Thick girls guide to energisers

poiuytrewq

poiuytrewq

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Mr P used to sort this kind of stuff out for me and seems to have got bored of it! The farm used to have battery chargers hanging around so I was able to find one and charge a battery myself but they have also all dissapeared.
I have two energisers but both seem a bit tempremental and not very reliable. I have two decent leisure batteries but no way to charge when needed.

I've had a few break outs recently and been lucky to have no injurries and for them to have only got into resting bits of my own field rather than out. My outer boundaries are pretty good. The elecric fencing no longer works but its all got thick hedges now so that's safe.

I split the field with poly posts and rope and this is where I'm getting problems. However as its only the dividing fence its not a huge expanse I need to electrify. There is no mains to this field so i wondered about a solar energiser? one not too expensive 🤞

Then I need to electrify my little turn out pen as although its post and rail the littlest pony is trashing that by rubbing on it all. It all needsv re-doing really but that's a big job and for now I'm just going to screw in some isolators at Shetland bum height. This can be mains as its on the yard, its also a very small expanse. So the cheapest mains energiser I can get away with is?

Not keen on this sort of responsibility 🤣 Any sales around for this type of stuff?
 
Looking on Amazon there are some solar energisers from about £70 but goodness knows how well they work. I have two Gallagher solar energisers which are absolutely brilliant and game changing compared with charging batteries. I have the S20 and S16, if you don't need a massive length of tape the S16 is probably more than enough. Link below but haven't checked that this is the cheapest or if there's a smaller one that would be enough.

www.daltonsupplies.com

Gallagher S16 Solar Powered Electric Fence Energiser/Charger incl 6V B – Dalton Supplies

The S16 from Gallagher is the perfect portable energiser solution. For your convenience, it's easy to transport and simple to install. See it here!
www.daltonsupplies.com www.daltonsupplies.com
 
I gave up on the Fenceman energiser and replaced it with a Hotline Gemini. They are SO much better and more reliable.

I also bought a small portable solar panel, and we have it set up so that it runs primarily off the solar panel with a 12vt battery as back up.

It packs quite a punch and ive had no escapees since changing to this set up.
 
I had to quickly get to grips with electric fencing after renting fields after livery yards, so bought 2 off Amazon, about £40 quid each and they seem to be doing the job connected up to 2 12V car batteries.
 
You can get chargers from Groves Batteries (they deliver) or TH White's. Make sure it's earthed properly, some have built in earths, others you will need a metal spike for the earth. In dry weather, keep your earth damp, chuck half a bucket of water on it every few days. I wouldn't bother with solar, stuff like that never works well for long. With your old energisers check that all the wires are connected properly, they can get loose or partly pulled out.
 
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We have a Rutland solar powered energiser and its very simple and easy to use, so would recommend a solar powered one. We rotate round the fields so one that's easy to move and install was a must, you just put the earth stake in, hang the energiser up and away it goes! Way lighter than lugging car/ leisure batteries about, it take a small square 12v battery and I bought a spare so when I do have to recharge it I can just pop the other one it, but I think I've only needed to re-charge a handful of times in the 3 years we've had it.
 
Abacus said:
Looking on Amazon there are some solar energisers from about £70 but goodness knows how well they work. I have two Gallagher solar energisers which are absolutely brilliant and game changing compared with charging batteries. I have the S20 and S16, if you don't need a massive length of tape the S16 is probably more than enough. Link below but haven't checked that this is the cheapest or if there's a smaller one that would be enough.
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Absolutely agree with this, I have an S20 (I think) and it's brilliant. It's currently electrifying about 1km of fence line and still working entirely off sunshine in November (I point it directly South). I've had it about four years and the only maintenance it's needed was re-wiring the leads when the farmer ripped them apart with his flail.

I think the S16 is still the smallest - they're all hideously expensive now compared with five years ago, but keep an eye out for a sale and they are WELL worth the money. I have no intention of ever lugging a battery through the mud again. Or faffing with recharging etc.

ETA It doesn't deliver a huge kick down the fence but it's clearly adequate, because when it's come unclipped or been broken by an errant farmer, that's when my yearling can be found in someone else's field.
 
They are not currently set up really but yes we do use an earth stake, although to be fair its often not in very deep. How deep do they need to go? Our ground is just rock hard and very stoney, getting even plastic posts in is hard work- You have to keep trying a slightly different area as it hits more stone.

