Post lockdown price increases

Please note that while we are unable to work on installation and construction projects during lockdown, we can still assist with quotes and planning for your projects so that these can take place as soon as we are permitted to work again.  

If you are planning on purchasing new equipment such as energisers, please get your orders to us as soon as possible.  We are expecting prices of imported goods to increase substantially due to the recent decline in the value of the Rand and would therefore like to get you your equipment at the current prices where possible.  Gallagher power fencing and animal management equipment, Stafix electric fencing products and JVA fence products will be affected.  At this stage,we are not anticipating price increases on locally produced items such as Bonnox and Veldspan mesh, nettingwire, fencing wire or any of the Mittal products such as Y-standards and fencing droppers.  We do however expect there to be delays on somewww.tnhwildlife.com items due to lower / no production over the last month.  While we will only be able to deliver post-lockdown, we are able to fix pricing on confirmed orders.  

We look forward to seeing you all soon.

NEW ADDITION TO GALLAGHER i-SERIES

It’s been a while since we wrote about the release of the I-series range of energisers developed by Gallagher, arguably the best system produced to date for monitoring farm and game reserve fences.  At the time, the largest unit being produced was the M2800i, which with an output of just over 15 Joules is perfect for a camp or paddock set up for game or livestock, but is a bit small for powering the perimeter fences of large farms and wildlife reserves.  The good news is that the “big brother” is now available in Africa.  

Gallagher have launched the M5800i which has all the advantages of the other i-series models, but with a lot more power.  With 58 Joules of stored and 36 Joules of output energy, the M5800i has the equivalent power of the Stafix M36R, which has for a long time been the go to energiser for long fence runs in dry African conditions.

You are going to pay a little bit more for the Gallagher unit, but there is a lot of technology packed in the black and orange box.  If you are running a farm where you need to stay up to date with what is happening on your fences, the extra money will be well spent as you will save a lot of time and money in the long term which would otherwise have been spent checking the fences and searching for faults.  Unfortunately there is a downside to the arrival of the M5800i and that is that Gallagher are no longer producing the MR5000 energiser.  The MR5000 has for many years been an excellent value energiser in the 50 – 60 Joule range and will be missed.  If you would like to purchase any one of these energisers, please get in contact with us.

TNH News update

The last couple of months have been really busy for TNH with lots of interesting and exciting happenings taking place.

Security is becoming a far more important component of our work, with our customer base which is primarily in the rural areas requiring better security.  Fortunately our product offering caters even to high end customers requiring top quality security systems.  

Frazer spent a month in Cabinda Angola commissioning a fibre optic intrusion detection system for an oil pipeline.  This system is excellent as it is extremely accurate in pinpointing the location of the breach, can virtually eliminate nuisance alarms and can be installed over massive distances on fences or underground, depending on the requirement.  It is however a costly system, and while it has not been adopted by the wildlife or game-farming market yet, with the recent escalation in rare game prices and the continued threat of poaching, particularly of rhino, it will not be long before game breeders start using these systems to assist them in protecting their valuable wildlife assets.  

What is however now being be adopted by the wildlife industry is the use of computer software such as Perimeter Patrol to monitor their electric fences.  While this type of system has been used extensively for security applications for small sites such as factories, housing complexes and business parks, recent advances in wireless technology have now made it possible for us to set this up on farms and game reserves.  

Electric fences around these sites can be monitored remotely via an internet connection which allows managers to allocate resources which would otherwise have been used to check the fence to other tasks.  Farmers can also check fences when not on the farm and alarms also alert the user when faults occur on the fence.  We have recently set up Perimeter Patrol at Thaba Tholo to enable them to monitor the electric fence around their rare game breeding camps. 

Serious interest has also been shown by other well-known reserves.  No sooner had Frazer returned from Angola when Theo jetted off to Europe to undergo a month long combat training course.  With the skills learned there added to an already impressive arsenal of counter-poaching techniques, Theo is ideally equipped to take on any anti-poaching challenge.  

August was also show month for TNH, with the Thabazimbi agricultural show once again being an excellent opportunity to catch up with many of our clients from the bushveld region.  We also exhibited at the African Farmers Expo where with the support from the guys from Stafix we were able to make ourselves known to a new group of potential customers.  With delegates from as far afield as Israel and Zambia spending time on the stand, prospects for the future look promising.

