Battery powered fence charger

[geneP]

I use a 12V powered charger and the flexible wire to put around my muscadines to keep deer out. Previously when I energized the charger I could hear definite thumping in the box as it cycled the charge. This year I didn't hear the familiar sound, so I put my ear right up to the charger and can only her a faint click in the box. Also, I can put an iron bar in the ground and touch the fence and only get a weak yellow arc. This is a solid state charger with no points or moving parts in the box. I've said all that to ask: Is it normal for these chargers to weaken suddenly? Is there a way to rejuvenate them or do I just go buy another? Thanks for any help.
Gene

 

[randy41]

you need to get a fence tester that will tell you how much voltage you're getting on the fence. tractor supply has them for not too mucjh money. also, have you checked the battery?

 

[tallyho8]

It could also be a poor ground or a dirty connection.

 

[whistlepig]

It could also be a poor ground or a dirty connection.

I agree. Grass lying on the fence will cause this also. If your ground consists of a ground rod(s) hammered in the ground and it is as dry where you live as it is here now the lack of moisture in the earth will act the same as a bad ground. My wife is the electric fence tester around here. She grabs it with her hand and sees how bad it shocks her. Saves me money for a tester. I'm not sure if this is a good thing or not.

 

[geneP]

Yes, driven ground, remade the connections, I only have about 150' of wire so it's easy to see something draining off the charge. My question is really about the reduced sound it makes when it sends the charge. I'm convinced that is where the problem is because it should make the same sound even if it is not connected to the fence, shouldn't it?

 

[whistlepig]

Yes, driven ground, remade the connections, I only have about 150' of wire so it's easy to see something draining off the charge. My question is really about the reduced sound it makes when it sends the charge. I'm convinced that is where the problem is because it should make the same sound even if it is not connected to the fence, shouldn't it?

To disconnect the charger and listen to the "clicker" is a basic test of the charger. But it also could mean you have a weak "clicker" and nothing is wrong at all with the charger. Randy41's suggestion of buying an electric fence tester is a very good one. These testers are cheap (around $10.00) and are a must have with electric fence. I have had the "clicker" sound go weak on chargers many times and the tester still showed the charger giving full power to the fence.

 

[skipmarcy]

You need to make sure the battery has the proper voltage before much of anything else. I have the Gallagher solar fence charger and the "click" is softer in the morning, then after a few hours of charging in the sun it is much louder again. I don't know but my guess is the "click" is actually an air gap for the spark to jump across - like on a spark plug in an engine, which as you increase the gap it increases the voltage delivered to the fence. I suppose if my assumption is correct, the contacts for that air gap might wear away over time but it would take a long time, plus as it wore away the "click" would get louder until the unit no longer had enough power to make the gap and quit altogether. The poor ground mentioned could cause it too, I'd guess, it is awful dry around here now too and dry ground makes for a poor ground.

 

[geneP]

Thanks for the suggestions, I guess I'll look for a fence tester.

 

[jinman]

Gene, at high voltage, it doesn't take much contamination to become conductive and bleed off the potential. I would make sure there is no corrosion or dirt that could bridge the high voltage terminal to ground. It's possible that condensation inside the power supply is doing this and it's probably a "sealed" unit. I was going to suggest disconnecting the fence entirely to test the unit, but you've already done that. I'd test the battery with a voltmeter to make sure it is good and then get a tester as suggested. Also, you might use a hair dryer to see if you can dry out the inside of the box at all. Moisture and contamination can cause high voltage problems, but no more so than a good dew would seem to cause. Condensation inside the control unit is a different story.