# increasing power on electric fence



## Doc (Jun 5, 2003)

What's the best way to get more juice to my wires of my high-tensile fence? I saw a deer mosey right through the wire this evening. Not a pop! Apparently, there's very little juice (even though the meter indicates there is enough).


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## renee o'neill (May 10, 2002)

with it so dry here we are haveing a problem with the grounding pole.I found soaking the ground then takeing a milk jug and filling w/ water and a very small pin hole in the bottom keeps the ground wet enough for the ground to work.


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## Hammer4 (Oct 13, 2005)

How much is registering on your meter? I have seen fences that were grounded out to the point that I couldn't feel any zap to them still show 500 - 1500 volts. 

I don't consider them hot until they are above 5k volts, personally.

Start at the charger, check each connection for potential looseness or grounding, unhook fence sections or strands, if you see the voltage jump up, you know that section or strand has a short on it.


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

Also, how is your grounding system set up??


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## unioncreek (Jun 18, 2002)

I always put in three or four ground rods about eight feet apart and clamp the ground wire in a continuous loop. Also check to see if the ground is wet like Renee said. I have seen deer go through my fence, it's a three wire and they don't get shocked, my dog goes through it also and does get it once in a while.

Bobg


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Dry ground is a common problem with electric fences. That's why some people run grounded fence wires in with the hot wires. Then when a deer tries to go through, it will touch a hot wire and a ground wire and get a shock.

Five wires; bottom hot, then ground, hot, ground, hot. The top wire is always hot, no matter how many wires you have.

Of course, what the others said about the importance of putting in several ground rods is important. At least three, spaced 10 feet apart.

You can usually find a measurement of a fence charger's power written in joules. A weak charger is .25 joules. A light charger is .75 joules. A good charger is 3 joules. You can get them up to 16 joules. You don't want to accidently touch any fence with a charger that is 6 joules or above. You'll be very sorry you did.

Genebo
Paradise Farm
Church Road, VA


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## ozark_jewels (Oct 7, 2005)

genebo said:


> You don't want to accidently touch any fence with a charger that is 6 joules or above. You'll be very sorry you did.


Ours is an 8 joule charger and I can attest to the above statement.....but the goats never get out.


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