Electric poultry netting losing power

[kathyd]

Hi all

We've had our fence for about 3 years, and it's been causing problems for some time now. We originally had 2 x 50m fences joined. Initially, if I touched the netting I'd get a distinct prickle in my hands, and the dogs were terrified of it. We use a battery and an energiser.

However, it seems to be fading... we've tried removing one of the 50m nets, and cutting the grass right down beneath the one that's left. We've invested in a new energiser, and still it's not working properly. I can feel the prickly thing in the panel right next to the battery, but nothing further along.

Does anyone have any ideas about what might be the problem? We're loathe to spend yet another £100+ on new batteries if they won't make any difference. It's cost a fortune one way and another, and it's still not doing its job!

thx

[Scarlet]

I'm on my 3rd fence Kathy. My OH tried to fix the second one (he hates DIY) as we had only had it for around 4 years but we couldn't find the problem. The first one seemed to last forever! I use the old fencing now to section areas of for young ones etc.
There's obviously a break somewhere in the fence itself. I blamed the kids as they used to push it to the floor and stand on it to get over. The one I have now came with a ball of new wire ..though wouldn't have a clue what to do with it. Sorry, I'm not much help

[Nicos]

Did you get the same make as me?

Mine is still OK....but it's run off the mains.

If you did, then phone the people you bought it from...they were very helpful when I last spoke with them.

[kathyd]

Ouch...! Can't afford a new fence every 3 or 4 years . The original 2 x 50m plus energiser cost around £300 I'm sure, and I'm not sure the batteries weren't extra (another £100 if I remember)! New energiser was about £100 or a bit more. Argh!!

You're probably right about breaks in the fence though - though it's me who trips all the time trying to climb over it .

Hmmm... problem.

[kathyd]

Did you get the same make as me?
.

Tricky to say Nicos, since I don't know where you bought yours, lol . Not sure what they could do to be honest, after such a long time, but might be worth emailing them I guess, thanks

[Scarlet]

Go along the bottom string and have a look....

Our first fence lasted a long time, the 2nd fence didn't because of the kids..

[kathyd]

Well we know that one of the fences is definitely broken because it kind of got entangled with the lawnmower on one occasion . I'll check the other one yes, although it's all been re-laid recently so we would probably have noticed any obvious breaks. Aren't the bottom 2 row non-electric anyway?

In the meantime, Nicos' saying that hers is mains powered has planted the idea in OH's head that we could, in theory, test our fence using mains power by using extension cables, just to see if it makes any difference. If so we could make appropriate decisions about the value of buying new batteries, OR of running mains power to the chicken shed.. it's all set up with a plastic cable tunnel from the house apparently, and we've got the wire, it just needs doing... ha! If only I'd known! However, it all relies on OH being able to find the widget (alternator maybe?) that would allow us to use/test the fence using mains instead of batteries. Ho hum.

[Nicos]

There is a converter thingy ( black box) to change the voltage...have you got access to one?

But yes...it's so much easier having mains elec than a battery....flick of a switch and a light comes on too!
Brill in winter

I wonder if some of the fine wires have broken?...if you run your fingers along the horizontals, any snapped threads will feel sharp.
I reckon a roll of fine wire wrapped around the offending areas should bring it back to full strength.....
I wonder if they supply them?

[bearded bloke]

I'm fairly sure that Nicos means her energiser is mains fed NOT the fence !

[Nicos]

This is the one we have...the taller one with finer mesh for banties....


temporary and permanent poultry electric fencing | EFD | Electric Fencing Direct

[Nicos]

I'm fairly sure that Nicos means her energiser is mains fed NOT the fence !

Yup....exactly that!

Aka convertor thingy ...or widget

[Scarlet]

I wonder if some of the fine wires have broken?...if you run your fingers along the horizontals, any snapped threads will feel sharp.
I reckon a roll of fine wire wrapped around the offending areas should bring it back to full strength.....
I wonder if they supply them?

Yes, my last fence came with some extra wires.

[Nicos]

Does it say on the roll exactly what it is?.....I'm thinking it might be cheaper to buy it from somewhere else?...is yours very fine wire Scarlet?

[kathyd]

OH seems to think we got a converter thingy when we bought the fence, personally I'm not so sure. Power would certainly make things much nicer down there, but it's not on the very long list of priorities at the moment... I think he wants to see if more power makes a difference, and then he can decide whether to shift his priorities or buy new batteries. I suspect he might get a gentle push in the right direction on that one, if mains power does work .

Re-snapped wires, I'll have a visual look, but it'd take forever to physically check every square and I'm way too impatient. To be honest, in the past I've seen whole broken sides to a square with no adverse effect on the fence - when new birds have forced their way through in a bid for freedom for example, or my wellies have refused to let go after getting stuck. I think there'd need to be an awful lot of broken wires to stop it working completely. I'll definitely check it out though, it's certainly another thing worth doing .

[Scarlet]

Re-snapped wires, I'll have a visual look, but it'd take forever to physically check every square and I'm way too impatient. To be honest, in the past I've seen whole broken sides to a square with no adverse effect on the fence - when new birds have forced their way through in a bid for freedom for example, or my wellies have refused to let go after getting stuck. I think there'd need to be an awful lot of broken wires to stop it working completely. I'll definitely check it out though, it's certainly another thing worth doing .

I think every break makes a difference Kathy. I check mine and tie together any broken ones. We had the very same problem, I could hear a clicking noise - so obviously electric there but we had patches that weren't electric. Any grass or places where it's touching the ground need to be sorted, any thin wire to coil around will work. A word of warning, don't test with bare feet and your hand on the fence - I tried that when I assumed it was b@ggered I felt ill for the whole day!

Another thought...is it dry there? Often if the fence is wet from rain it works better.