I have switched my garden electric fence controller from battery to ac. Problem is that I have to run an ext cord to the controller, about 225ft from the recently installed outlet. Should there be concern with voltage drop to the controller using 18ga cord. I don't think the amp draw is much, but I'm not sure. Obviously bigger gauge would be ideal, but can I get away with the cheap harbor freight cords? Any risk or danger, or just less output maybe?
My solar charger is 6 joule, there is a 18 joule I'd like to have.
What "danger" are you worried about, burning up the extension cord?
You could add a solar panel and keep the battery power charger.
What charger do you have? I would be interested in those high output solar chargers!!
The extension cord will be on the ground until it gets to the fence, where it will go up the corner post and connect to a longer one that runs to the far end of the garden, where the controller is. I'm at least going to give it a shot as I'm convinced that I want to stay away from a 12 volt system in the garden. The 12 volt system works great, I've learned twice that we didn't find out the battery was dead until it was too late and deer had eaten all the sweet potatoes. I don't want to worry about checking battery charge. We don't live on the farm and I get down there about 2 times per week, one day after work and then Saturday, so the less maintenance, the better. I'm going to use the 12 volt controller on some soybeans I'm gonna plant this weekend until they can take browsing. If the extension cord idea doesn't work then I'll just return the controller and go another route. I haven't bought it yet. I've called and emailed zareba about getting the amp draw with no avail. I was on hold with them for 30 min yesterday! I'd buy another brand if tsc had one.Since you plan to run the wire overhead, I'd just run the fence wire overhead since the controller is very capable of that "short" distance.
Are your water lines PCV or galvanize? If they are PVC there should not be any induction to worry about.
However, if you are concerned about not putting the controller/ground rods near the well ..... it would be much easier, cheaper, safer to just run some buried wire 50-75 feet from the well towards the garden and put the ground rods there. Less electric wire to buy, less power loss.
I thought that the ground rods needed to be within 10ft of the controller. Are we on the same page? The hookup wire is supposed to be 20kv wire. Nobody at home depot knew what wire I needed for hookup. Is this some specific wire? My local tsc doesn't carry lengths of hookup wire..Since you plan to run the wire overhead, I'd just run the fence wire overhead since the controller is very capable of that "short" distance.
Are your water lines PCV or galvanize? If they are PVC there should not be any induction to worry about.
However, if you are concerned about not putting the controller/ground rods near the well ..... it would be much easier, cheaper, safer to just run some buried wire 50-75 feet from the well towards the garden and put the ground rods there. Less electric wire to buy, less power loss.