Fence controller

[Kodiak45]

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?

 

[gwdixon]

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?

I'm not an electrician, but I did stay in a Holiday Inn last night. Wait...that's not a good response.

My BIG question is why the heck didn't you go with solar? At bit more expensive maybe but running a cord the length of a football field, presumably out in the weather with exposed connections just doesn't make sense.

Search Results for solar fence charger at Tractor Supply Co.

It is a disaster waiting to happen. Drive over it, disc it, trip on it, etc. Plus, Harbor Freight cords (and maybe others) are going to break down in direct sun. Shorting and blown fuses will be a constant issue.

The sensible solution is to use bury-able #10 cable or run the wire through conduit underground. But then you'll exceed the cost of solar.

Maybe an electrician on here has a better recommendation.

EDIT: A better option, if you must have AC, is to plug the charger in at your outlet and run an electric fence wire out to your garden.

 

[prichard]

Find the input amps and voltage range, should be a label on the charger. Then Google voltage drop calculator. Make sure drop doesn't make voltage any lower than range on charger. If no range go for max 5% drop.

 

[Kodiak45]

Outlet is by well pump and I'v e always heard don't put controller and ground rods within 50ft of wells. The solar ones do not offer much output. The battery powered one I have is 1 joule and it will pop you real good. Voltage drop with 18ga ext is about 50%. I havent purchased the ac controller yet, so calm down. I gotta keep the neighbors goats out if they get in that area. I'm not worried about weather, cord will be suspended in the air and connections sealed. I'll see if I can find mfg specs on the 50 mile controller.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Put the charger next to the house and run charged wire out to the garden. The distance you're talking about -- 225 feet -- is nothing for a charger, electric fences are usually measured in miles.

 

[Kodiak45]

Putting it by the house runs back into the same situation as the well pump location.

 

[hosspuller]

Goats ??? They're pretty stubborn when it comes to escape or a meal. Buy a very high powered fencer ( 30 -50 mile rated) Install at least 3 8 foot ground rods connected together. You can separate the ground plane from your house or well by 50 or 100 feet of wire. Don't need very large wire since it isn't carrying a lot of amps and the voltage drop on a few thousand volts is minimal. Then run your fence wire over head on insulators to your garden. A good fencer needs a good ground system. Otherwise you only have half a fence system... No matter how powerful your fencer.

Other option is to install bi-polar fence around your garden.

 

[OkieDave]

If the battery-powered one has sufficient "deterrent effect," why not just continue to use it, and add a solar charger to keep the battery topped up?

 

[DT86]

The solar ones do not offer much output. The battery powered one I have is 1 joule...

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.

 

[Kodiak45]

I had a solar charger on the deep cycle 12v last year. It worked but not without constant checking, and overall it wasn't ideal.
I haven't seen a solar powered controller that strong, at least reasonably priced.

 

[DT86]

What is there to check?

 

[Jerry/MT]

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?

Look at the rating on your charger. It will generally tell you the current draw of the controller. Then look at the UL rating of the power cord. If it's in watts, then divide that by the line voltage to get the current (for example if your line voltage is 120 V and the cord rating is 1800 watts, the current capacity is 1800/120 =15 amps)

 

[Qapla]

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.

 

[arlen4720]

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!!

 

[Billrog]

Your charge will work fine with 16 gauge wire that distance.

 

[DT86]

What charger do you have? I would be interested in those high output solar chargers!!

I've got two Stafix x6i, 6 joule and 9 peak. They are part of the Stafix Unigizer series chargers, which run off of 12 volts. They come with a 110v to 12v adapter and alligator clips adapter to connect to a deep cycle battery, so they can run either way. I use one on 110v where it available and the other on solar way out on the farm.

Cut the alligator clip ends off to add more permanent connectors, get the biggest deep cycle battery you can find, add a voltage controller, stuff it all in a sturdy plastic tool chest and connect some solar panels. Bam! You've got a solar charger that will bring a tear to your eye and knees to the ground.

I posted a thread showing mine probably about two years ago. I'll try to dig it up.

 

[DT86]

I'm on my old phone, can't get it to link using the old app and can't find the download for the new app.

Anyway, "Solar fence charger" is the thread title in Rural Living, posted 6-19-14.

Be glad to answer further questions there.

 

[Kodiak45]

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.

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.

 

[Kodiak45]

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..

 

[rd_macgregor]

My energizer is in the barn and I have run insulated electric fence cable (mostly buried shallowly) out to the pasture fence. As long as you don't crack the insulation when burying it, it works well.
Last year I set up a small, remote paddock with battery-powered energizer and solar array charger. Sadly, somebody stole everything but the ground rod and the paddock fence itself! This at the same time all the hitch pins from my parked implements, plus my wood chipper PTO shaft disappeared.
An expensive solar array fence energizer would be the best solution (IMHO) for your situation, but it might also be a big temptation for thievery, especially if it is left at an unattended site for long periods.