Tubby together with the Zambian minister of livestock and agriculture, Wilbur Simusa at the African Farmers Expo

    

Chiefs win Super Rugby

Congratulations to the Chiefs on beating the Brumbies to win the Super Rugby title again this year.  More importantly, well done to Gallagher for supporting a winning team.  The rugby win is not the only cause for celebration in Hamilton this year however as Gallagher is celebrating its 75^th year in business. The company has grown enormously since the 1930’s when Bill Gallagher (senior) began developing systems to make farming easier and is now a successful and well respected company throughout the world.  As part of its 75 year celebrations, Gallagher have great deals and giveaways going on some of their products. The Gallagher MR5000 energiser is one of the most reliable high-power energisers available and is excellent value for money.  It is ideal for wildlife applications and long stock fences and is currently being packaged with a remote and Smartfix meter at no extra charge.  Another great product released by Gallagher earlier this year is the i-Series range of fence energiser systems.  These are excellent for monitoring and controlling fence performance and allow for rapid location of faults, particularly where the fence can be divided into zones. With semi-intensive production of rare game having become so popular in South Africa over the last few years, there are hundreds of wildlife managers and game breeders who can benefit from the features of the i-Series system.  If you are interested in these or any other Gallagher, Stafix, JVA, MEPS or Nemtek electric fence products, please contact TNH and we will endeavour to provide you with the best system for your needs.   

New electric fence regulation to be implemented

ELECTRIC FENCE COMPLIANCE CERTIFICATES

Below is an article published in The Star newspaper on 15/5/2013.  The article discusses very briefly the responsibility of property owners and tenants of properties which have electric fences in terms of the new electrical machinery regulations act.  While this article refers to urban fencing, it is important to note that these regulations also apply to electric fences in rural areas including security, game and agricultural fences.  Owners or tenants of properties who do not comply with these regulations may be liable to a fine or imprisonment or both.  TNH Fencing are registered with the Department of Labour to install electric fences and issue compliance certificates, so please contact us if you need assistance in this regard.

New electric fence regulation to be implemented

May 15 2013 at 02:29pm
By CHARLOTTE CHIPANGURA

---

INLSA

A new regulation stipulates that electric fences should be certified before a property can be sold. Picture: Boxer Ngwenya

Johannesburg - Property owners are going to have to be more careful about who they contract to install electric fences so as to comply with a new regulation.

This regulation stipulates that all electric fences be certified and come with an electric fence system certificate of compliance, as reflected in Regulation 12 of the Electric Machinery Regulations of 2011.

This applies only to systems that came into existence after October 1 last year.

However, it also will apply in cases where the system is altered or added to, or where the premises changes ownership after October 1 this year.

Any property transfer after that date, therefore, carries with it the obligation to provide a certificate if there is an electric fence in place.

All properties – including residential, commercial and sectional titles within complexes – must comply.

A number of people have complained about the regulation on social networks, with many saying the it was meant to protect burglars.

“Next they will tell me to remove my burglar proofing because a burglar might get stuck in it and hurt himself… This is total insanity. I’ll remove my fence when they remove the criminals,” said one.

SA Electric Fences Association founder member Etien van der Merwe said the regulation actually protected innocent people within the property. He added that electrical output from fences had always been regulated.

“Energisers are controlled: the electrical machinery regulations stipulate a certain output. Adjusting fences to be more lethal is actually illegal.”

The regulation would ensure installers were held accountable and minimise fly-by-night installers.

Failure to have a compliance certificate could cost one a great deal, said John Graham, the chief executive of House-check Home Inspection Services.

“If you don’t have the certificate, you can’t sell your house, and if somebody gets hurt by a non-compliant fence, you could get sued.”

He said electrical fence installers had to write an examination and be registered with the Department of Labour by October 1 this year.

What makes an electric fence compliant?

* It must be installed by a registered electric fence installer, not a non-specialist company.

* Owner must have a certificate of compliance.

* Output should not be adjusted to make it more lethal.

* Warning signs of a fence visible from driveway and pavement.

* Fence should not overhang a neighbour’s yard or a pavement.

