Electric fence problem

[Harbisgirl]

Hi all,

We've never used an electric fence before so please forgive my ignorance I was hoping somebody could help me with a problem with our electric fence not working. Its a low voltage fence for small pets, at about knee height (using 6 inch plastic T-Post insulators), fencing in about 4 acres. Its rated for 2 miles so we have plenty of juice. Weve walked the fence line many times and there is nothing -not a weed, not a leaf touching the wire. We have THREE grounding rods a 3 footer pounded in about 2 feet and TWO 6 footers pounded in about 5 feet. The wire has good contact with the transformer box and all the grounding rods. Now here is the kicker: I was standing at the fence holding on to a t-post, just gazing out into the woods at the meadow. My knee touched the wire and BZZZZZZ. Shocked the hoo-haw out of myself. I back up and reach out my hand to touch it and nothing. So something about holding on to the post did it. Im confused. Anybody know what were doing wrong?

 

[DonnaBelle]

DH says the grounding rods should be 6 ft. apart.

However DH said your problem is probably your grounding rods are dry. You need to water your ground rods.

We have had the same problem.

DH is a retired contractor that knows electricity.

DonnaBelle

 

[secuono]

Pound the rods in all the way to 3in left.
If there's nothing toughing the fence, make sure there are no kinks in the wire and any splicing are tight and over lap 3+ inches.
What kind of energizer is it?
Have you held onto the wire in bare feet on the ground [or with shoes, much safer!]? You might be touching it between pulsing.
The grounding rods need to be in an area that will stay wet or be wet often. So natural shallow ditches where water runs off or you'll have to 'water' the rods.
Try placing a running hose to flood the rods, then test the fence.
Get a fence tester...don't electrocute yourself into a coma...


You were holding the metal post, knee touched wire and you got a shock....so it does work, maybe your shoes insulate you too much from the regular shock from just the wire. When I touch my wire with shoes on, it hardly feels like anything. But one day, I was kneeling on the ground and accidentally touched the fence, gawd did I feel that one!

 

[Harbisgirl]

It's a Zereba electric fence controller. I did buy the Zereba volt meter tester thing and it lights up but I still don't get zapped. Several people have suggested the same thing - that it may be my shoes. But, my dogs have touched it and don't get zapped and they aren't wearing shoes

Well wait - let me ask this: Does the critter need to be touching the ground? I put the wire at about knee height because that is the height where my little dogs jump up and throught the fencing. We have the welded wire fencing, you know the kind that start off with the small openings and then gets bigger as it gets higher? Well my pups know that if they jump for the 4th or 5th row that the hole will be big enough for them to fit through. little buggers! I've seen my dog jump up and graze the electric fence wire on his way in/out through the fence holes - so i know he isnt getting zapped.

 

[secuono]

If you or any animal are not touching anything that connects to the ground, then no, no zap will happen.

I have wire in a gap where my dog learned to jump though, but there is a wood board above and below. He jumps through the center, now with the wire. He touched the wire, the fence thus grounding himself and got a huge shock.

So if the dogs are jumping through w/o touching anything[no ground and no other wire] but the hot wire, they will pass w/o the shock.

 

[Fiberfling]

You grounded yourself. And you only need one ground.

 

[Alice Acres]

As above - you only need 1 ground. That's all we ever have used.....for over 40 yrs! Our's is currently (oh bad pun) near the corner of the barn, so it would stay moist from rain water runoff ...if we ever got rain. :/

 

[mabsonjackson]

you only need 1 floor. That's all we ever have used.....for over 40 yrs! Our's is currently (oh bad pun) near the area of the barn, so it would remain wet from rainfall water run-off ...if we ever got rainfall.