Electrical fencing question

[Tala]

Ok this pertains to keeping out predators, and I figured people who check this section of the forum might know.

I bought some Fi-Shock "Sure corral" portable electric fence wire, it's yellow poly webbing rope with 6 fine conductor wires in it.

After I get home I read on the back it says "must be used with pulse type fence energizers"


Ooops. I don't "do" pulse style energizers, they don't work.
So I guess I have to take it back, right?

Unless someone with experience tells me this stuff can work for a "solid state" energizer??
I wish it would, coz the flexibility of the rope stuff is why I chose it for the portable chicken tractor. I use wire for my non-portable, actual fence, so I've got plenty of wire.

I know lots of times you can use stuff in other ways than it's recommended for, which is why I'm asking anyone with experience before I drive back to Lowes. grrr

 

[Davaroo]

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Heck, try it and see.

 

[azelgin]

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I use both the poly rope and twine on mine. The only problem I run into is if a couple of the strands of steel in the rope/twine get broken, the charger will melt through the poly at the spot where the wires are broken. You get plenty of warning it's happening though. Just look at night and it looks like a flash bulb going off where it's going to arc through.

 

[Davaroo]

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I use both the poly rope and twine on mine. The only problem I run into is if a couple of the strands of steel in the rope/twine get broken, the charger will melt through the poly at the spot where the wires are broken. You get plenty of warning it's happening though. Just look at night and it looks like a flash bulb going off where it's going to arc through.

Wheeee!

 

[Tala]

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I use both the poly rope and twine on mine. The only problem I run into is if a couple of the strands of steel in the rope/twine get broken, the charger will melt through the poly at the spot where the wires are broken. You get plenty of warning it's happening though. Just look at night and it looks like a flash bulb going off where it's going to arc through.

Ok, well I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I used PVC pipe to set up a low wire around the base of my neighbor's chainlink fence . . . it worked fine, except at the end of the summer I noticed two of the pipes had burned through!! I'm not sure what caused the arcing in this case, because it was solid wire. Weeds maybe??
I just took it down because the neighbors with the dog on that side moved out

The energizer I'm using for my chicken tractor is lower powered than the one that burned through the pipes, but still.

The reason I ask, is because this stuff wasn't exactly cheap and I would like to return it for my $$ if I can't use it with solid state chargers. I did notice on my higher powered charger it says something to the tune of "9 to 20 gauge wire only" and the wires in the poly rope are reeeeeealy fine so maybe that has something to do with it?

 

[Davaroo]

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I use both the poly rope and twine on mine. The only problem I run into is if a couple of the strands of steel in the rope/twine get broken, the charger will melt through the poly at the spot where the wires are broken. You get plenty of warning it's happening though. Just look at night and it looks like a flash bulb going off where it's going to arc through.

Ok, well I'm not exactly sure what happened, but I used PVC pipe to set up a low wire around the base of my neighbor's chainlink fence . . . it worked fine, except at the end of the summer I noticed two of the pipes had burned through!! I'm not sure what caused the arcing in this case, because it was solid wire. Weeds maybe??
I just took it down because the neighbors with the dog on that side moved out

The energizer I'm using for my chicken tractor is lower powered than the one that burned through the pipes, but still.

The reason I ask, is because this stuff wasn't exactly cheap and I would like to return it for my $$ if I can't use it with solid state chargers. I did notice on my higher powered charger it says something to the tune of "9 to 20 gauge wire only" and the wires in the poly rope are reeeeeealy fine so maybe that has something to do with it?

Combined, the wires probably equal a larger guage solid conductor.
I suspect it has more to do with the other issue of burning through and arcing. I certainly am no e-fence expert, so dont really know. N

Now that I think about it, it might be best to just go with what you know.... or follow the directions and use the right charger. As much as it sounds like fun, 'arcing and sparking' out in the dry grass of summer might not be such a great thing.

 

[Tala]

I wired with regular wire and I'm taking the poly rope stuff back. It seemed like a good idea, but oh well.

 

[steveo]

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Could you post a picture of your electric fence around your tractor?

 

[Tala]

I just ran a strand around the base to prevent dig-under. We have a lot of dogs, including my own. I haven't got it grounded and turned on yet, but here's an idea:

I really do not recommend that fence energizer, I had it laying around under my house because I got a MUCH better one for my actual fence. I was not impressed with either of the Zebra brand fence chargers I tried, but I have a low-end Fi-Shock one that does a great job.

 

[Davaroo]

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Please tell me those eye-bolt looking stand offs are plastic....