Penalties for non-compliance

* You cannot sell a property without the certificate.

* If someone gets hurt by an electric fence on your property, you could be sued.

* You may have to upgrade to compliance or be forced to remove the fence.

charlotte.chipangura@inl.co.za

The Star

Keran McCaull in South Africa

We would like to thank Tru-Test’s Keran McCaull for taking time out of his busy schedule last week to spend an afternoon with us.  Tru-Test manufacture the Speedrite, Stafix, Pel and Patriot brands of electric fence energisers as well as Hayes fencing tools.  South Africans will be most familiar with the Stafix brand of energisers which was established in 1958.  Over the last few years Stafix have updated their battery energiser range to the X – range which are able to work off both 12 volt DC (battery) and 220V AC electricity.  The range incorporates energisers from 1 to 18 Joules and has proved extremely popular for both wildlife and livestock applications.  Together with the X-range of “unigisers,” Stafix also produce the world’s largest energiser, the Stafix M63R, so really do have energisers for every application.  Despite seeming to have every angle covered, Tru-Test are not resting on their laurels.  Keran gave us a peek into some of what Stafix has lined up for us in the near future so hopefully we will have some exciting news for you before the end of the year. 

STAFIX X18i UNIGIZER

 

The Stafix X18i unigizer is now available in Africa.  This new addition to the X range of energisers which are able to run off either a 12V rechargeable battery or mains power source replaces the discontinued B18 energiser as the most powerful battery energiser available.  It has an output energy of 18 Joules which is slightly more than the 15 Joules of the Stafix X15i and Gallagher MBX 2500.  As with the other energisers in this range, the X18i features a backlit LCD voltage display, which, shows the output voltage, battery voltage and earth voltage.  Probably its greatest advantage over the B18 however is its lower power consumption.  Using a little more than half the power of the B18, together with the microprocessor which adjusts the output energy depending on the battery condition, this energy efficient unit is ideal for solar installations.  The X18i also has a number of settings and pulse speeds which can be selected to further increase its energy efficiency.  Pricing of the X18i is considerably less than that of its predecessors which will no doubt make this the energiser of choice for most agricultural and wildlife applications in Africa.

AKAGERA NATIONAL PARK RWANDA

Work has finally started on the fencing of the Akagera National Park boundary.  This project was awarded to TNH Fencing together with our partners EME from Kigali.  It has taken a long time to get the project underway as a large number of stakeholders are involved in the park and they together with private landowners along the boundary had to be satisfied with the planned fence and its placement before work could commence.

 Akagera National Park is situated in eastern Rwanda and covers an area of 1200km².  Akagera was founded in 1934, but large areas of the park were resettled by returning refugees in the late 1990’s following the Rwandan civil war.  The western boundary of the park was regazetted in 1997 as a result, reducing the park size by more than half.  The reserve consists of savanna, mountains and wetlands as well as a series of lakes including Lake Ihema.  Akagera is home to large numbers of animals including elephant, buffalo, leopard and roan.  There are plans to introduce black rhino and lion to the reserve.  The park is being managed by the Akagera Management Company which is a partnership between African Parks Network and the Rwanda Development Board (RDB).  The fencing of the reserve forms part of the US$ 10 million expenditure planned for Akagera.

The boundary is to be fenced using a prefabricated hinge-joint field fence and will be electrified using offset brackets (outriggers).  Additional electrical wires will be added to the top of the fence to discourage climbing.  The electric fence will be powered by Stafix B18 cyclic wave energisers made by Tru-test of New Zealand.  These 18 Joule output energisers are the largest battery powered units available and are ideal for controlling the movement of wildlife across the reserve boundaries.  Each energiser will be equipped with monocrystalline solar panels delivering 250 Watts.  With fencing teams now on the ground and construction underway, the 110km electrified game fence should finally be completed by mid 2012.

Fencing at Zinave ~ Mozambique

ZINAVE NATIONAL PARK

TNH was fortunate to be awarded the contract for consulting on the installation of the fencing at Zinave National Park in Mozambique. To  date this has been an exciting project with many challenges and we hope to have this project completed by the end of 2011.  

