Do you know how to properly test your electric fence? What about setting up a successful solar fence? This installment of our blog series covers both these topics!
#7 Voltmeter: The most helpful tool when mending or fixing electric fences would be a voltmeter. A voltmeter is the easiest most efficient way to figure out if your electric fence is going to be effective. Without a voltmeter you can only speculate how your fence is performing. You will sleep better knowing the exact voltage of your fence. Animals will learn not to touch a fence that has 5,000-10,000 volts pulsing through it. There are many different types of voltmeters on the market. Most common are those that manually need grounded by pushing a small pin into the earth. These are very effective and will precisely measure the voltage of your electric fence. Since technology is always changing, there are now units that will measure voltage and detect faults by showing an amperage draw direction. Units of this caliber are very handy when searching for poor connection, bad insulators, or broken wires. Don’t make the mistake of working on an electric fence line without a quality voltmeter.
#8 Solar Fencing: Do your research, know how many output joules you are buying. Most complete units have very low power ratings. When creating a system there are several problems that can be prevented prior to setup. First and foremost a solar panel should always be oriented due south if you are located in the northern hemisphere at approximately 35-40°. When choosing a solar panel the general rule of thumb is 10 watts of panel per 1 joule of energizer. You can never collect to much sunlight. A bigger panel is always better, as long as you provide battery protection with a solar controller. The solar controller will protect the battery from over charging, and should also be equipped with low voltage disconnect. A deep cycle marine battery is essential to a solar setup. A deep cycle marine battery offers re-chargeability/longevity over a normal car battery. Use a deep cycle marine battery that has at least 100-120 Ah (amp hours) or at least 675 CCA (cold cranking amps), for ideal performance. Reading the directions is fundamental, take your time and correctly set up your solar system.
