Electric fencing help

[Horsekaren]

I have put up an electric paddock but i'm having a few issues, having never made a paddock before i'm looking for some guidance.

I have used wooden fence posts, i am using three lines of electric tape so i have nailed in three insulators to each post. I have a three way conductor which i have attached to the fence post but this is where its got messy.
I have only put the three lines of tape along 2 of the fence lines as the paddock has been built within a field so there were two fence lines up already. I have used one line of tape for the top and bottom lines, this goes from the gate to the top of the far corner (two fence lines, about 220 meter ) I have then set it up to travel down the last fence post to the bottom row and then it loops back along the bottom of the fence line to reconnect with the conductor. I then have a middle line of tape which starts at the conductor and travels around the entire paddock reconnecting via the electric fence handle to the conductor.

Questions - will this sort of set up work? it has a buzz but is very weak. I have a new 12v battery and new energizer, turbo 4 line tape.
I dont have any connectors that attached tape to tape (yet) so i have had to knot the tape together in 2 places. I have also knotted the start and end of the tape lines to the three way conductor as i dont see how else i can attach it.


As for the two posts where the tape runs down the post from the top to bottom row, its not touching the wood but way well do if it is windy, is there something i can use to insulate the post. At some points the middle line of tape touches existing tension wire, would this earth it?

 

[YorksG]

If your tape is touching wire, then it will send the charge down that wire, so you really need to do something about that, as it will drain the battery. Touching the wood is not a bigproblem as wood is not a good conductor of elecricity, wire is though

 

[ester]

I'm a little confused what your 3 way conductor is?

Re. knotting tape how effective this is depends on thick the tape is, thicker tape the filaments tend to be further apart so you are less likely to get a good connection by knotting. We have all 20/25mm tape and lots of knots .

Don't let it touch the metal fence, wooden post fine.

What is your earth situation?

 

[Horsekaren]

The 3 way conductor is this - https://www.ukcountrystore.co.uk/acatalog/Heavy-Duty-3-Way-Gate-Handle-Insulator.html#SID=14

I have this set up by the gate, i have knotted the start and end line of the 40mm white turbo tape (top and bottom lines of the paddock) to this and the start of the middle green line of tape which then connects to the gate handle that reconnects to the above when gate is closed.

I'm not sure if the knots are enough but i can seem to find another solution or connector type thing out there :/

So the fact it is really week is likely due to the tape touching the tension wire in two places?

 

[YorksG]

The 3 way conductor is this - https://www.ukcountrystore.co.uk/acatalog/Heavy-Duty-3-Way-Gate-Handle-Insulator.html#SID=14

I have this set up by the gate, i have knotted the start and end line of the 40mm white turbo tape (top and bottom lines of the paddock) to this and the start of the middle green line of tape which then connects to the gate handle that reconnects to the above when gate is closed.

I'm not sure if the knots are enough but i can seem to find another solution or connector type thing out there :/

So the fact it is really week is likely due to the tape touching the tension wire in two places?

Sounds like it to me

 

[Horsekaren]

Sounds like it to me

Thanks!

 

[SEL]

If you can get electric insulating tape then you can wrap it around the wire in the places it touches. Then the wire won't come into contact with your electric fence.

Are you sure it is weak - have you touched it? Mine is absolutely silent apart from a slight ticking noise where one strand is knotted to the other. But it packs a punch still. I have a gadget which lets me check the power without touching the wire because we used to be connected to the mains and you really, really know about that when its on!

 

[Horsekaren]

If you can get electric insulating tape then you can wrap it around the wire in the places it touches. Then the wire won't come into contact with your electric fence.

Are you sure it is weak - have you touched it? Mine is absolutely silent apart from a slight ticking noise where one strand is knotted to the other. But it packs a punch still. I have a gadget which lets me check the power without touching the wire because we used to be connected to the mains and you really, really know about that when its on!

Do you mean tape like this? https://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/BLACK-EL...TAPE-19mm-x-33m-FLAME-RETARDANT-/191601307478

Yes i've touched it, took me about 10 mins to be brave enough to touch it as it was making a racket then was utterly disappointed.


Whilst i wait for tape would wrapping a plastic bag around the big of tension wire where it touches be enough to stop it?

 

[ester]

ah, to me that is a 3 way gate insulator It is designed for gate handles but knotting to that should be sufficient it is knotting 40mm tape to 40mm tape which doesn't work as well.

you didn't answer about the earth? and what energiser are you using?

 

[meleeka]

If it’s making a noise you are losing power. The noise is the current jumping to something else so aim for a silent fence Try to use an earth stake of at least 1m, but the longer the better.

 

[Horsekaren]

ah, to me that is a 3 way gate insulator It is designed for gate handles but knotting to that should be sufficient it is knotting 40mm tape to 40mm tape which doesn't work as well.

Ah i have knotted 40mm to 40mm at one point so i will change that once the propper connectors arrival.
energiser is this one -https://www.amazon.co.uk/Electric-Energiser-ShockRite-SRB120-Warranty/dp/B01CDH0KVQ/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1540289381&sr=8-2&keywords=horse+electric+fence+energiser

you didn't answer about the earth? and what energiser are you using?

If it’s making a noise you are losing power. The noise is the current jumping to something else so aim for a silent fence Try to use an earth stake of at least 1m, but the longer the better.

1m? as in one meter in the ground? ive only managed to get it in about 6 inches

 

[ester]

yes 1m in the ground if you are using a long earth spike (as opposed to the feet of an energiser but sometimes they need a separate spike too), you need a hammer . Earthing can make a massive difference to how well a fence works.

 

[SEL]

1m? as in one meter in the ground? ive only managed to get it in about 6 inches

Sometimes a bucket of water where the earth goes in helps. Better for conducting as well as making the ground softer.

That tape you've linked to is fine. You can usually pick it up in any DIY shop

 

[Horsekaren]

Sometimes a bucket of water where the earth goes in helps. Better for conducting as well as making the ground softer.

That tape you've linked to is fine. You can usually pick it up in any DIY shop

lol whilst im waiting for that to arrive ive just ripped the wires out of an old phone charger so i will use the rubber casing around that for now

 

[Penny Less]

You can buy a fence tester for about £8 . Much better than asking your OH to throw himself/herself on it to see if its working !