Normally the additional pressure will cause your staple will dig through your plastic insulator first, before the tree totally overwhelms your wire. Get a new fence charger right away and install it. Ive checked all the standard things that might cause it to short out, but Im not sure whats next. The pulses of short shock solid state fence controllers will be too close together and may be hazardous to animals and people. Ensure the wiring is not broken and does not have any debris like trees, grass, or leaves touching it. Go find your ground fault. It has good advice for designing an electric-ready high tensile fence. This may not be fixable without rebuilding some of your fence. In my case, my non-electric fence is buried in the ground, so it works as a ground rod for my arrester. The Switch is located on the left side of the energizer. Wood stream guarantees your satisfaction. Try pulling your fuse out (if you have one) and see if it is blackened inside. To reduce risk of electrical shock do not remove cover. The format for the 12 digit serial number is as follows: If no sales receipt is provided with the return, we will use the date of manufacture shown in the serial number.Please contact Wood stream Corp. for all warranty claims or returns:Wood stream Corp.69 North Locust StreetLititz, PA 17543855-592-7322. If you have a fence charger, you probably have heard it clicking like a metronome. If the post has come loose in the ground or has been knocked over, replace the post and reinforce the hole. Product Overview Solar light is an electric lamp that converts light energy into electricity by solar panels. Short the fence using a metal bar or wire. I put it up myself and have been troubleshooting this electric fence for about three years now. Radio, TV or telephone interference. Three years ago, when I installed the fence, it was barely touching the tree on one side. The maintenance and upkeep of the electric fence can be pricey, but it is there to do a job and should be worth the expense in the long run. It is a constant struggle to keep an electric fence working. Proof of purchase is required for a full refund. How to build a bat house: tips and plans for pole mounted rocket box, Get a good warranty on your fence charger and keep the paperwork handy. Simultaneously touching two fences powered by separate energizers could be hazardous. Ive been shocked at full strength (10,000+ volts) a few times. Ive got a long run around to a people gate and added a shorter run down the fence to the other side of the gate, with a wire gate across the wide mower gate. If your voltage was humming along at say, 4.7, then suddenly dropped to 0, you have a direct ground problem. It doesnt light up at all, even near the box. Testing to see if the staple has degraded the insulator. The slight pressure over years will cause the insulator to pull against the nail and eventually break or bend in half. If any of the insulators, hook-up wires, or jumpers are broken or faulty, replace them. When I first put in my fence, I had almost no faults. Remove fence energizer power source (unplug or disconnect from battery) and disconnect the fence and ground wires. Electric fence chargers need to be connected to the ground with a long metal rod. Having an electric fence around your property is often necessary to keep your livestock under control if you live on a farm or a homestead. Post signs on. Ye olde rubber boots, AKA Muck boots. Metal staples can dig through plastic insulators over time. Most fence chargers have a fuse inside them. I installed electric fence inside my yard to keep my digger dog in. Check this document by Kencove which I used to build my own fence. Real life lessons about homesteading, responsibility, managing animals, and loving the land. You connect one side to your electric wire, and one side to the ground. There are many different electric fencing types, but every electric fences basic requirements are the same. Troubleshooting to find the fault should have led you to what needs to be repaired. Reconnect the ground system. If a fault is found, follow the instructions on how to fix it. Check for damaged insulators and line breaks. Hello, I have a 25 mile energizer went to plug it in the other day and it clicked then smoked. It is a 16 T-Post insulator that I stapled into place. Instruct all persons how to disconnect a fence controller in case of emergency. Available for $20 at your farm store. This method is very impressive to people who dont realize you are wearing rubber boots. Being a farm or homeowner means that you should have at least a working basic knowledge of fixing things that have stopped working or have broken around your property. If you arent careful with how you route it, this