# Do electric fences short out when it rains?



## snoozy (May 10, 2002)

This may be a stupid question, but it is just POURING out, and since I'm thinking about setting up electric net fencing, I'm wondering: what happens when it rains? Does it short out? Why doesn't it? Do worms and such get zapped?


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## steff bugielski (Nov 10, 2003)

They work even better in the rain. The worms would if they touched the wire and the ground at the same time.


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## DQ (Aug 4, 2006)

I suppose in the pouring rain it might. the kind of rain where there is a steady flow down things to the ground. it certainly can follow the water to the hose you have your thumb in spraying! OUCH! most critters aren't really interested in trying out the neighbors pasture in that kind of rain (at least mine aren't) so I don't think it is a problem.


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## GoatsRus (Jan 19, 2003)

I have an AC current fence and a solar. Neither have shorted out.


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## michiganfarmer (Oct 15, 2005)

If you have good insulators, I like the 6 inch plastic ones, you wont have a problem.


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## Rowdy (Jul 9, 2004)

Right, it is all about the insulators.

I have one spot (which is up by the hose) that I used black tubing to go around a post. I didn't quite cut it long enough, so there is a spot that there is only a little gap between the bare wire and the post. During dry weather it is fine, during a heavy rain it will pop and make a small spark. Fence still works fine, but you notice it at night.


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## gone-a-milkin (Mar 4, 2007)

The popping sound is a good indicator that the fence is hot though...


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## Woodroe (Oct 28, 2005)

Maybe wet grass and weeds etc may ground it out some.


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## Rowdy (Jul 9, 2004)

gone-a-milkin said:


> The popping sound is a good indicator that the fence is hot though...


Well, my tester tops out at 5,500 volts, but with the amount of wire I'm running, I should be somewhere above 11,000 volts. I'm slowly moving from a six wire electric fence to field fence with a single strand of electric to keep the goats from rubbing on it. When I get done, I'll have a "50 mile" (2 joule) charger on about a mile of fence.

it might be a little hot.


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## highlands (Jul 18, 2004)

Yes, they can lose some voltage during and after rain, especially if your insulators aren't good enough (e.g., touching a wood fence post that is normally reasonably non-conductive) or touching weeds and brush. Cut the brush and improve your insulators. Also look at a bigger fence charger if you have a small one. I don't like anything less than 1.5 joules and over 6 joules is my preference. They come much more powerful than that too but get expensive - an issue with lightning taking them out time to time even with the best of protection...

Cheers

-Walter
Sugar Mountain Farm
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/blog/
http://HollyGraphicArt.com/
http://NoNAIS.org


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