Dont understand electric fence

[polk county]

From what I gather electricity flows through the fence wire and is grounded to the soil. The soil is the return path. Current runs through the soil into a buried galvanized rod and then back up to the power energizer. My question is, "Why doesn’t the soil create resistance?" You would think that dry sandy soil would drop the voltage so much that it would diminish the effect of the shock. Also, is the current constantly flowing through the circuit or only when someone touches it?
I’m using a 120 volt AC 60 HZ with intermittent output
Thanks

 

[Kittymomma]

Quote:
Dry sandy soil is not a good ground medium. Idealy you should put the ground rod(s) in moist soil. If all you have is dry and sandy you need to use additional grounding rods.

 

[ConchRepublic]

Quote:
Guessing by your name, you're around Lakeland?

Try using longer grounding, or more.

 

[Chick_a_dee]

Yeah you need moist soil. You can do more and deeper, but for people like me that is difficult because I don't have a lot of soil.

 

[LAMchop]

If you have trouble getting a good ground, you can also run grounded wires that alternate with the electrified wires. Contacting a hot wire and a ground wire simultaneously will give a nice pop.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

From what I gather electricity flows through the fence wire and is grounded to the soil.

The charger is grounded to the soil.
The electricity flowing through the fence isnt grounded UNTIL something touches both the hot wire AND the soil .

If your soil is dry, you can use more ground rods, or you and alternate "hot" and grounded wires on your fence.
You should be using at least 3 ground rods anyway​

 

[Mac in Wisco]

Quote:
It does, to some extent, but the earth is still a pretty good conductor.

Also, is the current constantly flowing through the circuit or only when someone touches it?

The circuit is completed when someone touches the fence while standing on the ground. Think of the fence as one wire of a lamp cord and the earth as the other wire. If you touch both you become part of the circuit and you get shocked.​

 

[Tala]

Just FYI/maybe helpful idea: I put my ground rod near my house's a/c unit that drips condensation all summer long. Good way to keep a solid ground in dusty dry weather. Watch for underground utilities near the hosue though

I only have 2 (not 3) because I cut an 8-footer in half. (Dunno who drives 8' rods or how it's done

but I'm only 5' tall and I was using a fencepost driver.) It works for me.

 

[Bear Foot Farm]

Dunno who drives 8' rods or how it's done

Dig a hole with post hole diggers as deep as you can, then start driving the rod.
Longer is always better because it gets down to where there is moisture all the time​

 

[mdbokc]

I have chain link fence that is a couple decades old and is buried about 3-4 inches into the soil. I attached the ground to that and absolutely no problem. Never had to do the grounding posts/rods.