Would like reviews on Premier1 movable fencing energizers

[redbarnmeadows]

Hi all -

I've had a couple lengths of Premier1 electric poultry netting for a couple years now, and I LOVE it! It's super easy to move and ultra lightweight. Until now I hadn't bothered to buy an energizer for it, just using it to keep the chickens and turkeys contained in their areas and moving to new grass periodically. As far as predators, overnight I've had problems with skunks, opposums, and racoons, but only when I've forgotten to close the coops at night. When they are closed, no problems. No coyotes, no weasels, no other night vermin so far. During the day, I've had minor issues with neighbors' dogs in the past and, aside from one incident with a Jack Russell and a dead Ameraucana hen, nothing too serious. However, this morning I just chased off one neighbor's border collie and another neighbor's beagle and Great Pyrenese. Apparently they are forming a little pack now. Sigh. Talking to the neighbors will do little good - been there, done that. They comply for a while, but the dogs eventually wander back. I also really don't want use the S/S/S method since they are actually very nice dogs and it's not their fault their owners don't keep them contained.

So anyway, my question here is this: Who has Premier1 fencing with an energizer, and which energizer do you have? Are you happy with it, or do you wish you'd gotten a different one? According to their website, they have 3 available. They have solar-powered, plug-in, and battery. The solar I would assume would be great since you don't have to deal with a long cord to the nearest outlet and don't have to worry about replacing or recharging the battery, but it's $264.00! Yikes! Also, I live in Upstate New York and our weather here isn't exactly always sunny

How does the solar one do with regular cloud cover?

I have a significant investment in my birds already, not just financially but even more so emotionally - I've put A LOT of work into them. The thought of losing them to the local canines is way more than I care to think about. I hate to spend a fortune on fencing due to my neighbors' carelessness, but I'd hate even more to lose my birds to me cheaping out and not getting the best fencing.

Any reviews you can offer are much appreciated. Thanks.

 

[patandchickens]

The solar I would assume would be great since you don't have to deal with a long cord to the nearest outlet and don't have to worry about replacing or recharging the battery

Yeah, that's what everyones' first reaction is to the idea of solar fence chargers

However IN REALITY you DO TOO have to replace the battery (yes, they have a battery, otherwise they would only work during the daytime

). Even if you take great care of your fence, a battery typically starts to hold its charge poorly after maybe 3 yrs or so; and if you ever let the fence ground out and drain the battery entirely (which unless you are super obsessive about checking the fence voltage daily it is LIKELY to do at some point -- grass growth, fallen fencewire, saggy electronet, heavy rain sagging fence and weeds towards each other, tree branch on fence, etc) it will kill the battery irretreivably-dead.

IMHO solar is not usually a good option (although I will admit that as the price has come down, it is *less* of a dumb choice than it used to be) -- your major choice should be between plug-in or battery-operated.

If plug-in is an option (suitably located outlet, and reliable power), it is probably hands-down the best choice for a short fence like yours... inexpensive to buy, inexpensive to operate, bounces back just fine after fence ground-out problems. (For long livestock fences, I will point out that plug-in has the downside of a nontrivial chance of starting a fire from lightning strike on the fence exploding the fence charger -- even with the charger properly located outdoors, this is not a zero safety risk, although many times it is still worth having a plug-in charger, especially if you install a lightning choke which does help considerably).

If plug-in is NOT an option, then you are deciding between single-use battery versus rechargeable battery (and buy a charger so you can 'top the battery back up' from your household outlets). Which depends on things like how much fence you're running, whether it will be only at night or 24 hrs, whether it will be year-round or only seasonal, how much you like buying new batteries vs remembering to fiddle with old ones, etc.

And then call Premier and say 'hey, this is the type of energizer I want, and this is the length and type of fence I need to power and this is what my soil/weeds/climate are like, tell me which model is the one I want"

One warning. You are proposing a rather risky thing... energizing a fence left 'dead' for several years, with the animals having gotten USED to it being dead. Especially with mesh fences (that animals can get entangled in) this can be a recipe for disaster. There is nothing you cna really do about it now, but be aware that the risks of killing animals is substantially higher. I would suggest that when you electrify the fence it be on a very CALM day and you do not let anything spook the birds for at least a few days til they have figured out the new regime. And then NEVER LEAVE THE FENCE DEAD again (not when animals are in it, I mean).

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[redbarnmeadows]

Well, I guess the solar not being a good option is actually a bit of a relief . . . $264 is an awful lot to spend. The plug-in could be an option. I have electricity in the barn, which isn't an unreasonable distance from the fencing areas. I'm just not thrilled with the idea of an extension cord running across the lawn. I'd start taking bets as to who would be the first to run it over with the lawn mower - me or my husband, lol. With the battery one, my concern would lie in the battery dying and that I wouldn't notice the fence was off until it was too late. Any idea how long a battery might last in a typical lawn setting? No tall weeds or hanging branches, just short grass.

