Q) How do I make both lines of my fence live?

A) The simple solution to making both lines of your fence live is to connect them with either a ‘Hart to Hart’ connector is you are using electric fencing rope, and a ‘Tape to Tape’ connector is you are using electric fencing tape.  These are insulated wires that clip on to the fence and allow the electrical pulses to travel on to the second line of fencing.

Q) My fence seems to be sparking – why does this happen and is it ok?

A) Your fence shouldn’t spark.  This usually happens when there are too many conductive lines crossing.  If you have knotted tape or rope, this can cause sparks.  It is best to use tape connectors or rope connectors, which ensures all of the metal conductors on one side connects with all of the conductors  in the next side and the power is efficiently carried without loss.

Q) My energiser has stopped clicking – is this a problem?

A) If your energiser has stopped clicking it usually means there is a problem.  It is best to disconnect your energiser from the fence. Then, after checking that your earth is still properly attached, you should test your energiser with a fence tester.

Q) My energiser is clicking and seems to be working, but the fence is not giving out much of a shock.  What’s the problem?

A) This could be a number of problems.

• Check that your earth stake is properly installed, deep in the ground and that the earth is slightly damp (on very hot days you may need to water your earth stake).
• Check that there is nothing ‘grounding’ your fence.  No long grass touching the fence, no overhanging branches touching the fence.
• Check your tape, rope or wire.  Does it have lots of knots which will limit the flow of electricity?  Is it old and broken?

Q) My electric fence tape has broken.  Can I tie a knot?

A) As a quick fix you can tie a knot and the fence should continue to work.  However, knots do not allow each stainless tell connector to continuously connect to each other and if the strands are not well aligned this can have a dramatic impact on the effectiveness of your fence.  We highly recommend using tape connectors or rope connectors to make sure your conductors line up correctly and carry the best shock all the way around the fence.  If you have invested in an electric fence, you may as well pay a few pounds extra to get the proper connectors to make sure your fence is functioning at it’s highest level.

Q) It is very hot and dry at the moment and my fence seems to have stopped working.  Is this normal?

A) Weather shouldn’t impact the performance of your fence, although you may need to water your earth stake in extremely hot weather!

Q) My horse has suddenly started running through the electric fence, even though it seems to be working.  What can I do?

A) If you have tested your fence with a fence tester and are confident that your fence is working, you may have ‘one of those Houdini horses’!  Is your horse wearing a rug?  If so, this can lessen the shock they receive from the fence.  There is a great product called a Genius Rug that can be worn as a rug in its own right, or underneath a rug you already have.  This rug is designed to work with electric fencing and will ensure your horse still gets a powerful zap from the fence.

Q) I want to have a variety of animals but I only want one type of electric fencing barrier.  What do you recommend?

A) This is a tricky question, as there are certainly some barriers that work better for some animals.  However, in general, electric fencing tape will work across the board (with exception of birds).  However, if at all possible you do want to change barriers depending on the animals you are containing or keeping out.

Q) There seem to be a whole range of insulators, may of which do the same job.  Does it make any difference which one I use, so long as my rope is insulated?

A)  The insulators’ job is purely to keep the electrified tape, rope or wire from touching the wooden post or anything that will ground your current.  So long as the insulator you select can attach to the type of post you have and hold the type of barrier you have (if you have 40 mm tape, make sure the insulator can take tape that wide) it doesn’t really make much difference.  Some insulators hold the tape firm (for example clip insulators) whereas some allow the tape some movement through the insulator.  Distance insulators keep your tape or rope a little further away from the fence.   Essentially, however, they all work and the slight difference come down to personal preference rather than a major difference in performance.

Q) Are Mains or Battery eneregisers best?

A) Mains energisers are most reliable and usually the best value for money.  However, if you do not have access to the mains, the battery energisers are very good!  It is really personal preference between 9 volt and 12 volt energisers.  12 volt batteries are heavy to carry, but you can always use a solar panel to charge them.  9 volt batteries are less work – but you need to replace them every 3 months to every 9 months depending on what bettery you buy.  I would be happy to use mains or battery energisers!

If you have any more questions about your electric fence, please don’t hesitate to give me a call. We help people get started with electric fencing everyday!

FarmCare UK

Electric Fencing and Clipper Specialist

01323 406212