Fence charger interferes with radio and TV

[MarkLeininger]

We've tried a couple different fence chargers and both cause a popping static noise on our TV and on any radio that is in the area of the fence charger. It claims to have RF suppression. Is there any kind of addtional filter that can be added to reduce this problem?

 

[DaveNay]

</font><font color="blue" class="small">( We've tried a couple different fence chargers and both cause a popping static noise on our TV and on any radio that is in the area of the fence charger. It claims to have RF suppression. Is there any kind of addtional filter that can be added to reduce this problem? )</font>

Mark, sounds to me like a grounding issue on your power lines. Have you tested it with a battery powered radio? This will tell you if it is an RF issue, or grounding. You can also check the electrical outlet wiring with an inexpensive plug in tester. How close are you? I might be able to stop by and lend a hand if you want.

Dave

 

[BlueRidge]

In most cases, it's much easier to fix the problem at the source, rather than trying to filter it at the receiving end.

Check the ground on the circuit where the charger is connected. Bad or inadequate grounding is often the culprit.

Alas, poorly built equipment is also a common culprit. /forums/images/graemlins/frown.gif

 

[kensfarm]

I had a problem w/ a sub-woofer getting noise. The electronics guys' said to buy a simple plug & cut off the ground prong to use on the plug for your power strip before plugging it into the outlet.. problem solved.

 

[MarkLeininger]

Thanks for the offer Dave, but I think we've got it nailed down. I found an amateur radio site that gave a really good diagnostic procedure for fence charger interference, which has proven to us that it's all the little poor connections we have by gates, etc. They said the first step is to disconnect the fence line from the charger and turn the charger on. If the noise goes away, it can't have anything to do with the charger. Then add a lenght of wire that has no interruptions and secure it with a single known good insulator at the end. Turn on the charger. If there's no interference then the problem has to be with bad connections somewhere in the wire, or with vegetation causing arcing, or something like that. We've found that our primary problem was the crimped copper wire that's used as a jumper onto the steel fence wire. I have to buy a good connector for that joint. We also had a gate connector with some corrosion. It turns out to be really easy with an AM radio to find the source of the problem: just walk along the fence and listen for the hissing and popping as you get close to the short. Thanks for all the suggestions.

 

[Varmintmist]

You wont get a good connection that will stay with copper to steel connections. Dissimaler metals act like a battery and cause corrosion. Put NO-OX on them and remember where they are because you will be back in a year or so.

The main problem is grounding for the most part. If you put 3 ground rods in along next to the fence and bond them together then and tie them to your fencer, you have about as good a ground as you are going to find. BTW, 8 foot ground rods go a minumum of 8 feet apart, 5 go 5, 10 go 10 ect ect.

 

[poorboy]

That interference is how I check my fence. Since the tank only has AM and the antenna has been broken off and replaced with a piece of wire it pops as I drive by. When I loose the poping sound I usually find the culprit. Bonus is that I can use the antenna to splice with. But reading this information my method doesen't make since, since it is a bad connection that is the cause to start with if I read this right.

Poorboy