Fence charger clicking noise (newbie questions)

[CanadaEh]

I have got 2 second hand fence chargers that I have never plugged in before today.

I have plugged them in today without a fence and I am surprised by:

a) they are not silent - they both make clicking noise inside even without fence or wire connected may be every 1.5 seconds. If installed inside the chicken coop would the noise bother the chickens? Or would you recommend to install it outside where it would be visible and audible from the house - to show it is working?

b) connecting a short wire between electrodes with may be 1/8" gap shows that the spark is only being produced every 1.5 seconds with seemingly no charge in between. Does it mean that a fast climbing predator may be lucky and only touch the hot wires during the pauses when there are no charge on it and never get zapped?

The models are Parmak HS-100 and Hi Line Hornet

 

[Folly's place]

That's how they are supposed to work, and sound. The chickens won't care at all. If they are meant for an intierior instillation, don't set them up in the rain and snow. You don't want your birds landing on one either, or getting zapped there! Have them in a cabinet or something to keep them out of reach and protected.
Buy a fence tester so you know how your fence is working, and you can also get a gadget that hangs from one of the hot wires, with a red light that will go out if the fence is off. Also, plug the chargers into surge protectors, and GFI outlets.
Mary

 

[CanadaEh]

need to protect 10' chicken run welded wire fence from climbing bobcat (https://www.backyardchickens.com/threads/bobcat-proof-electric-fence.1348014/). The welded wire fence would be the ground. Not sure however if he would be touching each hot fire run along the fence through insulators for long enough to get zapped.

 

[ColoradoPip]

Look up the specifications for the chargers you have. It will tell you how often it pulses. I'm guessing you are not seeing what you think you are seeing and it is pulsing a lot faster. I'm no eye expert but if the human eye can only see up to a speed, and if the charger sends pulses faster than that, then you cannot see it.

If you really want to know, it won't kill you (ok it shouldn't unless you have a pacemaker or something!!) then hook it up and try to tap it without getting shocked. I bet you can't!

 

[Folly's place]

If nothing else, it will inspire respect!
Mary

 

[CanadaEh]

If you really want to know, it won't kill you (ok it shouldn't unless you have a pacemaker or something!!) then hook it up and try to tap it without getting shocked. I bet you can't!

How much can you bet? I won't do it for free. For free I can already tap it shortly with a wire without getting spark generated most of the times.