What should an electric fence read ideally?

[poiuytrewq]

We had an escapee last night even though the mains electric fencing was on.
Mr P and I have just spent ages out there trying to suss out where we are loosing power and altering bits but have not had a huge amount of joy! We are only getting readings of 2.2- 2.8 in the main of the field. Yet, we then tried a bit of fencing Ive put up on the yard and around my turnout pen which has a smaller battery energiser and its reading 6.0 in places and only marginally lower at the lowest point.
Its is better newer fencing but what Ideally would you be aiming for? I know the higher the better but i don't really know what the highest reading would be!
I suspect I need a new mains energiser and to strim or something along the fence line as it backs onto cover strips so has a lot of teasels and stuff which the horses don't touch but are obviously shorting out the fence.

Yay to doing all this on a Sunday morning..... Bloody shitlands

 

[meleeka]

It depends on what the output of your energiser is (google should be able to help). Some of the horse ones are well under 2J so there's never going to be much power. Worth mentioning, but is your earth long enough? It should ideally be 1m into the ground. Also, are all the strands connected? My mini can work out if the bottom strand isn't on, a mistake I've made before. He'd also laugh at a reading of under 2 on mine but is ok at around 3. Mine runs up to 6, but rare for it to be at full strength.

 

[Britestar]

First check the quality of your actual tape. If you have lots of joins then you probably are not getting good connection, resulting in low output.

Renewing the tape/rope is the easiest option

You can also get something called a fence doctor, that will identify where your faults are.
It's not cheap, but if you have a lot of electric fencing, well worth it.

 

[rabatsa]

I would blame breaks in the wire inside the tape/rope first. Is the fence earthing itself on anything? A loose strand of tape can be touching a post/tree/fence/ground.

If there is a low reading here I start by disconecting most of the fencing and test, add in more fencing and retest. This way you can find out which area lies the problem. If the energiser is low output without any distance of fence then yes it needs changing.

My mains gives a reading of about 7 and the solar energisers range from 6.8 - 3.7. I keep a tester in my coat pocket.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

We had electric around 12 acres divided into three fields on a powerful battery energiser. Any reading less than 6 would not do for the number of horses I had in those fields then. IME there will always be one fence chancer if they sniff (literally) even one weak section in the tape.

Same as rabasta really, usually a weak point somewhere on the tape and always had tester in my pocket. Plus we had three well spaced earth poles connected, the longer the fence you are doing the more earth poles will help give a hefty charge.

 

[Pearlsacarolsinger]

It sounds as if the fence is shorting out on the plants that are touching it so it won't matter how strong the current is. You need to strim the over growth

 

[poiuytrewq]

There are so many places it's earthing out. When we moved here we had to fence the whole perimeter of the field but now along the outer boundary is a big thick hedge so we have actually now disconnected that side as there is no way they can get out that.
So we now have less length of electrified fence.

It sounds as if the fence is shorting out on the plants that are touching it so it won't matter how strong the current is. You need to strim the over growth

Its actually only measuring very low right by the gate where the energiser is attached, so before it's touching anything, which is why i wonder if the energiser is any good now. Its pretty ancient but was plenty strong enough at first.

I need some kind of industrial strimmer Ours won't get through the thickness of the teasels, some are so strong I cant even stand on and snap them which was my plan this morning, Its like trying to bend small tree's over. Maybe a hedgecutter may be better

 

[PeterNatt]

If the fence is shorting then you will destroy (burn out) the Energisers output. You need to ensure that nothing is touching the tape. My advice would be to strip anything touching the tape, buy a new energizer and buy new tape.

 

[poiuytrewq]

Thanks all. I know we need to clear everything. That's what we are working on I was just more wondering what the ideal output should be, what we are aiming to get before saying get a new energiser

 

[PurBee]

I have a fence houdini chancer, and with him, being brave with zaps too, anything 4 and above tends to put him off.

I wish energisers delivered the pulse in quicker time though - when youve got an equine that has worked-out that time interval and seeing them shoot through between pulses, you start to get an idea how friggin’ clever they are!

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have a fence houdini chancer, and with him, being brave with zaps too, anything 4 and above tends to put him off.

I wish energisers delivered the pulse in quicker time though - when youve got an equine that has worked-out that time interval and seeing them shoot through between pulses, you start to get an idea how friggin’ clever they are!

Tell me about it! I'm not sure mine has ever cottoned onto that but he does know if i touch it he can, he also very carefully tests it with his chin hairs! No chin tingle its head down and charge!

 

[meleeka]

Tell me about it! I'm not sure mine has ever cottoned onto that but he does know if i touch it he can, he also very carefully tests it with his chin hairs! No chin tingle its head down and charge!

Mine knows if it touches the floor and there's no click, then it isn't on. I have to have a low strand as he will duck under otherwise and all it takes is a breezy night to make it sag a little and he's in. My other Shetland, who is actually more greedy, is petrified of it and wouldn't go near it off or on.

 

[poiuytrewq]

They are clever! Annoyingly clever.

 

[Lady Jane]

The recommended output for horses is 3-4. When my fence line is perfectly clear I get 10! (Its horrendous if you touch it).
I think you have been given all the right advice:
Clear the fence line
Make sure the energiser is up to the length you need
Have good joins
Check the earth
And the quality of the conducting material makes a massive difference.
I also got the main connection replaced, it was about 25 years old.

You should be able to check where you are losing power with a fence tester (sounds like you have one) but if its bits of stuff touching it you may have a more general loss of power.

I was fed up of having to be meticulous about my fence line and was adding fence so got a new energiser and conducting material and rather over specced it! At leat I don't have to worry about a bit of greenery any more although I do have a good clear every now and again

 

[paddy555]

for the horses about 1 or often it isn't even switched on. For the pony escape artist then about 5 at least on all strands. I'm afraid with horrible little ponies where the head goes the rest follows and s*d the pain for a few seconds.

