A Helpful Guide to the Best Electric Fence Voltage Testers
A Helpful Guide to the Best Electric Fence Voltage Testers
Raising livestock presents many challenges. You have to worry about reproduction, disease, and make sure all your animals are fed. The last part is known to require a lot of grazing. Unfortunately, animals have no concept of "property lines" or "not wandering on the road." For many animals, a simple fence is less of an insurmountable obstacle than a minor annoyance. If you want to confine cattle or other livestock to pastures, you must use an electric fence.
Electric fences can be powered in a number of ways. The common grid power supply is the most obvious. But many use deep cycle batteries and solar panels for off-grid use, or just as a backup. But no matter what your power supply is, you'll inevitably need to do some troubleshooting. Electric fences, by their very nature, are exposed to abuse from the elements and larger animals. At some point, they will fail. When this happens, you can walk miles of fence lines looking for damage, or use a voltage tester. A voltage tester is a voltmeter specifically designed for use with electric fences.
Today, we're going to take a look at three of the best electric fence voltage testers available. We'll start by reviewing FTR004. This is an Electric Fence Voltage Wire Tester that can point you in the direction of any short circuit. Next, we will examine the allsun EM555. This is an inexpensive tester with a ground rod. Finally, we'll take a look at the Gallagher G50900 SmartFix Fence Tester. This is a voltage tester and short circuit detector with retractable voltage probes. Which one is best for you? To find out, we need to take a closer look and compare all of their features. Let's see how they stack up!
How much voltage should I use?
Before starting to test voltages, it is important to establish some parameters. Specifically, how much voltage should you have? Ideally, you already know that, but that may not be the case. If you're not sure, consider the type of animals you want to keep. The bigger and more aggressive the animal, the more voltage you need. For example, live poultry enclosures typically have a maximum voltage of about 500 volts. It doesn't take much of a shock to deter a chicken.
The most common use for electric fences is for cattle or horses. In this case, you'll need around 2,000 to 3,000 volts for the fence to work. The reason the range is so large is that weeds and vegetation absorb some of the voltage. A 2,000-volt charge should suffice if your fence wire is neatly trimmed. If there are a lot of brushes around the fence, something closer to 3,000 volts is required. Keep in mind that bulls can become very determined when they smell a cow in heat. If you're grazing a bull alone, you'll need to use a stronger fence. To stop aggressive bulls from simply breaking out, a 4,000 volt charge is recommended.
Likewise, predators are often willing to put up with high voltage in exchange for a simple meal. Wolves are determined enough to need a 4,000-volt fence to keep them out - like bulls! Bears and cougars need more voltage. If you want to prevent adult grizzly bears from attacking your apiary, you need a 7,000-volt fence. Keep in mind that the voltage can drop when you get too far from the power source. To make sure your entire fence is functioning properly, check as far away from the battery as possible.
Electronic fence tester
Troubleshooting Electric Fence Voltage Issues
Let's assume your electric fence does have voltage. How do you find the problem? Here is a quick troubleshooting guide. We'll start with the simplest solution and work your way through more involved steps.
Check the power first
In most cases, your power supply will be in an easily accessible part of the fence. This is also a common point of failure, so let's check that first. How to check the power supply depends on the type of power supply you are using. For AC power, just unplug and plug something else into an outlet. If you plug in a light and it works immediately, you know the socket is fine. If not, check your breaker box and continue from there as needed.
For solar or battery powered systems, things get a little more complicated. You will need to use a normal voltmeter to check the charge of your solar panel or battery system. For batteries, you can run on 6 volts or 12 volts, depending on the power source. Before testing, make sure you know what the voltage of your system is. Keep in mind that some 12-volt systems use a pair of 6-volt batteries. On these systems, check both batteries separately. Then check the entire circuit to make sure you're getting the full 12 volts. If you are not, you may have a corroded wire.
Another thing to keep in mind is that solar charger batteries are usually rated for about three years. They last longer in warm climates and may fail faster in colder climates. In any case, if you're using an old battery, it's perfectly normal to see a drop in voltage. In this case, nothing is inherently "broken". Your battery has just worn out and needs to be replaced.
Test fence voltage
test your terminal
Assuming your energizer is getting enough power, the next step is to make sure it outputs enough power. First, turn off the power! You don't want to blow yourself up while running your tests. Now disconnect the two wires from the exciter and turn the power back on. Now, using your voltage tester, check the output on the positive terminal. The exact reading you are looking for will depend on the manufacturer of your energizer. Check your owner's manual for how much voltage you should read. It can be anywhere from a few hundred to 10,000 volts, depending on what you're using.
Check your ground rod
Assuming your exciter is putting out enough voltage, the next thing to check is your ground rod voltage. Power off the fence, reconnect all wires, and turn the exciter back on. Now, use a voltage checker to check the voltage on the ground rod. Again, you'll need to consult the owner's manual as each exciter has a different ground rod voltage.
If your ground rod is live, it most likely isn't damaged. The most common cause of ground rod failure is dry, rocky, or sandy soils that are not very conductive. Often the easiest solution is to add more ground rods. Add a second rod, then check the voltage to see if it meets the manufacturer's recommendations. If that doesn't work, install a third rod, and so on.
test your cable
The hookup wire is the short wire that connects the positive and negative terminals of the energizer to the fence. These are common points of failure as they are easily disconnected or damaged. They are also prone to accidental grounding. To test your connections, first turn off your exciter, then check all your connections. If you've just tested your terminals and ground rods, you've screwed up today. But double check your work to make sure everything is connected correctly. Turn the power back on and check the fence voltage.
If you still don't get enough power, turn the power off, disconnect one of the cables, and turn the power back on. Test the wire to see if it's within the manufacturer's recommendations - again, you'll have to check your manual. Repeat the process for the other connecting wire. If you still can't identify any issues, reconnect the two wires and turn the fence back on. You will have to check the whole wire.
Test your fence voltage
If all else fails, you'll have to walk the full fence line to get to the source of the problem. Turn on your energizer, put on your best walking boots, and start walking. As you walk, you'll want to check your line every 100 feet. If the voltage drops suddenly, you'll know you've just fixed the source of the problem. Step back 50 feet and test again to see if there is still a drop. Move forward or backward as needed, and you'll soon find the problem.
Remember that it is normal for the voltage to drop as you get further away from the exciter. You're not looking for this ordinary, steady descent. You are looking for where the voltage falls off a cliff. Without this sudden drop, you might just be running too long a wire with too little power. Consider upgrading your power supply, or splitting the fence into two parts and using two separate power supplies.
