Electric fences ?
Discussion
Anybody know about them . just set one up to restain my wife and daughters dobin . The mains energiser is putting out it's stated power but the fence won't register a flicker on my tester though it definately gives a tickle when you short it . I used mains lighting cable between energiser and the start of the fence could this be the problem ?
It seemed to work better when I initialy set it up , I'm prety sure the earth is more than adequate, and I'm using 40mm tape on wooden posts
It seemed to work better when I initialy set it up , I'm prety sure the earth is more than adequate, and I'm using 40mm tape on wooden posts
I don't know anything about electric fences specifically, but I do know a bit about electrons.
I think you ought to have a case of high voltage and low current. If there's a weak short anywhere (damp wooden posts?) then you'll not make the target voltage, and the fence won't work properly.
What sort of construction are you looking at? What sort of voltage should you be seeing? What sort of voltage are you seeing?
I think you ought to have a case of high voltage and low current. If there's a weak short anywhere (damp wooden posts?) then you'll not make the target voltage, and the fence won't work properly.
What sort of construction are you looking at? What sort of voltage should you be seeing? What sort of voltage are you seeing?
The most important part is the Earth.
If the earthing is suspect then everything seems OK but the current supplied to the fence will do little more than tickle a horse.
There should be two terminals on the energizer, one to the ribbon and the other to earth.
I use a 2m ground rod right next to the energizer unit. Ground rods should be available from any electrical dealer/DIY shop.
What insulators are you using for the ribbon?
>> Edited by Le TVR on Monday 26th September 09:15
If the earthing is suspect then everything seems OK but the current supplied to the fence will do little more than tickle a horse.
There should be two terminals on the energizer, one to the ribbon and the other to earth.
I use a 2m ground rod right next to the energizer unit. Ground rods should be available from any electrical dealer/DIY shop.
What insulators are you using for the ribbon?
>> Edited by Le TVR on Monday 26th September 09:15
Just a thought.
I use this type and I just found they have a website in english:
www.horseguardfence.com/faultfinder.html
I use this type and I just found they have a website in english:
www.horseguardfence.com/faultfinder.html
1) When you test the fence, test if first at the energiser, connect it to the ground and touch the tip on the o/p screw - I am presuming you are using the neon type tester. If you get bewteen 4-8kv, then goto (2) If not, suspect faulty tester first, energiser next, not the other way around 
2) Using a piece of suitably long wire, connect it to your ground pole (which should be buried at least 1.5-2 metres down) and run this wire to the furthest point in your fence installation. Now test the fence using your tester, fist conecting the earth wire and then by touching the HV side onto the tip of your meter - you should see exactly the same neon light illuminating, if not you are losing a lot of voltage somewhere, foilage touching the live is the favourite as others have stated - one (poor) plant is all that is needed to short the entire system.
3) If you find that the fence loses noticible power at its furthest point and that there are no shorts, then the likely culrpit is the ground stake as it has a high resitance / clay like non-conducting soil. Watering it is the best way to lower the resistance, don't piss on it !
I have an HV fence tester if you require one, just mail me.
2) Using a piece of suitably long wire, connect it to your ground pole (which should be buried at least 1.5-2 metres down) and run this wire to the furthest point in your fence installation. Now test the fence using your tester, fist conecting the earth wire and then by touching the HV side onto the tip of your meter - you should see exactly the same neon light illuminating, if not you are losing a lot of voltage somewhere, foilage touching the live is the favourite as others have stated - one (poor) plant is all that is needed to short the entire system.
3) If you find that the fence loses noticible power at its furthest point and that there are no shorts, then the likely culrpit is the ground stake as it has a high resitance / clay like non-conducting soil. Watering it is the best way to lower the resistance, don't piss on it !
I have an HV fence tester if you require one, just mail me.
Well what a response , first of all thanks !
The fence consists of 350m of new machine rounded posts with two lines of 40mm politapes using Horizont PVC clip over insulators . The energiser (Mustang5) is roughly 20-25 metres from the start of the politape connected via two strands within 1.5mm mains cable , the third strand goes to one earth rod near the first post which is a 1220mm copper plated steel the top of which is below surface level . also conected to the earth terminal of the energiser is a second earth line using 3 strands of 1.5 mm mains cable which connects first to another identical rod close to the energiser then onto another identical rod a further 15m away . The soil is defined as grade 2 silty clay , is presently moist , and as I live in the Fens the water table is usualy within 1-2 metres from the surface at all times as we are roughly at sea level.
The "trafic light" tester is from the same company that made the energiser and the open curcuit voltage tests corectly as 4-5 neons (out of 5)
All foliage has been strimmed well away
two gates are spanned underground with triple insulated Armoured cable .
It's dark now but I will try some of the testing methods above to check the earth as soon as I get the chance
cheers all
PS The fence does not restrain the missus and daughter , just Brian the nag!
