Grounding an electric fenced tractor.

[birds4kids]

I know without a doubt there is a high predator load in my neighborhood. So right off the bat I bought a DC fencer. I put it on galvanized rod pushed deep as I could into the ground, probably 16" or so. I am going to in addition run a ground wire around the coop.

Question is, can I ground the hardware cloth too?

Chickens can't get anywhere near the hot wire so I think it will be OK but figure there are folks here that know more than me. My yard is very uneven making me concerned about easy digging. The hot wire is very low, as in I will have to make sure to keep it over mowed grass. I think in the coming weeks I will re-engineer the tractor/coop with anti-dig skirt I would like to ground, but that will be a couple weeks.

Right now I want the 4+week old chicks out of the garage and getting fresh air safely.

 

[enola]

There is no need to electrify the hardware cloth, doing so would probably short out the entire system.

As the ground dries, I am afraid you will find your ground rod needs to be a LOT deeper than 16 inches in the soil.

If you do not have a proper ground, you will not have a working system.

 

[birds4kids]

Maybe I was unclear only the hot wire will be hot, I am looking at a redundant ground to the hardware cloth.

 

[enola]

I am not sure what you mean by redundant growth to the hardware cloth.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Maybe I was unclear only the hot wire will be hot, I am looking at a redundant ground to the hardware cloth.

Ground contact means nothing if the wire isn't isulated....

There's no real benefit to grounding the hardware cloth anyway. It's not like a 6 wire electric fence where you have a positive ground if u ground one of the wires.

I see no reason to even attempt using the wire as a back up ground, don't think it would work anyway

 

[birds4kids]

Do you understand a return ground system and why I might want to use it on a tractor?

 

[slingshotandLAR]

Do you understand a return ground system and why I might want to use it on a tractor?

Your not really giving enough information....

Are you wanting to mount the charger to the tractor and move the entire unit using the hardware cloth as a return ground?

I understand the principles of grounding, especially as it applies to fencing, what I don't understand is why you would want to try and use wire that's laying on top of the ground as a reliable source.

 

[birds4kids]

The charger will be mounted to the tractor or at the moment is on a galvanized stake alongside the tractor. Being mobile means traditional grounding wont work well, I know the rod being 12-18" is not sufficient and am trying to come up with alternative grounding solutions. I figured a anti-dig skirt could be used as a ground with the animal standing on the skirt and hopefully touching the hot wire.

 

[slingshotandLAR]

The charger will be mounted to the tractor or at the moment is on a galvanized stake alongside the tractor. Being mobile means traditional grounding wont work well, I know the rod being 12-18" is not sufficient and am trying to come up with alternative grounding solutions.  I figured a anti-dig skirt could be used as a ground with the animal standing on the skirt and hopefully touching the hot wire.

That what I thought you were getting at...

I think it's good in theory but honestly the odds of grounding an animal to the tractor seems unlikely.

In order for it to work you need a good ground on the wire of the tractor, which would still require a rod of some sort.

 

[birds4kids]

Chickens have been out a few days now with the grounding cobbled. I ran a ground wire between two hots and did run a jumper to the hardware cloth. The fencer is on a stake and testing with a screwdriver says it does ground to the soil, hardware cloth and the ground wire. Just worried about any unforeseen issues with my cobbled setup. I do want to mount it to the tractor for easier moving.

This morning leaving for work there was hair filled poop on the walkway 8 feet from the front door, guessing this was the local fox's thank you for the surprise he surely got, that was within 100ft of the tractor. Chicks(5weeks) are still learning the ropes and spent last night on the ground so surely whomever left me that present gave them a sniff.............
Locked them in the coop tonight to try and get them trained. They are going to learn to use water nipples in the morning.