I would use a hedge trimmer to upright the vegetation behind the fence and then a good strimmer to clear under the fence.

 

[Barton Bounty]

I have a battery system, its about 7-9 i think. Not that Orbi needs it really, its a just in case sort of thing

 

[poiuytrewq]

Paddy555 you’re so right? I watched him tonight head down charge! Straight through the 3.0 we had managed (he’s now shut in!)
Barton bounty- swap?!

 

[Barton Bounty]

Paddy555 you’re so right? I watched him tonight head down charge! Straight through the 3.0 we had managed (he’s now shut in!)
Barton bounty- swap?!

Its a really inexpensive unit as well lol

 

[poiuytrewq]

Its a really inexpensive unit as well lol

I mean horses, I’ll have obie and you can have Prince bubbelina the bast@@d
Keep the energiser, I won’t need it

 

[Bob notacob]

You should aim for a reading of about 7 (thousand volts) .The biggest problem is usually a poor earth rod. Get a decent copper earth rod for a few quid from your local electrical shop (on a big installation go for at least 3 a metre apart( and if you are in Australia bury an old car a few metres deep) ,bash it in deep and hook to that .Next clear vegetation off all lines . Next look for breakdown of continuity on power line,That tape does not last forever and breaks down). You might need to re-educate the "usual suspects" by hanging a bit of fence tape around their neck and lead them to the fence . A decent zap of 7000 volts will clear the mind of even the most obstinate warm blood.

 

[poiuytrewq]

You should aim for a reading of about 7 (thousand volts) .The biggest problem is usually a poor earth rod. Get a decent copper earth rod for a few quid from your local electrical shop (on a big installation go for at least 3 a metre apart( and if you are in Australia bury an old car a few metres deep) ,bash it in deep and hook to that .Next clear vegetation off all lines . Next look for breakdown of continuity on power line.

So I think my earth probably needs revamping. I actually have no idea what it is, Mr P did it years ago. I’ll bet it’s not very long though.
What difference does being in Australia make to electric fencing?

 

[poiuytrewq]

We are going to stock fence it. I think seeing him tonight it’s probably the only safe option. He genuinely doesn’t care about a quick zap when he gets the grass the other side.

 

[Bob notacob]

So I think my earth probably needs revamping. I actually have no idea what it is, Mr P did it years ago. I’ll bet it’s not very long though.
What difference does being in Australia make to electric fencing?

dry sandy soil is a poor conductor so the aussies go overboard in their earthing because they are serious stockmen!

 

[Bob notacob]

We are going to stock fence it. I think seeing him tonight it’s probably the only safe option. He genuinely doesn’t care about a quick zap when he gets the grass the other side.

A good fence doesnt just give a quick zap ,Horse will go F~~~ F~~~ F~~~ that bloody hurt !!!! Also its coulombs that count not volts

 

[poiuytrewq]

dry sandy soil is a poor conductor so the aussies go overboard in their earthing because they are serious stockmen!

Of course yes!

 

[Fieldlife]

We had an escapee last night even though the mains electric fencing was on.
Mr P and I have just spent ages out there trying to suss out where we are loosing power and altering bits but have not had a huge amount of joy! We are only getting readings of 2.2- 2.8 in the main of the field. Yet, we then tried a bit of fencing Ive put up on the yard and around my turnout pen which has a smaller battery energiser and its reading 6.0 in places and only marginally lower at the lowest point.
Its is better newer fencing but what Ideally would you be aiming for? I know the higher the better but i don't really know what the highest reading would be!
I suspect I need a new mains energiser and to strim or something along the fence line as it backs onto cover strips so has a lot of teasels and stuff which the horses don't touch but are obviously shorting out the fence.

Yay to doing all this on a Sunday morning..... Bloody shitlands

It’s essential nothing - grass / plants / brambles etc touch the fence else shorts and much less power. Start there!

 

[Fieldlife]

There are so many places it's earthing out. When we moved here we had to fence the whole perimeter of the field but now along the outer boundary is a big thick hedge so we have actually now disconnected that side as there is no way they can get out that.
So we now have less length of electrified fence.

Its actually only measuring very low right by the gate where the energiser is attached, so before it's touching anything, which is why i wonder if the energiser is any good now. Its pretty ancient but was plenty strong enough at first.

I need some kind of industrial strimmer Ours won't get through the thickness of the teasels, some are so strong I cant even stand on and snap them which was my plan this morning, Its like trying to bend small tree's over. Maybe a hedgecutter may be better

Or bring fence in a bit away from whatever is shorting it.

I inherited some electric fencing. And it had multiple broken strands. And conducted poorly. I started replacing breaks. Gave up and replaced whole line of tape. Unless very good tape I think too many breaks from wind stress after a few years.

 

[Fieldlife]

I’ve got multiple earths connected in a row. And in dry weather I water them with a watering can.

 

[poiuytrewq]

I have so little grazing already I really don’t want to do that especially as the borders are now all game strip type stuff. I think I’d be making it smaller every year!
I almost think the strimming should be a farm/game keeper job

 

[Fieldlife]

I have so little grazing already I really don’t want to do that especially as the borders are now all game strip type stuff. I think I’d be making it smaller every year!
I almost think the strimming should be a farm/game keeper job

Yes I’ve under an acre. When I moved in I bought a second hand bush cutter and trimmed hedge / brambles back the fence. Took weeks as were 9 foot high and nearly as wide but worth it. I now keep on top of any regrowth with hand cutters. Worth it to regain the ground! And as I’ve built a perimeter track in the field.