As for the birds being habituated to a dead fence, that's a good point. In the past I've regularly seen them reaching through the fence to get at the *greener* grass on the other side. I'll be sure to first turn it on when I can be there to supervise.

Thank you very much for your input. If anybody else also has experience to share I'd appreciate all I can get.

 

[Hopeful Peacock]

I have a Premier One fence for my dogs and goats with a solar energizer. I have only had it about 6 months, but I adore it and have never had any problems with it at all. It is super easy to move, etc. My fence tester says it is doing a great job as well.

These type pf batteries do best and last longest when they are not allowed to run low. The solar charger keeps them pretty charged as long as it is oriented correctly and has a clear path to sunlight. (This is easy on my property as it is clear cut and has no significant trees - yet). From having a solar PV home system as well, I can say that only when the sun is hiding for days and days at a time do the batteries go at all low. Then, when the sun comes back out, the batteries charge right up again fairly quickly.

I would steer clear from the non-solar battery option. Those batteries will not last nearly as long as they run all the way low before they are recharged.

I have found Premier One to be a really great company. They have told me when I can get something cheaper locally. They seem very honest and into service. The solar charger batteries are guaranteed for 2 years and are expected to last much longer.

Good luck making your decision!

 

[Hopeful Peacock]

Let me also say that I empathize with the hesitancy to spend so much. I am going back and forth about whether or not I should buy a garden fence (with new solar energizer) from them. It is a lot to spend all at once!

 

[foxinachickenhouse]

I use the solar charger and am very happy with it. It is a Patriot PS15, it was about $180. It will charge the 164' fence and has been working great for us even in the rainy PNW.

 

[redbarnmeadows]

Hmmm. I didn't see that one before. Their website says they have it on closeout, "while supplies last". Are they discontinuing it? The specs say it will power 1 roll of 164' PoultryNet. Ideally, I would need it to support 1 164' roll and 2 smaller ones though (1 for the turkeys and 2 for the chickens). From the specs, it looks like the PRS 50 would be my best option for that, $249 for the energizer or $264 for the energizer and kit. Only difference is that the kit comes with a 5-light tester. That's the same as you would have for an electric fence for horses though, right? I already have one of those.

Ugh, I hate feeling so stingy. I really don't have a problem making the investment - I just want to get an much info as I can so I can make the RIGHT investment.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
Well, you would not be using an extension cord as such -- the charger needs to be plugged directly into the outlet (meaning, you need an outlet that is either outdoors or located where you can run the charger cord directly thru the barn wall, with the charger itself located safely outside)

You *would* be having a leadout wire from charger to fence, but ideally this would be run on an existing fenceline and you can use insulated wire so that touching it won't give you a shock and you don't need to use insulators. If that is impossible, the thing to do is to trench in the leadout wire (NOT an extension cord!) from charger to where your fence begins, running insulated or double-insulated fencewire thru burial conduit of some sort. How deep you trench this in is a matter of personal choice I guess, basically it needs not to be located somewhere you'll dig into it (it won't give you much of a shock but it WILL kill yer electric fence!) and deep enough that flexing of the ground from foot traffic etc does not damage the wire and its covering to the point of creating a ground fault.

With the battery one, my concern would lie in the battery dying and that I wouldn't notice the fence was off until it was too late.

Well you know there is really not a lot of point in having an electric fence if you are not going to check it regularly, ideally every day but at least every coupla days. With a proper fence tester (ideally a digital one, the neon-lights ones are notoriously inaccurate and to keep out predators you really NEED 4,000v not just 'oh it zapped me hard').

Note that you can also buy a thingie that hangs on the fence with a light that either comes on or goes off when the fence goes 'dead' (Depending on exactly what model you buy) -- they are not cheap but some people like them as a "memory aid".

Any idea how long a battery might last in a typical lawn setting? No tall weeds or hanging branches, just short grass.

TOTALLY depends on what kind of unit and what kind of battery. Read Premier's catalog some more, or talk to them.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[Ahab]

I'm confined to solar or battery as an option; it's too far (180 feet) and rocky (including two graveled driveways) to run an electric UF from the house to the garden/poultry yard. I'm past my ditch-digging days.

Is there a preference between a purpose-built integral-solar-panel unit, like the Premier PRS 50 or PRS 100, or a battery-powered unit (like an Intellishock 42B or a Stafix 2-joule from Kencove) with a separate solar trickle charger? I have a 5-watt panel and a 9-watt panel lying around that could be pressed into service, and 12-volt deep-cycle batteries are readily available.

Summers I need to exclude coons, cats, dogs, coyotes, and the occasional fisher from a 10x12-foot permanent run and a satellite 164-foot electronet that will move weekly. Winters, I need to protect the run plus a 40x60 fenced-in garden (with hot wires at ground level and atop the fenceposts).