Can't bring myself to do it...

[geo in mi]

Depends on the time of day and/or how much moisture is in the ground. Sometimes the electric fence tester light will be bright and strong, other times it looks weak. So, how do you really, really know just how strong that zap will be when a critter touches it----without touching it yourself? I'm too old to be macho and do the taser stand up thing anymore..

Used to be, you could wrap a green ear of corn in wire and hang it on, or a shiny tin can, and let a curious cow wrap her tongue around it. (Oops, might be some PETA people reading this) Or, let a city kid test it for you(we won't mention how).... But I just can't get up the courage. Any numerical or scaled meters on the market?
geo

[tinknal]

I use a hammer with a rubber handle. I ground the head on a post and then bring the claw near the wire. If a spark will jump 1/4 inch then I consider it a good spark.

[Tiempo]

I use a horse and a very tasty horse treat

[Tiempo]

or you get a tester with a digital readout

[fishhead]

You can buy a tester for about $10.

[Kris in MI]

Find a couple teen or pre-teen boys. Ask them which of them is tougher

[65284]

A blade of grass is a simple tester. Take a blade of green grass and touch the fence with it, if it's working okay you will get a noticeable tingle but not zapped or jolted.

[palani]

Cheap tester with 8-10 neon bulbs give you a good idea of Kv on the line. They also help to locate a hard ground as the closer you get to it the lower the voltage. Use Kirchoffs voltage law to gauge the distance.

[tinknal]

Originally Posted by 65284

A blade of grass is a simple tester. Take a blade of green grass and touch the fence with it, if it's working okay you will get a noticeable tingle but not zapped or jolted.

Well, true enough in dry conditions........ If the ground is damp it can be a different story. (Not fatal though )

[palani]

Originally Posted by palani

. Use Kirchoffs voltage law to gauge the distance.

I used a Heathkit engine analyzer (spark meter) for a bit but then had a fencer that would peg the meter (> 25kv) and cause arcs from the case to the ground.

[mistletoad]

I use the teenage boy method

[DamnearaFarm]

We touch it with a pair of rubber handled fencing pliers. To quote my husband from yesterday (whoda thunk a thirtysomething recovering from starvation for a SECOND time mare would bust through four strands of barbless fencing?!?!?!)- "when you feel it through the rubber handles of a pair of fencing pliers, you know it's hittin' GOOD."

P.S. Mare still contained. I left the barn lot before she could *test* it- figured it'd kinda be like seein' your Mamaw get shocked....

[suzyhomemaker09]

After lots of hit and miss with electric fencing..I use 2 different chargers..one is a solar to keep my dogs (pets) in a contained area in my back yard..the other is a hard wired charger that i use to keep my goats in the pasture.
I decided on this little toy...
http://www.amazon.com/Zareba-DEFT1-D.../dp/B000AYGF6O
It gives you an exact number to go with your fence output..is fantastic for tracking down spots where you are grounding out and such. not too pricey as it's listed in several places for less than $50. For e it's well worth the piece of mind it brings. I cannot stand to touch a hot fence wire ,and when I do I don't want to hold it to see how shocked I get.

[Callieslamb]

Wow! Lots of advice. I should have read this before resting for the evening. I put in 1300 feet of elec wire today. I have been waiting for some cow to touch it so I can see if it works or not.....

[GoatsRus]

We have a tester, but my Dad used to grab the fence himself to test it. If we were anywhere close he'd grab us kids and shock us.