In spite of having a well constructed electric fence which follows, in most part, all the rules, I do have my periodic battles with it. I was very interested to read here that using plastic hose pipe as an insulating barrier may not be the best idea in the world. There are a few places throughout my fence line where the use of plastic hose was the only thing I could think of to separate the hot wire from metal standards, such as when the wire was actually passing through the groove on the top of a steel Waratah. There is an insulator especially made for situations such as this which is a plastic tube containing a metal strip which one can thread onto the wire, but, if the wire has any sort of a kink in it, they will get caught and stuck as they are a very tight fit, even on a completely straight wire. A short will often develop after a gale when stray bits of flying detritus become entangled around the hot and cold wires, but I can't say that the plastic hose pipe has had any detrimental affect on the operation of the fence. Incidentally, I heard part of a news item the other night that spoke of the invention by of course, an innovative Kiwi farmer, of an unshortable electric fence, but, unfortunately, I did not catch the details.
Jewel From: Doug Rose To: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com Sent: Monday, November 27, 2006 3:45 AM Subject: RE: [BlindHandyMan] electric fence Hi Hank, I have two different electric fence controllers. Which kind of controller do you have? I will copy below 7 common sins of fence controller installations listed off the web and a link to same page with very good instructions for troubleshooting. There are of course different kinds of fence controllers and installations. Sounds that you tested the controller's terminals and it has output there but along the fence there is no electrical charge that you can detect? Is this true? Here is the web info, good success. "THE SEVEN SINS OF FENCE CONTROLLER INSTALLATIONS 1. An insufficient ground system for the fence controller. (Refer to Step 2 of the installation instructions.) 2. Stray voltage may occur when the fence controller ground system is located within 50 ft. of a utility ground, buried water pipe, or buried telephone wire. (Refer to Step 2 of the installation instructions and Radio Interference Section.) 3. Inadequately insulated lead-out wire and jumper wires (wire must be insulated to 20,000V minimum). (Refer to Step 1 of the installation instructions.) 4. The ground wire is not adequately insulated and is located 20 ft. or more from fence controller. (Refer to Step 2 of the installation instructions.) 5. Inferior connections and splices of the fence wire, ground wire, lead-out wire, and jumper wires. (Refer to Step 3 of the installation instructions.) 6. Substandard fence wire insulation: cracked insulators, poor quality insulators, water hose, plastic tubing, or the use of wood posts without insulators. (Refer to Step 3 of the installation instructions.) 7. The fence controller is underpowered for the condition of the fence being energized (i.e., rain, snow, ice, vegetation, rusty wire, and length of fence). (Refer to "How Electric Fencing Works" in this manual.)" This information was copied from: http://www.afence.com/Electric_Fence/how_to_elecfence/elecinstall.htm Doug Rose Rosepond Aquatics 707-839-0588 [EMAIL PROTECTED] http://www.rosepond.com <http://www.rosepond.com/> _____ From: blindhandyman@yahoogroups.com [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of gail johnson Sent: Sunday, November 26, 2006 5:38 AM Subject: [BlindHandyMan] electric fence I was wondering if anyone on this list has installed an electric fence? I installed one following the directions given but I do not have any voltage on the fence line. Hank Johnson -- Email services by FreedomBox. Surf the Net at the sound of your voice. www.freedombox.info [Non-text portions of this message have been removed] -------------------------------------------------------------------------------- No virus found in this incoming message. Checked by AVG Free Edition. Version: 7.1.409 / Virus Database: 268.14.16/551 - Release Date: 25/11/06 [Non-text portions of this message have been removed]