I'll have a look at the two I have and check there is nothig obvious, I think one in particular is a loose wire as if i fiddle about a lot with positioning the wires sometimes it starts clicking so I know its doing something!
Ive jusr seen a neighbour is advertising a second hand solar energiser on Market Place but am a bit dubious whether winter is the time to buy one? Although Widgeons post sounds pretty good!
 
marmalade76 said:
You can get chargers from Groves Batteries (they deliver) or TH White's. Make sure it's earthed properly, some have built in earths, others you will need a metal spike for the earth. In dry weather, keep your earth damp, chuck half a bucket of water on it every few days. I wouldn't bother with solar, stuff like that never works well for long. With your old energisers check that all the wires are connected properly, they can get loose or partly pulled out.
Click to expand...
Wheres Groves Batteries? I've been to TH Whites but again cant think where, Probably on a farm errand!
 
poiuytrewq said:
Ive jusr seen a neighbour is advertising a second hand solar energiser on Market Place but am a bit dubious whether winter is the time to buy one? Although Widgeons post sounds pretty good!
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If it's a decent make and fully functioning then I would give it a go - personally I never charge mine in the winter because a) I am lazy, b) it's in a big open field and gets whatever sun there is. But I know lots of people with naughtier horses will take solar energizers home one night a week throughout the winter to give them a boost charge.
 
rextherobber said:
I'd try checking the earth's on your existing energiser before buying new. ( sorry, not very helpful!)
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This!

I took 4 energisers I thought were dead to a guy local to us - 3 out of the 4 needed wires and little bits fixing. He charged me £25 each for the ones he could repair.
 
Abacus said:
Looking on Amazon there are some solar energisers from about £70 but goodness knows how well they work. I have two Gallagher solar energisers which are absolutely brilliant and game changing compared with charging batteries. I have the S20 and S16, if you don't need a massive length of tape the S16 is probably more than enough. Link below but haven't checked that this is the cheapest or if there's a smaller one that would be enough.

www.daltonsupplies.com

Gallagher S16 Solar Powered Electric Fence Energiser/Charger incl 6V B – Dalton Supplies

The S16 from Gallagher is the perfect portable energiser solution. For your convenience, it's easy to transport and simple to install. See it here!
www.daltonsupplies.com www.daltonsupplies.com
Click to expand...
I have recently bought one of these. So far so good. Will it work in the gloom of winter though?
 
myheartinahoofbeat said:
I have recently bought one of these. So far so good. Will it work in the gloom of winter though?
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I've found it depends where you put it. Mine struggled a bit when I was on a livery yard surrounded by trees (i.e. I couldn't put it in a location where it got the full winter sun) but now it's out in a big open field facing South it never dips below green. I guess it does depend what kind of a winter we have though! Fingers crossed for a really cold, bright one.
 
i caved and bought an s16 gallagher, as a certified thick girl🤣 i couldn’t fathom how to recharge a leisure battery and by the time id bought both, as my energiser was knackered and old battery long gone, it would’ve cost just as much to replace both anyway.

absolute god send, i turn the dial and jobs a good ‘un🤣 it doesn’t come with an earth pole though, luckily i still had the old energiser so i just use that. mine was on sale for £175 ish, it was an investment but came with a 7 year warranty and has been worth every penny so far - last time diva was in her pen she was breaking out every other day despite the electric, this time she hasn’t so much as put a nose under the tape to eat!
 
I'm the same as you! Bought a Gallagher and even up here I can pretty much leave it to get on with it!
I only took it down yesterday as the snow had frozen on the tape and was pulling it.
 
My leisure batteries were nearing the end so having read this thread yesterday I have ordered the S20. I’m fed up of the constant breakouts and having to trudge up the other end of the field to bring him back! Wasn’t going to do that for half the winter so he is literally in for a shock 😮
 
rabatsa said:
If you are bringing inside overnight remember to turn the energiser off and back on again in the morning at turnout. Stops wasting any charge if poor charging weather.
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I am actually very good like that! More because I dont want to get my dog zapped so its the first thing I do, I keep the battery right by the gateway and always turn on and off. I impress myself 🤣
 
Any old pole or electric fence stake. And obviously some sort of metal stake for the earth if it didn't come with one.
 
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