Zinave National Park is situated along the River Save in Inhambane Province in Mozambique. It is roughly 4000km2. The reserve is assessable mainly by 4x4 only and our 4x4's worked hard to get there!  There is currently lots of exciting development in the National Park but currently only camping is available with prior arrangement from Management located in the main campsite area.  Some of the attractions are the beautiful views and the riverine vegetation and the Miombo forests. Zinave is part of the Great Limpopo Transboundary Conservation Area Programme.

Below are a few pictures of the team getting set up and starting the fencing at Zinave.

Pack and ready to travel to Zinave National Park

One of the fencing teams

Save River

Fencing Stock

Digging for clean water

TNH Accommodation :)

Clearing the Fence line

The Cement Mixers

Furniture for around the camp fire

Interference and Induction explained...

INTERFERENCE

Radio and telephone interference problems can occur, particularly in areas with poor radio reception .

Clicking on the radio or telephone can be caused by:

The energizer being too close to the mains power earth.

• A bare earth wire touching the building.
• A poor mains power earth.
• Loose connections in the energizer or plugs..
• The electric fence running parallel to telephone or power lines.
• Poor or rusty joints on the fence line.
• Damaged cut-out switch or cracked insulators.
• A broken cable under a gateway.
• Vegetation arcing / touching the fence
• Any mechanical short.

To detect if the fence is causing the problem disconnect the fence and the earth wires from the energiser and switch the energiser on. If the clicking stops the problem is on the fence line or earth. If the clicking continues then the problem is either in the energiser or the mains power supply. Check the plugs. If the problem is in the mains power supply the clicking will stop immediately the when the energiser plug is pulled. If the problem is in the energiser an extra click will be heard after the energiser plug is pulled.

INDUCTION

Induction is a phenomenon associated with High Voltage wires whereby a small current is transmitted through the atmosphere to adjacent neutral wires. Induction can be detected in an item by using a volt meter, or when the item is touched, one can feel a small shock.

Induced voltage can be detected on :-

Conventional fences carrying offset or lead-out wires

The wire between the strain insulator and the strainer post

Metal gates

Milking parlour railing

Showers

Induction is linked to poor earthing and can be prevented or eliminated by earthing the offending item.

Induction does not affect the voltage on the fence line.

Training Animals to Respect Electric Fences

TRAINING ANIMALS TO RESPECT ELECTRIC FENCES

An electric fence is both a physical and a psychological barrier. All animals therefore need to be trained to respect these fences. It is therefore imperative that they receive a good shock the first time they make contact with the fence

Below are some tried and tested methods of introducing game to electric fences :-

1) Power up the electric fence as construction proceeds. This should be done on a daily basis. The reasons for doing this are :-

(i) It will ensure that the more inquisitive animals receive a good shock the first time they make contact with the fence. This will help reduce the time needed to train your animals as the leaders will either communicate, or the herd will sense, that their new perimeter is hostile.

(ii) It will reduce the incidence of damage to the fence line caused by animals testing it while it is off. Besides causing damage the fence, your animals will also lose respect for it and then it will take you longer to train them when the fence line is switched on.

(iii) It will enable you to check for faults as construction proceeds. It is very frustrating switching on a newly erected electric fence and then having to walk kilometres of fence line looking for faults.

2). Pad wipe the live wires with molasses. As a rule of thumb live wires should be situated at nose height to the animals you intend to control. A simple way of attracting the animals to sniff the live wires is to wipe some diluted molasses onto these wires. The animals will soon learn, via their damp muzzles, what electric fencing can do.

4) Install flashing neon lights on the fence.

Commonly called live lights, these lights draw the power needed to make them flash from the energiser's pulses. These flashing live lights improve fence line visibility and this in turn prevents nocturnal feeders, such as hippos, from blundering into the fence. Live lights will also enable you to see at a glance if your fence is working. Alternatiely, cans or aluminium strips can be attached to the fence wires to improve visibility.

5) Maintain power on the fence line at all times

Unlike on a stock farm where domesticated animals soon become accustomed to electric fences, on a game reserve one encounters a variety of species, and also changing populations of the same species, which will vary in size, age, and sex. These variations will result in different behavioural responses to the electric fence. Furthermore, the wilder an animal, the more sensitive it appears to be to an electric fence and the sooner it will detect if an electric fence is switched off. So rather than let your animals detect that the electric fence is switched off and have them break out, make sure that your electric fence is switched on at all times. The installation of live lights, or a simple electric fence voltage monitor, will also enable you to continuously monitor your fence line and be sure that the power is on. It is advisable to keep a spare energiser module as a standby.