wire will lie against your fence wires (causing a short). Your fence energizer will have one of two types of terminals strip wire and connect as shown below, Hook-up wire from fence energizer to ground terminal. I would love to learn new techniques for fixing my fence! If the staple has broken the plastic and is contacting the electric fence wire, you will feel a zap in your finger. Turns out, tree bark grows over stuff that is attached to it. Amps is what causes harm when we get shocked. Check this document by Kencove which I used to build my own fence. Electric fences for farms send very short pulses of electricity across the wire. If you use AC for your fence charger, make sure the power outlet is working. Install fence lines powered by seperate fence energizers far enough apart to prevent contact with both fence lines at the same time. Follow all the instructions from the manufacturer on how to replace electric wire fencing. The insulator fell down, the wire came off and laid against the T-Post directly. Definitely worth trying to replace the fuse first. If you dont have something like this, you should either bury your ground cable or install a ground rod. These can normally be bought on the same store aisle as your charger. Stronger voltage and wearing (or not wearing) rubber boots will change the distance you can feel a zap. Perform at your own risk. Look for cables that fall and touch either the ground or a non-insulated wire. If you live in a wooded area, you will have stuff fall on your fence. After troubleshooting, you should have found the problem with your electric fence. This fuse limits the amperage, which is an important safety measure (getting electrocuted is not good). If you have a tip for troubleshooting electric fences, please leave a comment below. Amperage should ideally by around 1. Hold one end, and lay the other end on your electric fence. Hook the top end to your electric fence, plug the bottom end into the ground, and see whether lights flash. Take a variety of spare insulators with you. Water or ice. Do they typically have just a one year lifespan? Thanks, Mike. Luckily, this is pretty easy to do. It is tricky (and dangerous) to mow around high tensile fences, so I avoid it. What can you do to prevent this in the future? If it worked before then, and didnt work the next time you tried it, Im thinking lightning damage. The tree is about 15 yards from the fence line. Over years, your insulators may fail. Fallen trees or limbs across the fence. Add additional ground rods 10 feet apart connected by hook-up wire until reading is under 400 volts. That puts my charger at the top of a U. I have a tester that just lights up if the fence is hot, not a regular voltmeter. Now the tree has contact for about 3 inches along the insulator. Seasonal dials explain where to leverage your energizer to get the best amount of sunlight exposure. Electrical problems could cover everything from the main power or the energizer to blown fuses or sparks due to wires on the fence touching. It is impossible to eliminate all risk inherently associated with use of the product. If you have found fault with the ground rods, either replace them or install more rods if there is a problem with the voltage. Im using them to replace the tube insulators on my high tensile fence because I dont need to restring the wire. At that point the circuit is complete and the animal instantly receives an eletrical shock. The second year, theyve powered down. Between trees falling on it, weeds growing up it, lightning striking it, and wear and tear on the insulators, you can expect to maintain it a few hours each month. The 30-day return policy and the limited warranties are given only to the original purchaser of the product and not to any subsequent owners or to any other user or person when installed and used in accordance with the instructions found in the owners manual. For example, I have my outlet in a box that is physically locked shut to prevent access. My fence charger showed 14.1, which I think translates to 14,100 volts. The metal staples used to attach insulators to wooden posts are the main reason for insulator failure. Slowly choke up on your grass stem. My first year with electric fences, I had two chargers destroyed by lightning. Failure to do so may damage your fence controller and battery charger, and void your warranty. If you cannot perform the required maintenance and repairs yourself, then be sure to call out a qualified maintenance man to get the job done. So how do you fix the issues? Home AMERICAN FARM WORKS AMERICAN FARM WORKS Solar Powered User Manual, AMERICAN FARM WORKS Solar Powered User Manual. Random note: I tried solar and found it lacking in juice. I had a cow escape my fence four days after the charger died. The bottom wire is not energized. You need some sort of plastic or ceramic insulator between your electric fence and the fence posts. Its a plug in, not battery. Touch ground rod with tester. The shocks melted through the tape after a few months. This T-Post was the cause of a fence fault. You can purchase a voltage tester at your local farm store. My solar energizer has been power down for a few days. This is a tree on my property which is growing over the electric fence. Check that the connectors are wired correctly with no loose wires. Make sure the warranty protects against lightning strikes.