Batteries or electric fencing

sychnant

sychnant

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I have been given a Narrowboat battery which I would like to use with a solar panel to power my electric fencing over the summer. Does anyone use one of these, and is there anything in particular I need to know before I buy the panel and connect it up?

It's a 12 volt battery but absolutely huge. My housemate tells me rather grumpily that it will be a pita to move across the field and we are better off using car batteries and charging them each week on rotation if necessary. My argument is that the huge battery will hold it's charge for longer and we are less likely to have times where the fence is pathetic - and won't have to recharge it nearly as often.

I appreciate the solar panel should keep either of them charged if it works correctly, but if it doesn't - which do you think is best? Regular charging of small easy to carry car batteries, or less often charging of a 50kg monster? Does anyone have any advice or experience please?

Thanks for reading :)

eta sorry for typo in title, f key is being sticky :p
 
i'll wait to be corrected, but i was told that Leisure batteries are much better than car batteries for elec fencing, because they're designed to give out a low steady charge, whereas a car battery is designed to give out a quick high charge (enough to turn the starter motor over to start the vehicle).
someone in Stable Yard posted a while ago about a very good battery and recharger system, might be worth looking for that post.
if it really weighs 50kg then fgs get a sack truck to move it around, I got a great heavy duty one on ebay for about £24. it's not worth doing your back in, 50kg is really heavy!
i'd definitely get a charge tester, either one you earth and then touch the fence with and it shows you the voltage, or one that clips onto the fence and flashes when the fence pulses. that way you'll know immediately if the battery's running low or the fence isn't live.
 
Thanks Kerilli :)

I'm guessing the one I have been given is a leisure battery as I believe it powers everything on a Narrowboat. They seem to cost around £400 inc. postage, seems a shame not to use it - but you're right about the sack truck, I can't even lift it on my own, and housemate is grumpy about the prospect of helping to move it. Which is fair. I just think if it will hold its charge for a decent time, it will be better than faffing about with car batteries every week - as you say, they are not designed to run fencing anyway - and I don't want to spend money on leisure batteries if the huge one I have is likely to be useful :)
 
I find car batteries heavy enough! I stick on quad and swap around. Halfords do a good recharger that I leave at home in garage. I usually buy halfords cheap 12 volt car batteries and they usually last about 8 weeks on 200meters fence tape before needing recharge. However I have got a car battery that was taken from my sons old car and it seems to last for about 3 months and still going strong! So perhaps try your local garage but I know when I asked they wanted more than the price of a new one in Halfords.

I was told when I charge up (usually over night) turn it off and then give it another boost for a while longer. I usually have a couple to swap them over and I think I have had them both about 3 years. I think they are brill.
 
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