6) Consider the Season.

Time of year and season will also influence your animal's response to an electric fence. In the dry months one is faced with the problem of poor soil conduction and inefficient ground earthing. It is better to introduce animals to electric fencing during the wetter months.

7) Keep the fence line clean and well cleared.

This will not only reduce voltage and power losses but it will also help prevent animals from blundering into the fence line. A strip three meters wide, on either side of the fence line should be kept clear of bush and trees and the grass kept short. A herbicide may be sprayed directly under the fence line but beware of causing erosion in hilly areas. Game will come to associate this well cleared strip with a shock.

8) Electrify trans-location Bomas.

Just as livestock farmers use a well fenced, electrified, training camp to introduce new animals to electric fencing, so too should the game farmer. By attaching electric wires onto the interior of your boma you can train your animals in the boma to respect electric fences. These offset electrified wires should only be switched on once the animals have settled down in the Boma.

All animals need to be trained to respect electric fencing. It is therefore important that animals that are being introduced to electric fencing are given time and space to learn that their new perimeters are hostile.

Basic Fault Finding Procedure

BASIC FAULT FINDING PROCEDURE

1. Disconnect energiser from the fence line and using a voltmeter or fence compass, test the voltage on the terminals.

• If the voltage is normal, the energiser is functioning properly (proceed to 2).
• If not, install another energiser and return the faulty one to your dealer for repair.

2. Reconnect the energiser to the fence.

3 Check the earth system for:

• Rust
• Loose connections
• Insufficient earth stakes

4 Check that the lightning diverter is not faulty / blown.

• If faulty, it should be replaced
• If functioning correctly, proceed to 5.

5 Proceed to the first cut out switch and open it (switch off)

6. Using the voltmeter or fence compass, check the voltage on the live section of fence (energiser side):

• If voltage is low the fault is between this switch and the energizer.
• If voltage is normal, close the switch (switch on) again and proceed to the next switch.

7. Continue with this procedure until the fault is found.

8. Always check the voltage on both sides of gates and the lead-out.

9. While walking the fence keep an eye open for:

• Broken or tangled wires.
• Excessive competition from vegetation.
• Trees or branches across the wire.
• Loose or corroded connections.
• Dirty or cracked insulators.
• Listen for "popping" as you walk along the fence.

10. The closer you get to the fault / short the lower the voltage reading will become. Beyond the fault the voltage may increase again -if not a dead short.

Electric Fence Safety

SAFETY

You should always treat an electric fence energiser with respect. An electric fence energiser can deliver a very powerful shock, which may be harmful to children or pets under some conditions.

