Canesisters 2024 journal

[Mini Horses]

My first puzzle is why I'm getting 7000v at one end of the line carrying the charge to the fence but only 2000v at the other.

Are these lines connected, other than same box? I'm not sure where these checks are happening.

ie...from box to left gets 7, then box to right gets 2?

When you tried direct from box to wire, skipping the underground, was the underground dis connected at box and ALL fence wire?

Tiniest connection to a piece of metal can sap the power. I've walked a lot of wire to "find" the bad insulator, or piece of wire touching in a tiny spot.

 

[canesisters]

Are these lines connected, other than same box? I'm not sure where these checks are happening.

ie...from box to left gets 7, then box to right gets 2?

When you tried direct from box to wire, skipping the underground, was the underground dis connected at box and ALL fence wire?

Tiniest connection to a piece of metal can sap the power. I've walked a lot of wire to "find" the bad insulator, or piece of wire touching in a tiny spot.

Here is a very simple sketch of the barn, pasture & paddock.
The line I was talking about is the one going from the charger underground to the fence.
At the charger box it reads 7000 but at the fence it reads 2000. Obviously it's losing charge underground .... which I can't fix.
So I thought that I'd just run a shorter connection to the paddock fence instead of connecting to the posture fence first. But none of the insulated wires I tried would register more than 2000 at the charger box. Which is puzzling. The tip of post sticking out of the box should read the same no matter what, shouldn't it?

 

[Mini Horses]

If both sides of underground wire is not attached to box OR pasture side wire, then a fresh box to paddock should carry full charge. If its disconnected only at box, then fence carries all the way around and into underground at far end from pasture.
I see 2 more underground areas....section by section, eliminate them, same way. I'd first cut connection at gate behind barn and see if only paddock only gets hot with new direct box to front paddock! If so, good until next day off.

Be sure each insulator is in tac...no cuts in plastic to allow a wire to short on a t-post. Be sure ground wire tight onto ground.

Gotta love it -- when it's working

 

[Mini Horses]

Hot coming out of barn, be sure insulated from barn wall.....

 

[canesisters]

I'm not sure where to begin.

I can walk fences all day but if the reading at the charger box drops from 7000 to 2000 before it even touches the fence, it's pointless. That's what I'm getting with the existing romex wire carrying the charge from the box to the fence.
There must be a short somewhere in that ungrounded romex wire.
So I thought I'd just replace it & run to the much closer paddock instead of around the barn to the pasture fence. I tried another piece of romex & a brand new piece of the cable that is made to use under gates - neither would read higher than 2000 at the box connection - so nothing gained to use them.
I did stick a little piece of fence wire on the post at the charger box - just to see if anything would read the same as the bare charger connection post & it read 7000.
If I can figure out how to get it out the little hole in the wall & to the fence, I might have a chance..... maybe run it through a length of garden hose????

 

[canesisters]

Is there any way to plan on a barbed wire fence?

No, the budget got blown when I got the mower.

 

[Mini Horses]

Yes...thru a piece of hose! . You got this!

 

[SageHill]

Yes...thru a piece of hose! . You got this!

MacGyer-ism at it's best.

 

[canesisters]

Ok yall, fingers & toes crossed.
I found a hose I was willing to sacrifice but decided to check the corner of the barn that has all the leftover electrical bits from the build just in case there was some more heavy duty insulated wire. I found one, stripped one end & hooked it to the charger box ... 7000!
I stripped the other end made a simple hook & dropped it over the paddock fence wire... the fence read a weak 2000 but the end of that insulated wire was still 7000. Progress!!! I cut the under gate line, cleaned every little twig & bit off the fence, checked every insulator, patch, corner & connection. Then cut the pasture fence loose & closed the paddock behind the barn. I hauled a wheel barrow of hay in & let her out.
She sniffed the hay, looked around, then walked directly over to the spot she had gotten out. I thought it all had failed when she stood there looking over it for a moment then started to walk through with it pressing against her throat.
But then she jerked back, backed up several steps & gave it the whale eye.


She circled the area, looking at the fence in several places but not touching it again.
I'm currently sitting in the back of my car watching her laying in the sun chewing her cud ... because the wind is GUSTING & is COLD. I'll start working on the pasture fence as soon as I warm back up & finish my coffee.
Next on my list for today is to beg a neighbor who has a tractor to come see if we can move one of the brand new round bales out of the wagon & into the paddock. Otherwise I'm going to be hauling wheelbarrows of hay 2x a day for the next few days.

 

[Mini Horses]

Listen up --- is the ground dry? Can the round bale come off onto its side? If so, take the riding mower in and push it to roll to the gate between pasture & paddock....push it thru.

I've successfully rolled a couple that way. Sometimes depends on size & height you touch, go slow. If no big flat side...may work for you.

I have a bumper on mine...be careful & slow if you don't.