In continuation to my previous post regarding common electric fence problems, here are two more issues to keep in mind.

#3 Lightning damage to a fence charger (Energizer): There is nothing more bothersome, than testing your fence the morning after a lightning storm and not getting a reading.  Trying to outsmart Mother Nature can be almost impossible, but there are a few tricks.  You cannot guarantee absolute lightning protection, but you can install safeguards such as surge protectors and lightning diverters to help avoid an expensive repair.  Installing a lightning diverter on your fence is not easy, but will relieve stress during those brutal storms.  The lightning diverter must have a separate ground bed 50’ from the energizer’s ground bed, with a minimum of one extra ground rod.  Lightning (electricity) is always looking for a ground.  Lightning diverters simply divert the lightning to ground before it reaches the energizer.  However, lightning diverters are not 100% of the fix. There are a lot of fence chargers on the market that offer a warranty that includes lightning damaged.  Kencove offers a low-impedance energizer line with a 3 year warranty that includes lightning damage.  If your energizer gets struck you can merely box up the pieces and send it to Kencove’s energizer repair station.  As long as the energizer was purchased from Kencove and is under warranty, Kencove is obligated to fix the fence charger or send you a brand new unit. Dean (Kencove’s Energizer Doctor) repairs all makes and models of fence chargers purchased from all farm stores. It is helpful to have a backup fence charger to use while the damaged unit is getting repaired. Kencove offers reconditioned energizers that would serve as excellent backup units in case of lightning damage.  While there is no way to completely avoid a lightning strike, we can be prepared.

#4 Bad Connections:  How many times have you walked your fence line and not been able to find the source of power leakage?  Sometimes it is not always obvious, and you must look very closely at your wire connections.  The best way to find a faulty connection is to use a voltmeter and test each side of the connection.  If the voltage decreases on one side of the connection, you have found the problem.  This connection will need fixed or replaced.  Connections can fail for a number of reasons; crimp sleeves crimped improperly or loosely, a hand knot that is making poor connection, rusty wires, or corrosion.  Be sure to focus on wire connections when building or fixing your electric fence, proper connections are essential to the flow of electricity.

                   Fastlok                          Crimp Sleeves                   Gripple                                  Quik-Splice

Tried these tips and still having issues? Check back for more tips and tricks to keep your fence healthy!

For me it goes back to the old saying, “You don’t really know a subject until you have to teach it”. I have been repairing and building electric fences with my Dad for our beef herd and sheep flock as long as I can remember.  However, it did not take much time as Quality Assurance Manager at Kencove Farm Fence for me to understand exactly how the simplest issues with an electric fence project can be prevented.    Electric fencing is the most efficient fence in terms of cost and installation.  Technology is constantly changing to make each project easier and easier.  The same problems need to be avoided whether we are charging high-tensile, soft smooth wire, or twine fence.  The next few blog posts are meant to reassure folks that electric fencing failures can be prevented.  Continue to follow the blog as we discuss the top ten most likely problems with electric fence projects.

#1 Poor Grounding:  An electric fence must complete a circuit in order to shock.  We should be generous when it comes to the grounding system for our fence project.  Installing at least 3 galvanized ground rods 5’ deep, 10’ apart creates and adequate ground bed for most small energizers. It is very common for people to install 3’ of ground rod for every joule of output energy.  So if you are using a 3 joule energizer you should install at least 9’ of ground rods. Typically this would mean using 3- 3’ rods spaced 10’ apart to create a large ground bed.  Large ground beds in moist soils are the most effective.  Ground rods should be connected using good ground rod clamps.  Be sure not to mix metals when connecting your rods.  For example attaching steel to copper causes a reaction called electrolysis, which will corrode connections, reducing the shocking potential. Be safe; use stainless steel wire, galvanized ground rods, and brass ground rod clamps.   If at any point you can measure a significant voltage at your ground rods, your ground bed is not large enough.  Keep in mind you can never have too good of a grounding system and soil conditions do have an impact.