• Electric fences should be installed and operated so that they cause no electrical hazard to persons, animals or their surroundings.
• Electric fence constructions, which are likely to lead to entanglement of animals or persons, should be avoided.
• Barbed or razor wire should not be electrified.
• A non-electrified fence incorporating barbed wire or razor wire may be used to offset electrified wires of an electric animal fence. The supporting devices for the electrified wires should be constructed so as ensure these wires are positioned at a minimum distance of 150mm from the vertical plane of the non electrified wires. The barbed/razor wire should be earthed at regular intervals.
• Never use electric fencing where it is likely to be touched by children or infants. This applies especially near swimming pools or dams where they are likely to be on wet ground with bare feet.
• Energisers should, if possible, be installed inside a building in a position free from the risk of mechanical damage. If mounted outdoors, they should be mounted on a substantial structure in a position free from the risk of mechanical damage.
• Never use any part of your household wiring or plumbing as an earth for your electric fence.
• Each electric fence energiser should be fitted with a separate earth electrode and this should not be connected to any other earthing device.
• A minimum distance of 10m should be maintained between the energiser earth spike and any other earthing system such as the power supply system protective earth or the telecommunication system earth.
• An electric fence should not be supplied from more than one energiser or from independent fence circuits of the same energiser.
• The gap between two separate electric fences with different energisers should be at least 2m.
• If this gap is to be closed, this should be effected by means of an electrically non conductive material.
• Crossings with overhead power lines should be avoided wherever possible. If such a crossing cannot be avoided, it should be made underneath the power line, and as nearly as possible at right angles to it.
• Connecting leads and electric fence wires should not cross above overhead power or communication lines.
• If an electric fence has to be installed in the vicinity of an overhead power line, the vertical distance between any fence wire or connecting lead and the surface of the earth should not exceed 2 metres.
• If connecting leads and electric fences are installed near an overhead power line the clearances shall be:
• Power Line Voltage: Under 1000 volts - Clearance: 3 Metres
• Power Line Voltage: 1000 - 33,000 volts - Clearance: 4 Metres
• Power Line Voltage: Over 33,000 volts - Clearance: 8 Metres
• Fence wiring should be installed so that it is well away from any telephone or telegraph line or radio aerial.
• An electric fence, when installed in such a position that members of the public might reasonably be expected to touch it, should be identified by suitable signs clamped to the conductor or fastened to the posts at intervals not exceeding 90 metres.
• The sign should have a size of at least 200mm x 100mm. The inscription on the sign should take the form of either the recognised symbol, or the words “ELECTRIC FENCE”. The inscription should be indelible and any lettering should have a height of at least 25mm. It is recommended that the basic colour of the sign be yellow with black inscription.
• Connecting leads that are run inside buildings should be effectively insulated from the earth structural parts of the building. This may be achieved by using double insulated high voltage HT cable.
• Connecting leads should not be installed in the same conduit as the mains supply wiring, communication cables or data cables.
• Where the electric fence energiser is used to supply a system of conductors for deterring birds from roosting on buildings, no conductors should be connected to earth. A switch should be installed to provide a means of isolating the energiser from all poles of the supply and clear warning notices should be fitted at every point where persons may have ready access to the conductors. The notice should bear the words “LIVE WIRES” in block letters not less than 13mm high. The letters should be red in colour on a white background and the size of each notice should not be less than 62mm x 50mm overall.
• In periods of extreme fire danger there is a possibility that your electric fence may start a fire. This possibility is greatly reduced if you connect your fence to the low-power terminal of the energiser during the danger period.
• Lightning strikes during thunderstorms are common. You may have kilometres of carefully insulated fence wires on your property, which will conduct the electricity straight back to your energiser. Apart from the obvious fire risk, this will certainly damage or destroy the energiser. You should disconnect the energiser from the fence, and unplug it from the power source for protection during electrical storms.

EARTHING

Earthing is the most important component of an electric fencing system. In practice, most problems which occur with electric fences are caused by poor earthing.

For an electric fence to be effective the circuit must be completed. When an animal touches the fence wire the circuit is completed (closed) through to the ground, or to the earth return wires, and the current flows back, via the earth pegs, to the earth terminal of the energizer. This current flow must be good in order to deliver a decent shock to the animal. Therefore, it is imperative that the energiser is well and truly earthed. Soil that is very dry, sandy or pumice will not conduct the electric current as effectively as clay or slightly damp soil. In these less than ideal conditions, it is more difficult to get an adequate earth system to ensure the animal receives the maximum shock. It is best to choose a damp area for earth installation where possible.

The 4.3.2.1 earthing rule:

This general rule suggests you use a minimum of FOUR galvanised stakes placed THREE meters apart from each other, each TWO metres long (underground) and connected by ONE continuous wire.

It is also important to place the earthing system as close as possible to the energizer and at least 10 meters from any power supply, earth stake, underground telephone or power cable. Never connect two or more energizers to the same earth peg. Don’t use copper earth stakes with galvanised wire as this will cause electrolysis at the joins. The earth system should not be allowed to touch any building. Never connect the energizer earth to the water supply. For best results a location with permanently moist ground, such as near a stream, dam, trough, or septic absorption trenches or water tank overflow.

Purpose manufactured earth stakes are the easiest to use and consist of either galvanized steel rods or angle iron. The stakes are connected to each other and to the earth terminal of the energiser, using galvanized nuts and bolts. Alternatively, a length of galvanized water pipe can be used, but it is harder to drive in and is difficult to connect to the earth wire satisfactorily.