*. We have compiled a shortlist of possible issues of what could have caused the electric fence to stop working, There are only two main reasons why your electric fence isnt working: no power to your fence wires or the power is not strong enough to charge the fence to be an effective deterrent. Most manufacturers say that you need three 8 (2.8m) ground rods pounded into the ground, spaced several feet (2m) apart. I dont have a trouble shooting tip, I need a tip! End and corner post insulators should be held in place by upper and lower staples that are not tight. Keeping your electric fence in running order does mean regular maintenance. They are a huge PITA. You need to get your charger off GFCI or it will keep shutting off. Touch fence contacts to fence wire. The voltage can be very high, but the amperage is low. Or part of your electric fence has fallen to the ground. If no fault is found, move on to the next step. Start with a long blade of grass (at least 6 inches long). The directions for use of this product should be followed carefully. If I were to re-do my fence, I would be way more careful about how I hammer in the staples. If you are not experienced with electricity, it is best to consult an electrician for assistance. They provide significant protection against shocks. Big improvement. Wires have an amazing way of breaking through anything you put in their way (such as plastic insulators, electrical tape, wood blocks, and zip ties). I weed spray my fence lines with long-term weed killer to prevent this issue. If you are wearing a pacemaker or getting zapped would be really bad, dont do any of these things. Check out our About page for more information about Dirty Foot Farm. NOTE: Fence energizer will be outputting voltage at this point to avoid shock do not touch fence terminal or fence wire. Testing another insulator on an end post. Your charger is dead. Use the grass method to test your fence when you dont have rubber boots or you want to avoid pain. Or get a shock, if you arent wearing rubber boots. At first, I tried to use electrical tape as an insulator. Ground-return wire disconnected or broken. If you answered NO that you never had a good charge on your fence, then you need to ask whether your wires are insulated properly, or whether there are major design flaws. The effectiveness of Wood stream brands of fence controllers may depend onthe effectiveness of connections, interruption of power source, accidental grounding of wires, weather conditions or the manner of use or application, all of which are beyond the control of Wood stream or the seller.All such risks shall be assumed by the buyer. A small amount of your voltage is traveling through these conductors to the ground, and is lost. The yellow insulator is my fix. I disconnected the new line and the original line lit up. The good news? Or you use T-Posts and one of the insulators broke so the fence is touching the T-Post directly. Were you amateur enough to use a GFCI outlet to power your fence charger? Your email address will not be published. Replace the GFCI outlet with a non-GFCI one. These heavy duty screw-in insulators are my new best friend. How To Build An Electric Fence For Cattle? This procedure is hazardous and could require extra training if you are going to repair the fault yourself. When I built the fence, I didnt realize that staples will wear through insulators over time. Unfortunately, the act of zapping a critter is exactly what GFCI triggers on. The electricity then passes through the animal, into the soil and back to the ground rods, which are connected to the fence energizer. It has good advice for designing an electric-ready high tensile fence. An electric fence is used on many farms, homesteads, and even private houses and buildings to keep valuable possessions safe, sound, and secure. Then take steps to protect this outlet so that people cant electrocute themselves by using it. Remove any debris that is touching the fence cut back trees and grass as if they are touching the wire; they could impact the voltage. The barbs may injure animals if they become tangled in