Connecting up broken electric tape & maintaining electric flow

[Toby_Zaphod]

I think I may have posted this a few years ago but not sure so I'll post again. Apologies if I've previously posted. Many of us put in electric fences to keep our horses in their paddocks. We all know however that there are occasions when they break out & rip the electric tape. When we just tie the tape together we find that the original 6 strand tape probably only connects with say 4 wires the other side of the not. Then when we have to knot again the 4 wires are tied & probably only 2 actually touch & there are now only 2 wires connecting or may be no connection at all. The fence makers make tape connecters and they can be any price from 50p each up to a pound or more each. I believe this is too much. At my yard if we have a broken tape I get a simple keyring & open the tape out to be flat & then knot it around the key ring. I then do the same to the other piece of electric tape & knot it to the ring. This way we have maintained the circuit and the fence still has good power in it. I bought key rings off ebay for £3.99 including postage for 100 rings (4p each). So I use this whenever there is a breakage of the tape & I manage to keep the tape live. This can save you a fortune, have a go it works.

 

[meleeka]

Do they not rust over time?

 

[Toby_Zaphod]

You can get zinc plated key rings, I've got nickel plated & they work well for quite a while.

 

[KittenInTheTree]

I've never found that tying the tape back together weakens the current. It does add visibility at night though!

 

[honetpot]

The trouble is with time most tape even if you can not see the breaks has broken conductors, if they are ready bad they short and burn the plastic tape. Some tapes have a conductor wire that goes across the tape horizontal wires to reduce the loss of voltage.
If the broken tape is thin I would use a small wire connectors because you have more chance of the conductors touching the metal.

5x VOSS.farming Electric Fence Connector "Simplex" for Polywire, 3mm STAINLESS STEEL

<ul class="checklist"> <li>for polywire 2-4 mm in diameter</li> <li>made entirely from stainless steel</li> <li>does not rust</li> <li>ensures unempeded flow of electricity through the fence</li> </ul>

www.electric-fence.co.uk

There are allsorts of connectors,https://www.electric-fence.co.uk/electric-fence/connectors-tensioners.html.
I have a lot of electric fencing and try and replace each section every two years, as the sun and the wind eventually degrades it.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

I have a lot of electric fencing and try and replace each section every two years, as the sun and the wind eventually degrades it.

We do the same. We also find here in our part of Ireland, the very damp valley that the fields are in the tape soon becomes coated in a green algae that interferes with good conduction. I simply wash it all with a Fairy soaked sponge and then let the rain rinse it off.

 

[ycbm]

I know you're in Ireland Mrs J, and you have plenty of the mystical creatures over there, but using fairies to clean your electric fencing seems a bit unfair?
.

 

[paddy555]

We do the same. We also find here in our part of Ireland, the very damp valley that the fields are in the tape soon becomes coated in a green algae that interferes with good conduction. I simply wash it all with a Fairy soaked sponge and then let the rain rinse it off.

brilliant Mrs J. Same problem with a couple of tapes.. I was going to try and nail brush it if it was ever dry but this sounds far better.

 

[pistolpete]

My favourite tool in the whole world is my electric fence tester. Can quickly isolate any areas that no longer carry current and fix. Always tied electric fence never had a problem.