Electric fence controller

[lionel112]

Hi

I know this is probably very basic for most of you people here, but I need some help with an electric fence controller.We have a proffesional store bought one which says 12v max ( its connected to a car battery ). The problem is that it just doesnt " zap" enough to stop the sheep squezing through as they have a lot of wool which insulates them. I hsve connected now two car batteries in parrellel which does seem to have helped as the amps have increased. My question is would that much higher amps damage the fence controller or the animals at all? Both batteries are 12v 120A.

 

[MJR2]

I have Scottish Highland cattle, also with long hair. You need to get a 115VAC powered charger. The 12VDC chargers just don't have enough power. You might try grounding every other wire in your fence system as well. Using the earth ground depends too much on conditions which change too often. Also make sure your HV side of the fence is not leaking out through weeds or bad isolators. It doesn't take much to drop the voltage.

I went through three different 12VDC chargers before giving up and buying a '200 mile' charger for about 10 miles of fence. It works.

 

[ccjersey]

The battery voltage will probably be ok for a while. Not likely to hurt the sheep because as you say they are hard to shock through all that wool. The high voltage discharge is in the 10-15,000 volts range, but it is only for a milisecond at a time, so it does no damage to the animal. The cheaper lower voltage chargers have a longer shock duration and can actually be more damaging if an animal becomes entangled in the wire. The hope is that the fence will train the sheep to respect the wire boundary, but the nature of the sheep is that if one goes they all want to go

A solution to seemingly ineffective electric fences is to add a ground wire a little below the hot wire so there is a good ground the animals will hit at the same time as the hot wire. Make sure the charger is grounded as instructed.

 

[Skogsgurra]

I am no sheep farmer. But I have neighbours that are. They had the same problem (lots of insulating wool on the sheep) so we put in a wire quite low so that it hits the legs of the sheep, where there is not much wool. They now stay respectfully away from that fence.

I think that the use of an extra ground wire is a complete misunderstanding. The sheep are well grounded through their feet. It is penetrating the wool that is the problem.

Problem: Grass growing up and shorting the wire.

Solution: A "Mega Joule Super Power Booster" (or similarly named device) proved to be efficient. It has energy enough to burn the grass away (without starting a fire) and has pulses short enough not to be lethal to sheep and man.

Additional problem: It is so powerful and has such a fast rise-time that it disturbes nearby telephone and fax lines. If you separate fence and telephone line 30 feet or more, you have no problem.

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

 

[itsmoked]

The things I learn here...

 

[Skogsgurra]

Smoked. I think that it is entirely good for you...

Gunnar Englund

http://www.gke.org

 

[itsmoked]

I love it!

And I hope this had nothing to do with Cow Bingo.