 6mm or 10mm cable to them it would be much better.

cuculainn · 22-05-2026 12:26PM

Do any of ye have the lightening switch installed ? havent at the moment but thinking it might not be a bad idea?

Joebobs · 22-05-2026 01:40PM

I was going to just get the cheetah Underground Cable (25M x 2.6) run that from the mains fencer out to the rods(and along the rods) and also to the start of my fence line. I've no lightning switch, would look at that later in my case more likely a tree/branch falling on the line rather then lighting

Jb1989 · 22-05-2026 06:53PM

If your not cleaning the shuck I'd put them down in the shuck rather than the bank. Best chance of keeping them damp.

RockOrBog · 22-05-2026 10:28PM

I have a half of an old fireplace tongs as an earth rod on a battery fencer on an outfarm, it works well around 8 or 9 acre fields.

Never had any trouble with earths, it must be all the bog here.

Sergeant Bilco · 22-05-2026 11:17PM

Seen an uncle of mine fill a churn with water and bury it, fence would lift you

hopeso · 23-05-2026 09:59AM

I have a river flowing through the farm here. It's probably something around 6 to 8 foot from ground level to the riverbed. Would it be a good idea to drive a length of tubular a couple of feet in from the bank, down to the depth of the riverbed? Surely the water must seep in under the bank some distance. I often thought of trying it. The only thing stopping me is the length I have to bring the cable.

_Brian · 24-05-2026 07:34AM

we wanted to run the earths to a damp spot few years ago because we had problems loosing the earth in dry weather.
Then it suddenly dawned on me why use insulated wire 🤷🏻

Once outside the shed it’s ran in bare “bull wire” that we lifted from an old fence. Runs to a spot that never dries out. Where the bull wire runs along the fence line I just used a spade to nip it under the sod, it’s a 50m long Earth rod, then connects to 3 1meter rods each 1 meter apart.

Thesmallfarmer · 24-05-2026 07:43AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124494601#Comment_124494601

It common sense when you think about it .Used some lads with poor shock run a second strand coming from the earth to put manners on cattle

emaherx · 24-05-2026 08:02AM

https://www.boards.ie/discussion/comment/124494607#Comment_124494607

Common practice in dry climates, even multi strand fences with every second strand live or earth.

_Brian · 24-05-2026 10:10AM

A good check is use your fence tester on the Earth rod same as you would check a fence.

If there’s a problem with dry ground you will see the fenc tester light up. If it’s well earthed it will show nothing.

fawlty towers · 24-05-2026 01:59PM

I suspect my fence is down on power this year so just checked the earth bars. Got a reading of 0.8kv according to the fault finder. Would this indicate a issue? There was a drain opened in the field and I think the area around the earth bars has now dried out.