Electric fence not full power

bk1991

Well-Known Member
I put 3 earth rods down a yard apart and conected them together and put them to the fencer unit . I checked the power where i connected it to the wire to the fence and am only getting 2 lights lighting up . Do i need more earth rods ??
 
I put 3 earth rods down a yard apart and conected them together and put them to the fencer unit . I checked the power where i connected it to the wire to the fence and am only getting 2 lights lighting up . Do i need more earth rods ??
Could well be your fence earthing somewhere.
Did you use proper earth wire?
 
Useing this wire but its 2.5 instead of 1.6 . I found this says put earth bars 15ft apart ??? Iv mine about 3ft apart .
 
I used 4 rods a few meters apart in a wet area and all joined together with underground cable. Jim George who owns Cheetah Electronics says it's a waste of time fitting a decent fencer if adequate earthing is not used. The Cheetah G303 here would fry any part of you that happened to be in contact with the line. Each galv rod was around a meter long and wire was joined to them using galv U bolts.
MF30
 
I put 3 earth rods down a yard apart and conected them together and put them to the fencer unit . I checked the power where i connected it to the wire to the fence and am only getting 2 lights lighting up . Do i need more earth rods ??
How many lights on the tester with just the energiser connected?

Sounds to me like theres a short
 
How many lights on the tester with just the energiser connected?

Sounds to me like theres a short
Highly likely I'd say, touching something bad even in one place can kill a fence stone dead, same goes for a lot of vegetation touching it along the line.
 
Testing the fencer at the actual fencer is not recommended doesnt give a true reading of the fencer . Remove the wire you have coming from the fencer where it`s connected to the actual electric fence best place to test it (so i`m told ) . More earth bars the better . If then your getting 5 lights and only 3 when connected to the wire you`v a big earth somewhere or lot`s of small things wrong . What size is / make is the fencer could it be that it`s too small for the acerage it has to cover .
I will try this do you mean just connect the tester direct to the fencer .
 
Yes.no fence involved

Highly likely I'd say, touching something bad even in one place can kill a fence stone dead, same goes for a lot of vegetation touching it along the line.

Testing the fencer at the actual fencer is not recommended doesnt give a true reading of the fencer . Remove the wire you have coming from the fencer where it`s connected to the actual electric fence best place to test it (so i`m told ) . More earth bars the better . If then your getting 5 lights and only 3 when connected to the wire you`v a big earth somewhere or lot`s of small things wrong . What size is / make is the fencer could it be that it`s too small for the acerage it has to cover .


I tested at the fencer it self no with just tester and all lights on .

I then connected the earth wire comeing from the bars and i put the wire from fencer ( live) that is connecter to the fence . I tested the wire here without it connected to the fence and have 4 lights .

So id say as ye have said iv something along the line touching off the fence . And id also thinkmy bars are either too close or i might need more .


Can i dig a kinda of trench put bars down connect the earth wire with the u bolts and then cover it it ? To save it gettin triped over ????

I may go walk along fence tomorrow and see if its down or briars touching . I done a good bit of clearing back bits of briars today . Im getting a contractor to put up fence so have to get the briars here and there cut .
 
I put in a cheetah 303 a couple of years ago and had to replace (on the recommendation of cheetah) all copper wire carrying current to fences with proper electric fence cable as it wasnt able to carry current when there was a draw with vegetation. Thats where I would start..
 
My late father had used domestic copper wire the one with grey insulation over it on nearly everywhere iv changed nearly all of this to the new proper insulated fence wire . 100€ a roll think 200meters . Iv few places left with it which will be changer soon. Just waiting on digger man to dig few trenchs to pop down pipe and il pull the wires trough future proofing if i ever need pipes or cables . Im putting down 2inch hydare under gates and roads .
 
I bought a bad batch of insulators, they caused me no end of trouble before I realised that they were not doing their job.
IMG_20180512_231630.jpg
 
Walk the fence, if your father was like mine and stapled to the trees you'll have to take those ones out as as the tree grows out it pushes the insulator out and can short on the staple but you mightn't see/hear it. Also if you can do the fence in sections, i.e.just start at the beginning and test each bit at a time
 
Walk the fence, if your father was like mine and stapled to the trees you'll have to take those ones out as as the tree grows out it pushes the insulator out and can short on the staple but you mightn't see/hear it. Also if you can do the fence in sections, i.e.just start at the beginning and test each bit at a time
is it an age thing, years ago I would do it by the book. now, its a kinda, quickest job will do the finest
 
Walk the fence, if your father was like mine and stapled to the trees you'll have to take those ones out as as the tree grows out it pushes the insulator out and can short on the staple but you mightn't see/hear it. Also if you can do the fence in sections, i.e.just start at the beginning and test each bit at a time


Thankfully none of the electric fence is on trees . Iv different sections disconnected on a il do it later kinda thing and trying to get the ones i need now done its not too hard tbh . Iv only gotten contractor to do one wire electric fence will this be enough for weanlings ? Im hopein it will


is it an age thing, years ago I would do it by the book. now, its a kinda, quickest job will do the finest


I think its just now that life is more rushed so much to do so little time available and weather has changed also . Ha i sound like an old man now lol .
 
The copper wire isn't the problem, it's the insulation .
Fences are high Voltage (5 -10,000v),
You need heavy insulation to stop the voltage from jumping to earth. Same as spark plug leads.
No quick way (that I have found) of finding faults out through the fields.
As @marco says separate each field or section of fence. The process of elimination.
Check voltage before and after you disconnect .
If the power is going around one way, this makes it easier .
Biggest draws of power I find, is when the electric wire sits down on barbed or worse sheep wire.
Also buried cables under gaps.
 
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What was the problem ? Im useing the tube insulators on and new fence .
I'm not sure if the steel is too close to the surface or there is something in the plastic making it conduct electricity, but they didn't insulate at all.
 
Cheers for alll yer advice i cliped back the briars and some vegatation that was touching . Iv nearly all under ground cables replaced with proper cable thats inside 2’’ heavy wall hydradare water pipe . Loads of pick and spade work was needed . And all connected up im getting 4 lights out of the 5 on tester . I might ad one more earth bar or space the others better .
 
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