Electric Fence Question
tr0y
Reg. Mar 2009
Posted 2009-05-03 10:47 PM (#104408)
Subject: Electric Fence Question


Veteran


Posts: 114
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Location: Home of the WNFR at Christmas
We just ringed our little pasture, about an acre, with trees and to keep the horses from thinking they are snacks we put up a two strand hot poly-rope fence.

We seem to be having some grounding problems to get a good jolt out of it, any one that has used this type of fencing got any tips ?

Right now it is set up as the top rope is hot, the lower is ground and then a ground into a rod in the earth, that seemed to be the only way to get a decent jolt.

Just to add to the fun we live in the dry hot desert outside of Las Vegas.

Thanks
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ponytammy
Reg. Jan 2005
Posted 2009-05-04 12:46 PM (#104422 - in reply to #104408)
Subject: RE: Electric Fence Question


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Location: La Cygne, KS

This may sound silly, but have you watered the earth/rocks where your ground rod is? We've poured water on the ground to get a good charge on the portable fence when we traveled to rocky areas. That seemed to do the trick. You might have to add some good dirt to get a zippy charge.

Also, is your charger solar or electric? If Solar, it takes awhile to get the battery fully charged to get a good zap.

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tr0y
Reg. Mar 2009
Posted 2009-05-04 1:35 PM (#104429 - in reply to #104408)
Subject: RE: Electric Fence Question


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Posts: 114
100
Location: Home of the WNFR at Christmas
I did water the ground rod, actually moved it to a treewell earlier today, that is watered 2 times daily. I am using a plug in charger so that should not be the issue.
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jdzaharia
Reg. Apr 2006
Posted 2009-05-05 11:14 AM (#104482 - in reply to #104408)
Subject: RE: Electric Fence Question



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Location: Texas

That's a common problem in dry soil.  One solution is, instead of having all your strands hot, make one of them a ground strand.  Ground it to the ground rod and charger.  Then, when a horse touches a hot strand and the ground strand, the conductivity of the soil does not matter.

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riddenhardputawaywet
Reg. Jan 2007
Posted 2009-05-06 2:16 AM (#104529 - in reply to #104408)
Subject: RE: Electric Fence Question


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Posts: 67
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Location: Alberta
You may have to use copper bonded and/or multiple ground rods to get a proper ground. You can join 2 rods getting down to hopefully a better ground, or multiple single units connect by copper wire.Before you go to all this trouble, you may want to test your fencer with a known good ground.
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