the fence. If you want to see other topics about homesteading or dealing with livestock, let me know! Since installing a lightning arrester, Ive started to just get blown fuses instead of melted fence chargers. If the voltage is defective, check the ground rods to see if any water has leaked into the ground system. Ideas? Voltage should be around 2,000 to 15,000. Hi Mike, 15 yards is definitely close enough for lightning to reach your fence. Normally one pulse per second, and each pulse lasts a tiny fraction of a second. I didnt change anything just did some random fence repair. If you answered YES that you once had a good charge (like the picture of the fence charger above), but over time your voltage has dropped, then it should be fixable. A word of caution: This advice is from my own experience. Repairing a broken fence should be easy enough if you have all the necessary equipment and replacement parts. I use a Zareba Lightning Arrester. https://fencesupplyinc.com/troubleshooting-electric-fences/, https://www.dirtyfootfarm.com/how-to-troubleshoot-electric-fence-problems/, https://askinglot.com/why-is-my-electric-fence-not-working, https://kencove.com/c/blog/article/repairing-your-electric-fence, 9 Tips for Cleaning Your Fiberglass Bathtub, The energizer is the correct size for the fence size. Remove anything that is broken and replace it with a new part. No voltmeter reading or low reading at one location on fence. I originally used these yellow plastic insulators for the non-tensile parts of my fence (connecting the high tensile fence to my charger near the house). circle. If there is still no power to your electric fence, check the following for possible causes: Turn off the power and disconnect both the lead wire and the ground system from the primary system. Pro tip: I find it more effective to pull wires away from each other (such as using zip ties or wire to pull non-energized wires into a bundle), than to put an insulator between touching wires. Lightning probably hit your fence and traveled along it to melt the charger. It was stapled to the tree, the tree grew, the staple wore through the plastic. They have an opening that you can push the wire through broadside. Replacing the wire may be a bit more of a challenge as you will have to make sure that you replace the insulators in the correct position and that the wire is grounded. Your email address will not be published. Try not to dent the plastic when you are hammering. If you use batteries (solar or direct current) for your fence charger, make sure the battery is plugged in, the connections are polished, and your battery is charged up. As you get closer to the fence, you will start feeling a very light zap in your fingers. It can feel the power flow into the ground and will shut down the circuit. The Spring/Fall setting is the general recommendation for optimal use throughout the year but yo can maximized your battery by making adjustments to the angle during each season. When lightning hits your electric fence, the electricity travels to this spot and then shortcuts to the ground by arcing across the arrester. Used for both T-Post and Wood Post. Your electric fence has stopped working, and you would like to troubleshoot the problem first to see if you can indeed repair it without calling in the experts. Brush, weed and plant growth around the base of your fence. You may have to flip the breaker. Grounding this product is provided by properly installed ground rod electrically connected to the fence controller output ground terminal. That stress was NOT worth saving a hundred bucks. To test your solar fence energizer battery health press the push to test button on the face of the solar energizer.The fence energizer will measure your battery health and will display one of the following LEDs below: GREEN= FULL CHARGE Battery is in a healthy stateYELLOW= PARTIAL CHARGE Battery is still healthy, but not up to full charge.RED= NEEDS ATTENTION Battery voltage is low, this may be due to poor exposure to sunlight. If the problem lies with the voltage, you may need to replace the energizer. This is a slow, annoying way to test your fence because you have to plug it into the ground each time. Low voltmeter readings at several places on fence. IMPORTANT: Solar energizers must be placed in the sun and turned o for three days before use in order to ensure the battery has a sucffient charge to power your fence. When this happens, the staple contacts your electric fence wire and provides a conduit to the wooden post. If the defect is covered by the limited warranty, Wood stream Corp. or a repair center will repair or replace (at its option) the defective product or parts.NEITHER THE SELLER NOR THE MANUFACTURE SHALL HAVE LIABILITY FOR