[lucylou]

hello! can any one help please.. weve put up the elctric fence (battery powered) but the voltage going through it seems really low - it is like a little tickle when you hold the wire - and the reader that we bought to test it says it is operating below effective levels.  we have checked for earthing out on grass etc cant see what the matter is - could it be the earth pole which we are using, it is a hollow metal pole? dont no what to do if cant fix it by tonite as not at home tomoro to keep eye on girls. im panicking..help! lucyloux

[joyfull]

sorry but I don't have electric fencing, hopefully somebody who does will be along soon.

[ehs284]

Ok Don't panic. Does your indicator show a change from Ok to poor along the length or is the output poor? What are you using to power it? Is it capable? Check all the connections first (power off) and the battery voltage must be above 12; 13ish is common for lead acid. You can add any number of rods to earth so add any fencing spikes or whatever is around and join all together and to the -ve outpole. Try not to have the rods where the ground is very dry. If all OK walk through the whole length in case there is a twist or stray strand. Some fences have alternate live/neutral lines. If all seems OK but still not working, wait until it starts to go dark and then look and listen for sparks. HTH

[lucylou]

thanks joyful and ehs284! - weve just got in now from sorting then hens out! started at 9 this am hoping to have lunch out and nice long walk with dog etc! we have one of those testers that flashes if the charge is not high enough. It has now got a good charge through the 3 bottom strands of wire but those upwards from there do not have much at all although you do get a small shock with them it wouldnt be enough to deter a fox (the next door neighbours' dog got a big shock off the bottom strands though which made her yelp poor thing) having not had any experience with electric fences we dont know if this is normal? where the charge is effective the gaps in the fence are closer together. we have now got one earth pole(supplied with fence but not discovered until 5pm  ) fence is  attacxhed to a leisure battery which was charged overnite. Lucyloux

[ehs284]

Glad it's working. You can join the strands with insulated wire(s) and crocodile clips. Whilst the top strands may not be a deterent in themselves, I doubt that the fox would simply see a fence and jump; they would check the bottom first and thus come into contact with the 'hot' strands. You may be safer than you think.

[lucylou]

thankyou once again...but i went to put them away i discovered that the fence is not working at all. checked battery - that was at 80percent charge, oh i am so fed up and really dont know what to do - i rang the place i got the fence off and they said theyd ring back and didnt. havent got a clue what type of person i could get out to sort it for me - would it be an electrician?

[ehs284]

I'd try the local farm suppliers such as Spunhill (no idea where you are so can't suggest another). Normal electricians would be little help, but an agricultural electrician would be great, if you could find one. Farm suppliers sell the systems and the people usually have heard, seen or had reported most problems and solutions. You may be able to borrow a unit to try on your fence to eliminate a problem with the power pack. Your 80% charge sounds suspicious and worth checking; what does 80% mean?. Is the actual voltage enough for the system you're using? A multimeter at about £5 (Maplin/Aldi etc) will be cheaper than a call out and you can use it in the future. Have you tried a google on the manufacturer's website? They may be able to give minimum volts/amps in. If you're in N. Wales let me know - otherwise, come on people - must be somebody close to this lady who can check out her volts ! Can you post some information on the make etc of your fence? Then we can have a look at any information we have around.
Don't give up - it is so much fun to hold someone's hand and just touch the wire with your free hand; you get a little jolt and they go into orbit

[lucylou]

ehs184 you are being so kind - i appreciate your help. when thebattery is charged overnite it is saying that it is 80 percent charged when take it off charger in the morning. i am using gemini80 12v energiser which yesterday had a green light onit pulsing (when working) and today the light was just remaining constant. i am in christchurch, dorset, i dont think there are any members very near me. the fencing is from the smallholders shoponline and i think has a good reputation. Oh does not know how to tell if battery is reading at least 12v or not? - is that what the  multimeter you mentioned does? good idea about the farming electrician, i will have to make some enquiries tomoro, many thanks once again - lucyloux

[cornishgirl]

Sorry Lucylou, just got you pm. It sounds to me either the fence is shorting somewhere or your netting has a fault. I assume you have a 50m poultry netting kit with poles, earth enegizer (and of course a battery)! The netting tends to short on grass, so I always put a damp proof membrane underneath £5 from B&Q. The kits don't have enough poles, and the fence will sag and short without buying additional poles (about 30 for 50m fencing).What gate arrangements have you made, is the netting touching wood? If there is power going into the net - more in some areas than others, the netting may be at fault. Take it back and demand a new replacement (never a repair on new goods). The energizer converts the power into a suitable voltage for the fence - but if some areas are ok then I think that the netting must be at fault. Perhaps the girls will need to be inside for a few days while the problem is sorted. Won't like it, but there are worse alternatives...

[ehs284]

Hi Lucylou,
If your battery has been on charge overnight and still is only 80% charged it sounds like it may be past its best - always assuming that your charger works. Yes a multimeter will check the voltage of battery and charger or if you're unsure pop them both into a car battery seller such as Halfords or a local garage who can check it under load. The light staying on suggests either a dead battery or a dead powerpack. If you had a short it would flash and run the battery down quickly rather than fail to start. As it sounds like the battery, can you borrow one from a friend? If you have to buy another battery then a small one will be fine as there is no need for lots of power such as when starting a car. It will also be easier to carry and move to charge. Best of luck; let's know how you get on.

[joyfull]

Leisure batteries are supposed to be the ones you want as like ehs said you don't need the huge amperage that is required like when you start a car.

[lucylou]

thankyou so much cornishgirl, ehs and joyful. I am taking your advice ehs and have bought a new battery today to see if it is that before i then go on to investigate the other things. i can take the battery back if it isnt that. Joy i got a leisure battery with af110 (not a clue!) it is so heavy that i am waiting for my oh to get home as i cannot lift it without taking my arm out of its socket! cornishgirl - we have added approx 30 extra poles - im pretty sure its not shorting out. we are not bothering to use the gate we are just legging it over the top of the fence . will let you know what happens later but in the meantime i appreciate the trouble you have all gone to give me advice Thankyou, lucyloux

[cornishgirl]

I'm glad that I could pass on something useful. Please note that leisure batteries should be powered up for at least 48 hours or they will not hold thier charge. Best wishes

[lucylou]

fitted new battery and fence is working!! thankyou so much for all your help and suggestions which enabled us to get to the root of the problem   these eggs are working out very expensive! - the battery alone was £130 i dont know if i'll ever hear the end of it from my oh) and we are collecting our exbatts on saturday  thankyou once again, lucyloux

[ehs284]

Good news. Well done for persevering. Have fun with the chooks. Ours still embarrass us. They have taken to lining up in front of the postbox, looking pathetic and starving. The poor postlady has been emotionally blackmailed into bringing them Rivita. We can't hold our heads up for the shame  .