#2 Undersized electric fence charger (Energizer):  An undersized fence charger creates an ineffective fence.  If you don’t size your electric fence charger correctly animals will only see the fence as a physical barrier not as a pain or psychological barrier. Basically the fence does not stand a chance without an adequate charger.  So, how do you size an energizer?  Start by identifying what type of animals you are fencing, how much fence and what types will be energizing, and will there be heavy vegetation on the fence line? Most animals can be easily contained with 3,500-5,000 volts.  Choose a low-impedance (narrow pulse) energizer according to output joules.  The higher the joule rating, the greater shocking potential over a longer fence line and weed loads.  Use caution when buying an electric fence charger based solely on the information on the box.  Energizer companies use mileage ratings as a marketing tactic.  Many energizer manufactures establish mileage ratings for their products, such as an energizer that will charge 50 miles of fence.  This energizer might charge 50 miles of golf course fence. Always, always base your purchasing decision off of output joules and a reputable product specialist. For more information on choosing an energizer check out our recent blog post about Volts vs. Joules.

Does your electric fence problem make the top 10 list? Check back as I describe the problems I have found to be most common!

When determining the electrical needs of your fence system it is important to recognize the difference between volts and joules. A volt is a unit of measure assigned to the electrical potential or voltage across a conductor. However a joule is a unit of energy or work done, to move an electric charge through an electric potential. The following are mathematical understandings of volts and joules, which later will be put into layman’s terms according to choosing the correct energizer.

The difference between volts and joules can be simplified by remembering that joules are the energy used to create voltage on the fence line. Whereas, voltage is the speed at which the current is moving along the line. The diagram below is an excellent example of volts and joules.

    Joule = Truck

    Hill = Fence

    Speed = Voltage

    Weight = Ohms/Weed load/Resistance

When selecting a truck to haul livestock, you must first determine the heaviest load that the truck will need to pull. The truck must be capable of pulling the trailer and stock successfully. Choosing the appropriate energizer for your fence system is a very similar concept. Consider that the voltage is carried by the speed at which the charge travels through the fence line and joules will be created by the energizer according to the watts per second of output. In an electric fence system, a high voltage is important for making sure that an electrical charge can find its way through the hair on the animals it is intended to contain or exclude. The more or thicker the hair, the greater the voltage required. The higher the voltage, the greater the charged wire’s ability is to shock the animal that happens to touch the wire. The longer the fence line (mileage) and the heavier the weed load or resistance on the fence, the more output joules the energizer will need to maintain a volt range between 5,000 and 10,000 volts for good stock control.

“It is always best to take the path of least resistance.” This is exactly what to keep in mind when building and choosing an energizer for your fence system. Resistance will decrease voltage on your fence line, because each energizer only has a specified amount of output joules (energy) to maintain the voltage along the conductor (fence line). When resistance begins to diminish output joules the voltage falls low enough that it becomes ineffective because it cannot bridge or arc across the insulation of the hair and hide of the animal. The following are common causes of resistance:

• Weed Load
  
• Induction- Stray voltage bridging to neutral wires, gates, diagonal braces wires, etc.
  
• Bad Connections
  
• Multiple Splices
  
• Broken Insulators
  
• Type of wire- Poli-wire, Tape, Ribbon, High Tensile, etc.
  
• Rusty Wire
  

Generally rule of thumb is a minimum of 1 joule of output per mile of fence, to maintain a secure voltage. Kencove is willing to step outside the box and state, “This is not enough power once you do the math!” A mile is equal to 5,280 feet, which in turn is equal to the perimeter of 40 acres. Would you want a 1 joule unit to power your multi-strand 40 acre paddock? The easy answer is “NO”. Kencove would recommend at least a 6 joule unit with an open circuit voltage of 9,500 volts. Understand that if your fence line has numerous sources of voltage leakage, you will need to choose an energizer with a higher joule rating. The truth of the matter is that you can never have too much power. When training livestock having too little power is no different than having no power at all and the fence could actually causes harm to the animal.

Commonly energizer manufactures and dealers overestimate the amount of fence an energizer will securely power. In today’s world it is easy to fall for attractive ads and eye appealing packaging, so when purchasing an energizer look closely at the details.

Many manufactures rate their energizers. A unit which is rated as a fifty-mile unit only means that it can essential power 50 miles of a weed free, well insulated, single strand wire. You will be disappointed if you select an energizer based on miles of fence line. Ultimately, the output joules of the energizer should be the selling point. If only stored joule information is available, you can estimate that output joules are about 70% of the joules stored within the units capacitors.

Remember, that the energizer is the heart of your fence system. It should be accurately sized according to what type of animals are being contained or excluded, the length of the fence line, and how long it could potential be in the future, as well as possible resistance on the fence. This is a basic description of the relationship between volts and joules, and the effectiveness of your electric fence.  Kencove hopes that through your comments and input the readers of this Blog will be able to have greater insight into the proper energizer for their fence.