Didn't Anticipate This

[3KillerBs]

For a mobile fence charger...

I used 1 small upside-down bucket, put fence charger on top...

Put larger upside-down bucket over top.

For lots of wind, stick one of the mobile fence stakes through the bucket handles.

I would also duct tape the extension plugs together.

I'll remember that suggestion if i get a different fence charger.

This model has to sit directly on the ground because it's holding spike doubles as it's ground spike and the solar panel would prevent using a bucket.

 

[DouglasB]

The on/off button on the fence charger is frozen.

It got down to 18F -- nothing for a lot of people, but possibly one of the coldest nights of the winter here. It had rained heavily up until yesterday morning and apparently there is water in the well where the button sits.

I couldn't turn the charger off this morning to get in and let the birds out of the coop and bring them their water. DH will try again after the sun's been up for a bit and, if it won't budge then, he'll put on his rubber boots and gloves and go in anyway.

I didn't anticipate this happening and am not sure how to prevent it in the future. Any kind of shelter for the charger is likely to interfere with the solar panel.

Put a piece of duct tape over the switch to keep the water out.everything that moves will freeze when it gets cold enough. Locks, switches, nuts and bolts, hinges, its a winter wonderland. You wonder why your there in the winter

 

[3KillerBs]

Put a piece of duct tape over the switch to keep the water out.

Not possible with this design unless I never want to turn it off.

It was perfectly fine until we had swirling downpours on Christmas Eve and then a rapid temperature drop. That rain was worse than any of the 3-4 hurricanes we had this year (I actually forgot how many we had them so often).

 

[Alaskan]

I'll remember that suggestion if i get a different fence charger.

This model has to sit directly on the ground because it's holding spike doubles as it's ground spike and the solar panel would prevent using a bucket.

Ah.. mine has a wire that goes to the ground, and is a plug in/electric.

Yours sounds very compact.

 

[RoyalChick]

I'll remember that suggestion if i get a different fence charger.

This model has to sit directly on the ground because it's holding spike doubles as it's ground spike and the solar panel would prevent using a bucket.

Mine is similar and we had similar weather issues. I was expecting mine to freeze (it actually didn't) and had one of those bean-bag heat bags you use on sore backs ready in the microwave. I was planning on heating it up and then holding it up against the unit switch. But I lucked out and somehow it didn't freeze after all.

 

[3KillerBs]

Ah.. mine has a wire that goes to the ground, and is a plug in/electric.

Yours sounds very compact.

Yes.

These are the photos from the Premier 1 website. The on/off button that has been freezing is in the upper left of the first photo.

Very compact and foolproof for a person who has no electric fence experience.

When well-charged it maxes the fence tester too.

I need to make sure that button is completely dry before I try to add any kind of cover.

 

[3KillerBs]

had one of those bean-bag heat bags you use on sore backs ready in the microwave.

That's a great idea!

I *could* get an extension cord out there, but I haven't owned a hair dryer since we left New England (where I only used it to thaw frozen car doors (The secret to growing hair long enough to touch the chair I'm sitting on is to never use heat or chemicals on it)).

 

[DaisyFaye7]

I'm in Moore County.

Me too! I’m in the Westmoore area.

 

[aart]

The on/off button that has been freezing is in the upper left of the first photo.

I'd bet you could cleverly cut a cover that would hinge on the handle.
....and/or maybe just set the whole thing on an angle with the switch 'pointed' down so it wouldn't gather water?

 

[cmom]

An AC charger might not work for you. I replaced one not long ago. I bought this one. This charger is an overkill for me but I guarantee whatever touches the wires will hurt for a couple of days. My old charger is a 1 joule and averages around 8,000 volts. I'm moving it to my chick/grow-out coop to replace an old .5 joule charger that has been not reading right. I moved the new charger up tight under the eve of a coop to keep it out of the weather. It averages around 14,000 volts/up to 6.3 joules. 7,000 volts would be the minimum charge I would recommend and for the charger at least 1 joule. A dew years ago we went through a hurricane and was without power for a week. I did use a power supply with an inverter and plugged the charger into it. I turned it off during the day and on at night. We borrowed my sister's generator but it wasn't big enough so we had to time share it. We couldn't run the well when running other things like the fridge and freezer, AC, etc. Whatever you decide, good luck...