Electric fence TOO hot

[Tracyree]

My electric netting fence is reading 7.5v. I have a patriot p5 energizer on 100’ of fence. Any ideas how to get the voltage down a bit? I’m not wanting to fry anything.

 

[azygous]

You're not going to fry anything as long as the wire is not adjacent to grounded metal where an animal can make contact with both the grounded metal and the hot wire. Even then, it will just deliver a massive painful shock and not death unless it's a tiny sparrow landing on it at the same time contacting the metal.

The reason is that electric fence chargers deliver a pulse, not a continuous charge, which would fry whomever grabbed the wire.

 

[Ridgerunner]

My electric netting fence is reading 7.5v.

That should be enough to get the attention of any predator.

I’m not wanting to fry anything.

Yes, the pulse is the secret. It should pulse about 50 times a minute. A constant current would be deadly but with the pulse it knocks anything that touches it loose so it can run away.

 

[Tracyree]

I guess even thought it wouldn’t KILL anything, is still like it to be a little less. Any way to do that?

 

[Ridgerunner]

Where did you get it? Who made it? Can you contact them to discuss the technical details.

I think you are making a mistake. It is amps that are dangerous, much more than voltage. Maybe by talking to the designers they can explain to your satisfaction why reducing the voltage is not a great idea. And they can tell you how to do it more safely than I could if you insist.

 

[Apis mellifera]

I wouldn't reduce the voltage but there's a few things you could try. Pull or disconnect one of the grounding rods or increase inductive voltage loss by using short insulators close to the metal t posts if you're using them. You can get a smaller charger too.

 

[Loving my girls]

Electric fence energisers put out high voltage ( around 8,000 volts ), but very low amperage or current (around 120 milliamps). This is 120-thousands of an amp.

Basically it’s the amps you need to look at not the volts. The volts are fine.

Are you sure it’s 7.5 and not 7500 ?