ANY ACCIDENTAL OR CONSEQUENTIAL DAMAGES RESULTING FROM OR CAUSED BY ANY DEFECT, FAILURE OR MALFUNCTION OF ANY PRODUCT. I have replaced the insulator and staples with screw-in insulators from Zareba. This is not my video, but I recommend it. Check the voltage of the ground system once it has been reconnected. To make a warranty claim, you must contact Wood stream Corp. at 800-800-1819 or zarebasystems.com regarding defective product or parts during the warranty period or contact one of the Certified Repair Centers listed on zarebasystems.com If you have not registered your energizer online immediately after purchase, you may need to provide additional information such as, your name, mailing address, proof of purchase date and a description of the problem. Finding staples that cause a ground fault. This will keep the brace wires from touching your fence wires, and last much longer. Each click is a pulse. To test the hook-up wire, remove fence energizer power source (unplug or disconnect from battery) and disconnect the hook-up wire from the fence line. Always disconnect battery-powered fence controllers from the battery before recharging the battery. As to why it would click once and smoke, I dont know that answer. Lightning and blown fuses: When lightning hits a fence charger, the fuse will often explode. Especially when it has been wet, your fence posts will conduct electricity to other strands of the fence, and/or to the ground. This is meant to allow the animal (or human) to get away from the fence before they are shocked again. When I moved the connection to the new line, disconnected the old one, there was no current, even at the box. To put things into perspective, these fence chargers are effective deterrence against cattle down to a reading of 2.0. How to troubleshoot electric fence problems, then fix them! This insulator will last a year or two before natural friction (caused by wind, storms, etc) wears through it. Troubleshooting and repairing an electric fence can be attempted by researching the fault first. WOOD STREAM AND THE SELLER OFFER THIS PRODUCT AND THE BUYER AND USER ACCEPT IT, SUBJECT TO THE FOREGOING CONDITIONS OF SALE AND WARRANTY WHICH MAY BE VARIED ONLY BY AGREEMENT IN WRITING SIGNED BY AN OFFICER OF WOOD STREAM.Some states, however, do not allow the exclusion or limitation of incidental or consequential damages, so the above limitation or exclusion may not apply to you. Normally you wont feel anything at this point. . It is extremely important to not dent the insulators. It now needs to be repaired so that the fence can work as it should. Lets start with the basics. I didnt realize that when I was putting in the fence, so this year (2020) I finally re-strung the bad ones. Comment document.getElementById("comment").setAttribute("id","ade580ce7bd4c933bfa9807c21382557");document.getElementById("afe6277d1c").setAttribute("id","comment"); Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The, SOLAR POWERED SECURITY LIGHT PACKAGE CONTENTS PREPARATION Before beginning the installation of the product, make sure all parts, Solar Pendant Light User Manual Switch Use Steps Step 1: Press the button on the solar panel, the, Solar Fence Light User Manual Operation Instructions Step 1: unlock and activate the solar light Since the internal. Read on! This limited warranty gives you specific legal rights, and you may also have other rights which vary from state to state. If your fuse is just blown (it will look like it has smoke inside the glass), definitely try replacing it! Slowly push the stem toward the fence so that there is less distance between your hand and the fence. More articles about farm projects and the homesteading life can be found on our homepage. I once spent a few hours trying to remove the pieces, clean out the compartment, and put a new fuse in guess what, it didnt work because the charger was melted on the inside. At some point, you will start feeling a very faint zap. These are my lessons learned about how to troubleshoot electric fence problems. This should last a long time. For poly tape, insert between contacts and rotate 1/4 turn. This controller must be grounded. More expensive testers will show you a digital readout instead of lights. I have approximately 20 acres enclosed by a high tensile electric fence. Ive only seen solar used successfully with horses. Check your power box to see if there is power leading to the box and then from the box to the fence charger. Do I need to leave it for a day or two to power up or replace it. This means that you will feel the zap in your finger, but it wont go through your entire body like a lightning bolt. Spider webs across the fence??? Long grass is the most common. Warning: always use insulated gloves and