The fence consists of 350m of new machine rounded posts with two lines of 40mm politapes using Horizont PVC clip over insulators . The energiser (Mustang5) is roughly 20-25 metres from the start of the politape connected via two strands within 1.5mm mains cable , the third strand goes to one earth rod near the first post which is a 1220mm copper plated steel the top of which is below surface level . also conected to the earth terminal of the energiser is a second earth line using 3 strands of 1.5 mm mains cable which connects first to another identical rod close to the energiser then onto another identical rod a further 15m away . The soil is defined as grade 2 silty clay , is presently moist , and as I live in the Fens the water table is usualy within 1-2 metres from the surface at all times as we are roughly at sea level.
The "trafic light" tester is from the same company that made the energiser and the open curcuit voltage tests corectly as 4-5 neons (out of 5)
All foliage has been strimmed well away
two gates are spanned underground with triple insulated Armoured cable .
It's dark now but I will try some of the testing methods above to check the earth as soon as I get the chance
cheers all
PS The fence does not restrain the missus and daughter , just Brian the nag!
We'll I'm no wxpert at electric fences, but 8KV on a standard mains cable, with one core grounded, sounds pretty high to me.
Think about your spark plug leads. Comparitively massive insulation. If there is nowhere for the spark to go (spark plug), it'll jump through the insulation and into your hand.
I have a feeling that your "juice" is leaking away inside your feeder cable.
Think about your spark plug leads. Comparitively massive insulation. If there is nowhere for the spark to go (spark plug), it'll jump through the insulation and into your hand.
I have a feeling that your "juice" is leaking away inside your feeder cable.
dilbert said:
We'll I'm no wxpert at electric fences, but 8KV on a standard mains cable, with one core grounded, sounds pretty high to me.
Think about your spark plug leads. Comparitively massive insulation. If there is nowhere for the spark to go (spark plug), it'll jump through the insulation and into your hand.
I have a feeling that your "juice" is leaking away inside your feeder cable.
Thats what I suspect , Mains cable should be ok for earth though, yes ?
Well, I guess you could use the mains cable as a feeder.
I'd imagine that the way to do it is to have all three of the cores at the same voltage, and use the same scheme for insulating the feeder, as you use for the actual fence it's self.
If you have to run both the HT and the ground any considerable distance, then use two lengths of mains cable.
Another way is to use HT cable.....
rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/subRangeAction.do?catoid=-1600770962&cacheID=ukie
(but you'll have to cut and paste the url, because PH eats urls that don't start "www"!
>> Edited by dilbert on Monday 26th September 22:48
I'd imagine that the way to do it is to have all three of the cores at the same voltage, and use the same scheme for insulating the feeder, as you use for the actual fence it's self.
If you have to run both the HT and the ground any considerable distance, then use two lengths of mains cable.
Another way is to use HT cable.....
rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/subRangeAction.do?catoid=-1600770962&cacheID=ukie
(but you'll have to cut and paste the url, because PH eats urls that don't start "www"!
>> Edited by dilbert on Monday 26th September 22:48
dilbert said:
Well, I guess you could use the mains cable as a feeder.
I'd imagine that the way to do it is to have all three of the cores at the same voltage, and use the same scheme for insulating the feeder, as you use for the actual fence it's self.
If you have to run both the HT and the ground any considerable distance, then use two lengths of mains cable.
Another way is to use HT cable.....
rswww.com/cgi-bin/bv/rswww/subRangeAction.do?catoid=-1600770962&cacheID=ukie
(but you'll have to cut and paste the url, because PH eats urls that don't start "www"!
>> Edited by dilbert on Monday 26th September 22:48
URL doesn't seem to work anyhow but I have a few ideas to try now , cheers
Warning, do not pee on these fences! 
farmer said:
Anybody know about them . just set one up to restain my wife and daughters dobin . The mains energiser is putting out it's stated power but the fence won't register a flicker on my tester though it definately gives a tickle when you short it . I used mains lighting cable between energiser and the start of the fence could this be the problem ?
It seemed to work better when I initialy set it up , I'm prety sure the earth is more than adequate, and I'm using 40mm tape on wooden posts
Tricky one - I'd ask a farmer if I were you!
dilbert said:
Well, I guess you could use the mains cable as a feeder.
Mains cable is not rated to the kind of voltage used here (10 - 15kV). Especially if buried under soil.
Auto HT cable is usually too lossy to be any use.
Look for some radio transmitter cable (RG-213 or UR-67) from a CB shop, Maplins etc. I use RG-213 and its rated to over 15kV no problem.
srebbe64 said:
Anybody know about them . just set one up to restain my wife and daughters dobin . The mains energiser is putting out it's stated power but the fence won't register a flicker on my tester though it definately gives a tickle when you short it . I used mains lighting cable between energiser and the start of the fence could this be the problem ?
It seemed to work better when I initialy set it up , I'm prety sure the earth is more than adequate, and I'm using 40mm tape on wooden posts
Tricky one - I'd ask a farmer if I were you!
Wise guy Eh
Le TVR said:
Well, I guess you could use the mains cable as a feeder.
Mains cable is not rated to the kind of voltage used here (10 - 15kV). Especially if buried under soil.
Auto HT cable is usually too lossy to be any use.
Look for some radio transmitter cable (RG-213 or UR-67) from a CB shop, Maplins etc. I use RG-213 and its rated to over 15kV no problem.
Tanton do some "run out Cable" at a reasonable price on Ebay may have to invest !
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