Solar Fence Trouble Shooting

DavidAH · Apr 30, 2015

Charged my new Patriot PS5 for 3 days before connecting to about 180' of aluminum wire supported by step-down plastic posts. Weeded all along the line, inspected all insulators, put 2 rebar grounding stakes into about 12 - 14" of dirt, wired them together and connected to grounding terminal.

The red indicator light barely can be seen flashing, and of course I can touch the wire. I did get an inadvertent shock from the output terminal but couldn't call it 'shocking'. More tingly...

Anybody?

dwilliams35 · Apr 30, 2015

I'd get a tester that will read voltage so you can see if the ground just isn't "making".. Rebar sometimes isn't the best thing to do that with..

ustmd · Apr 30, 2015

How dry is your ground?--if your ground is dry, try pour 5 gallons of water over the grounding poles and retest.

How far apart are your ground poles? Typical of 10ft and there are usually 3.

12-14" is somewhat shallow, most installations are at 36". I also agree that the rebar is not the best grounding rod. Rust will act as an insulator and inhibit the circuit.

You can also make a test loop of wire--maybe 2-3 ft and use that to see if your shock improves.

Have you checked the continuity of your wires?

DT86 · Apr 30, 2015

I agree with others who said check the ground connection, but the light should be fairly visible on the charger even with a bad ground or even none at all. Is it possible you've got a dud?

MossRoad · Apr 30, 2015

Doesn't your product manual tell you to use three 6' ground rods placed 10' apart?

dwilliams35 · Apr 30, 2015

I'm not sure about that model, but one of mine will go "dim" without a good ground.

texasjohn · May 1, 2015

The secret to successful and FAST electric fence problem solving is this tester:

Gallagher Fault Finder (Smart Fix) it can be located for various prices...I think I got mine for about $80.

Gallagher Fault Finder (Smart Fix) | QC Supply

I really mean it...all other testers pale in their capability to identify exactly what problem your fence has.

This tester shows VOLTAGE
and AMPERAGE
and DIRECTION OF CURRENT FLOW

With a little experience, I can now put the tester on the fence and know if it is good all along the fence, or if there is a problem somewhere.
By following the amount and direction of current flow, you can walk DIRECTLY to the location of a short.
Put the tester in the middle of the fence and you will determine if the problem is "behind" you or " ahead of" you.
Fix one problem and you know instantly if all problems are resolved or if there is yet another one to search out.

Yes, more pricey than the simple blinking lights, but OH, SO MUCH MORE WORTH WHILE!!

Finding a problem which previously would have taken me half a day with a five-o-light now takes less than 30 minutes. I have 200 acres of electric exterior and cross fences....that's miles and miles of electrified wire!!!! If your time is worth anything, just spend the money...I held off several years...DUMB ME.:ashamed:

CowboyRon · May 1, 2015

Try taking your shoes off before you touch the wire. I bet that tingle will turn into a jolt.
Like the other posters have mentioned, you have to keep the grounding rod in moist dirt.

MossRoad · May 1, 2015

CowboyRon said:
Try taking your shoes off before you touch the wire. I bet that tingle will turn into a jolt.
Like the other posters have mentioned, you have to keep the grounding rod in moist dirt.

Ha ha!! That reminds me of when I put in my first solar powered fence around my vegetable garden. I just had to touch it. I was wearing flip-flop sandals. I keep a "death zone" tilled nice and fluffy a couple feet wide around the outside of the garden as recommended to promote good ground contact for animals that touch the fence. I could hear the fencer ticking. I tapped the wire. Nothing. I kept keeping my finger on it longer and longer thinking I might just be tapping it between pulses. Nothing. Finally I just left my finger on the wire and I felt the tiniest of little static tick......tick......tick..... well heck! That's not bad at all. So I kicked off a flip-flop and stuck my bare foot in the nice soft tilled dirt and grabbed that wire.........

I felt that pulse go right up my arm, through my shoulder and down my side through my leg and foot straight into the ground!!! BZZT!!! Man I jumped and did the stupid dance while I shook my hand, then looked around to make sure no one saw me!!! :laughing:

CowboyRon · May 1, 2015

MossRoad said:
Ha ha!! That reminds me of when I put in my first solar powered fence around my vegetable garden. I just had to touch it. I was wearing flip-flop sandals. I keep a "death zone" tilled nice and fluffy a couple feet wide around the outside of the garden as recommended to promote good ground contact for animals that touch the fence. I could hear the fencer ticking. I tapped the wire. Nothing. I kept keeping my finger on it longer and longer thinking I might just be tapping it between pulses. Nothing. Finally I just left my finger on the wire and I felt the tiniest of little static tick......tick......tick..... well heck! That's not bad at all. So I kicked off a flip-flop and stuck my bare foot in the nice soft tilled dirt and grabbed that wire.........

I felt that pulse go right up my arm, through my shoulder and down my side through my leg and foot straight into the ground!!! BZZT!!! Man I jumped and did the stupid dance while I shook my hand, then looked around to make sure no one saw me!!! :laughing:

My son was arguing one time that the fence wasn't strong enough.
I had him take off his shoes and test it again. He was agreeable after that.