INTERMEDIATE EARTHING

On long fence runs, and in dry areas, there may be insufficient moisture within the soil to provide adequate current flow through the earth return system. In these situations, a fence return system is used. Earth connections are then made at regular intervals along the length of the fence. This is achieved by simply connecting the earth wires to additional earth stakes, periodically spaced. Connections should be made using line clamps and insulated cable or steel wire. Where possible intermediate earths should also be established in moist ground (eg, near a dam or stream).

TESTING THE FENCE EARTH RETURN

A poor or inefficient earth system will restrict the flow of electrons or current around the circuit. To test the earth, drive a galvanised earth state at least a meter into the ground and at least a meter away from the nearest earth stake of the fence system Then using a Digital Volt Meter measure the voltage between this installed earth peg and the nearest earth peg attached to the energiser earth system. Bring the fence line voltage down to 2K v or less by placing several steel stakes between the live wire of the fence and the ground, at least 100M away from the earth system. On a clean well-insulated fence there is very little current flow so in order to test the earth it is necessary to create current flow creating a short or leakage path. Ideally there should be no reading on the volt meter. A reading of up to 200 volts, provided the fence is shorted to below 2000volts, is acceptable. If the voltage is higher than 200 volts then the earth return wire must be checked for loose connections and / or more earth stakes must be installed along the fence line. These additional stakes must be coupled to the earth return wire.

DO’S & DON’T’S OF EARTHING

DO

Use at least 4 galvanised earth stakes each at least 1.5M long.

Drive the earth stakes into the ground at least 3M apart.

Connect the earth stakes together using a single length of insulated undergate cable or fencing wire.

Clamp the cable securely to the earth stakes

Install the earth stakes:

In moist or damp soil.

Close to the building or along the fence line for protection

At least l0M away from any mains power supply, earth stakes, underground telephone cables, power cable or water pipe.

DON'T

Connect two or more energizers to the same earth peg.

Allow any part of the earth system to touch a building i.e. bare wires.

Connect the energizer earth to mains electricity or telephone earths.

Connect the earth system to water mains.

Remember, surveys have shown that over 80% of electric fencing systems suffer from inadequate earthing. So, spend a little extra time on this important aspect of your electric fence and enjoy many years of trouble free fencing.

ELECTRIC FENCE COMPONENTS

ELECTRIC FENCE COMPONENTS

An electric fence system is made up of four components:

• The energiser
• The earthing system
• The leadout
• The fence line

If any one, or more, of these components is faulty or defective, then the whole system will be defective.

Linking the four components of an electric fence together provides the circuit through which the current will flow

The energiser

An energizer is an "electron pump" that converts an A.C. or D.C. electric power source into high voltage pulsed energy. The power source can be either 220 Volt mains power or a 12 Volt battery supply.

When comparing an energizer to a water pump:

Voltage = Pressure

Amps = Flow ( volume )

The power output of an energizer is measured in Joules. The output Joule capability of an energizer is a measurement that can be used to compare energisers and can be likened to Horsepower of an engine.

The earthing system

The earthing system refers to the galvanised metal stakes that are placed in the earth near the energizer. The metal stakes in the ground are part of the circuit that is completed when the animal touches the wire. The completion of the circuit is what allows the animal to get a shock. It is essential to have an effective earthing system. Soil that is very dry, sandy or pumice will not conduct the electric current as effectively as clay or slightly damp soil. In these less than ideal conditions, it is more difficult to get an adequate earth system to ensure the animal receives the maximum shock. It is best to choose a damp area for earth installation where possible.

The lead out

The lead out is the high conductive insulated cable or wire that connects the energizer to the fence. It is important to have a lead out that is able to deliver the full power of the energizer to the fence. If the fence is several hundred meters from the building where the energizer is installed cable should be used to get the power to the outside of the building.

The fence

It is important for your fence to be well insulated to ensure the voltage remains constant along your entire fence system. Insulators, to which the wire is attached, provide protection from losing voltage as a result of the wire coming into contact with the post and being lost to the ground, i.e. ‘shorting out’. The quality of the fence and insulators will determine its effectiveness. Generally, for wildlife, conventional non-electric fences are re-enforced by attaching offset brackets and an electrified wire to the side of the fence.