rubber boots to protect yourself while troubleshooting and fixing your electric fence. Required fields are marked *. If you open up the fuse and shards of burnt glass fall out, it isnt worth trying to fix it. The serial number for all Wood stream Corp. fence energizers will go to a 12 digit serial number. Use a surge protector between your electrical outlet and the fence charger. Neither the 30-day return policy nor the limited warranty applies to any defect caused by improper installation, misuse, product alterations, tampering, neglect or any similar reason not related to product malfunctions or defects in the materials or workmanship of the product. If your posts are hard, the nails bend when you hammer them and you have to start over. Not good for cows, they will ignore little zaps. It shows you how to ground your fence correctly. on AMERICAN FARM WORKS Solar Powered User Manual, STEP 2: Connect Ground and Fence Terminals, INCX Solar Powered Security Light User Manual, AJAX 8706 KeyPad Wireless Touch Keyboard User Manual, Meizhou Hongfeng Arts Crafts 266285 BJ 57IN Snowman With Snowflakes Instruction Manual, AJAX 7661 StreetSiren Wireless Outdoor Siren User Manual, AJAX 17938 12V PSU for Hub/Hub Plus/ReX Power Supply Unit User Manual, AJAX 10306 Transmitter Wired to Wireless Detector Converter User Manual, ZERFUN G8 Pro Wireless Microphone System User Manual, Airrex Infrared Heater AH-200/300/800 User Manual, 2017 Toyota Camry Hybrid LE Fuse Box Diagrams, 2017 Mitsubishi Lancer 4WD Fuse Box Diagrams, Mitsubishi Lancer Passenger and Engine Fuse Box Diagram, Mira Honesty ERD Bar Valve and Fittings User Manual, 2 Two Lengths 20 KV Insulated Hook-up Wire (one long enough to connect to fence energizer to ground system and one long enough to fence energizer to fence line). IN NO CASE SHALL WOOD STREAM AND THE SELLER BE LIABLE FOR CONSEQUENTIAL, SPECIAL OR INDIRECT DAMAGES RESULTING FROM THE USE OR HANDLING OF THIS PRODUCT. Id normally suspect the input power to be too strong or the wires damaged somehow in that case. Wood stream makes no other expressed or implied warranty of fitness or merchant ability or any other expressed or implied warranty. * Dont be like me and wait for shipping on a replacement charger. Warranty repair and/or buy a new charger. This means the fence is on. When you are putting in a new fence, there is a way to string the cross-brace wires so that they dont touch your energized wires. Is it time to replace the batteries? A well built electric fence should have insulators between the fence wire and everything else it touches, except for air. Assuming they dont have holes, the grass isnt higher than your boots, and you arent touching anything that could act as a ground, you will be mostly protected against shocks. If your electric fence connects to a ground wire, your charger reading will suddenly drop to 0. This is a major problem with my fence, and is hard to diagnose. Whenever you have wires in close proximity to each other, they are likely to touch. This is an OK fix for cables that want to touch each other. Never run more than on fence controller on the same fence line at one time. You can see a nail left over from a failed plastic insulator. Fence wires that are less than 4 apart. We did however have a tree struck by lightning last week . If it should malfunction or break down, grounding reduces the risk of electrical shock by providing a path of low resistance for the electric current. You probably wont be able to feel anything at max extension. Insulators are the plastic pieces that go between wood posts and your fence, T-posts and your fence, trees and your fence, or your fence and other wires. Any ideas? The way I look for it is to touch each metal staple with my finger (see The Badass Method above) and if I feel a zap, it means the staple has worn through the insulator. The battery could also be frozen or missing battery fluid, etc. My last praise for these screw-in insulators: They dont use cheap nails. Never electrify barbed wire! I installed an arrester and havent had a problem in about 18 months. As long as your fence charger is 50+ feet beyond this spot, it avoids the electricity. If your electric fence is giving you some trouble, you can probably fix the problem by yourself without calling in the experts to fix it. You are responsible for complying (or not) with your local housing code. FOR OPTIMAL RESULTS, WE RECOMMEND YOU HAVE THE FOLLOWING: THE FOLLOWING CAN RESULT IN DECREASED FENCEPERFORMANCE, Manufactured by:Woodstream Corporation69 N. Locust StreetLititz, PA 17543For customer support:1-855-592-7322Distributed By:Tractor Supply Company5401 Virginia WayBrentwood, TN 37027www.TractorSupply.com.

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