Setting up DC fence charger

[HilltopDaisy]

I need your help with this. I bought a 20 mile DC fence charger, a 12 volt battery, and a solar trickle charger. I'm going to set this up far away from electricity, and there is no building to mount it to.

I was thinking that I'd use a plastic tote to house the charger and battery, and hook the solar part up every week or two, just for the day (when I'm here). See any problem with this? Any suggestions? Thanks.

[Blackbird]

I assume that you are going to keep the fence charged all the time while you are gone. If so, I wouldn't think that the solar charger would generate enough electricity in just one day every couple of weeks to recharge the battery.

What size battery did you buy? A good 12 volt car battery (or even one that is no longer up to snuff for starting a car) can keep a moderate size electric fence well charged for weeks. If you can drive to the fence site, then you can jump the battery from your car or truck. It recharges fast.

As far as keeping your charger and battery in a plastic tote, did the charger literature say it must be mounted indoors? We've mounted ours to fence posts and they've been there exposed to the weather year round without any harm. Ditto for the battery--though you don't want to leave a discharged battery out in the freezing cold--a charged-up battery should be okay.

Blackbird

[buffalocreek]

Don't forget the ground rod.

[HilltopDaisy]

It's a 12 volt battery. The directions say "Important: Mount inside or in a waterproof enclosure". It shows it mounted on a post, inside a metal box. I can do that. Does the battery just sit outside on the ground?? I could put it where I could charge it from my truck. I'll bring it inside for the winter.

I bought the solar trickle charger on the advice of my mechanic. I'm going there now for an oil change, and I'll ask him again how I'm supposed to use it.

[Ramblin Wreck]

I use a 5 gallon bucket with a lid to house an AC fence charger. There's a hole cut in the bottom to run the wires in/out. It seems to keep the unit sufficiently protected.

[Blackbird]

Mounting on a post inside a metal box (that sheds water) would be fine. Our batteries just sit on the ground and do just fine. I now have an extra battery with a carrying strap that I charge up in the barn and carry to swap out when the charger shows that the battery is getting low. Formerly, I just pulled the truck up alongside and jumped it for about 15-20 minutes on idle while I did other chores. That was fast and convenient when I didn't have the spare battery.

Solar trickle chargers are designed to provide a small amount of electricity to match the losses due to internal discharge or a small load like your fence charger. They are intended to be hooked up continuously, and not to recharge a drained battery in a short time. I wasn't sure why you said you would hook it up only once a week or two. Theft perhaps? If that's not a concern, then hook it up and leave it hooked up. You may not have to recharge your battery all season, depending on the amount of sunlight and the drain on the battery.

Also, as buffalocreek said, Don't forget the ground rod. Get a good 8-foot one and pound it in all the way and make sure that your connections to the ground rod (and all the other connections) are good and tight.

You should be fine then.

[Bearfootfarm]

I'd put in a post on which to mount the solar panel, and the fence charger, and attach a waterproof box to the post to hold the battery.

Keeping everything clean and dry, and off the ground will make it last longer

You're probably going to find the solar charger needs to be connected all the time

[HilltopDaisy]

Well, the dang solar charger says it's not intended for use outside in the elements; it's supposed to mount to the (inside) windshield of the vehicle you are charging (think RV). When I said I'd hook it up every week or two it was simply because I don't know what the heck I'm talking about!! I just thought I'd do it on my day off.

I like the idea of mounting it on a post w/ a bucket over it! As it just so happens, I can put this along side the driveway so I can charge it with the truck.

[ace admirer]

i use the plastic tubs that protein blocks (tubs) come in from tractor supply. think a 55 gallon barrel about 20" high. it tapers out so that when mounted any water will drain out. but always beware that wasp will love to build in...

I purchase solar panels and solar charge controllers from northern tools or surplus center

i use another tub turned upside down to cover a stock type deep discharge battery.

use battery ternimal grease to protect connections from oxidation.

use lightning protection which means more good ground rods.

[HilltopDaisy]

So here's another ??, how do you all get the ground rod in the ground??

I have 5 in, adding a 6th. MAN is it difficult to drive them suckers in this rocky soil. Most of mine are only 4' in then I give up.

[ace admirer]

what type soil? here we have clay...i have seen people drive rods using water added to soil and a chunking, circular motion. but yeah, it s work try a 4 lb engineers hammer and go slow with medium blows...

[HilltopDaisy]

I use a tubular fence pounder, one of those things with handles on the sides. Works great on T posts, but I'm only sinking them 18".

[arabian knight]

I have my grounding rod down 8 feet. I uses a 5/8 inch copper grounding rod the same ones that is used to ground your electric meter.
I used the regular fence pounder, works great until that last 2 feet when the pounder met the ground then had to switch to a small sledge hammer.
But the deeper the Grounding rod is in buried, the better and hotter the charge will be along the entire fence line. And that way a person needs only one or at most two for a good ground, no need to have more.

[RJMAcres]

Sounds like you bought a solar charger that is meant to maintain an already fully
charged battery rather then charge a low battery.

I pound my ground rods in as far as I can and that's not to far due to the rocks.
I ground the charger to the rod and then also from the rod to a t-post on the fence.

To pound the posts in I generally use a 3 pound sledge hammer. Short handled.

[HilltopDaisy]

There is an existing ground rod there, it's in about 5'. I decided to add a second one, this one is in about 18", it's slow going! I'll work at it a little at a time.

I hooked the whole thing up just now. The charger is on an end post near the gate, and the battery is sitting up on concrete blocks. I had to run to the car parts place and get connectors that go from the charger to the battery, just the clamp things for $2. It's all hooked up and I tested it, it's 9.9 on the meter, so it's really hot!

Thanks for all your help! I don't know what I'd do without you folks!

[ace admirer]

one problem i have with solar/battery units is corrosion at the battery terminals....what would you fellows suggest? does the normal battery "grease" work or should i try the silicone grease? any one with experience?

[Bearfootfarm]

one problem i have with solar/battery units is corrosion at the battery terminals....what would you fellows suggest?

These sprays seem to do a good job:

http://www.google.com/webhp?complete...iw=999&bih=522

[fordy]

Originally Posted by HilltopDaisy

So here's another ??, how do you all get the ground rod in the ground??

I have 5 in, adding a 6th. MAN is it difficult to drive them suckers in this rocky soil. Most of mine are only 4' in then I give up.

..................I haven't read all posts so hope I'm not repeating an info already supplied..........Buy the 8 foot rods , cut them in half . Position the rod where you want too drive it , NOW slide the metal clamp bracket over the ROD , BEFORE you pound on it with the hammer because the end will flatten out and be sure too snug it up also . If the rod continually hits rock try driving it in at an angle ........You can also dig a horizontially oriented trench , and lay the rod in flat IF necessary but vertically driven is best .
...................After you've drive your rods be sure and use a tester , the higher the voltage the better your grounds are working . ALWAYS test your wire at the point most distant from the charger and compare that with the readings as you move towards the charger , the voltage should show increases as you get closertoo the ground rods ! , fordy

[Blackbird]

Originally Posted by HilltopDaisy

So here's another ??, how do you all get the ground rod in the ground??

I have 5 in, adding a 6th. MAN is it difficult to drive them suckers in this rocky soil. Most of mine are only 4' in then I give up.

It sounds like your soil is a lot like ours.

I have found that sometimes if you run into a rock that you can't punch through (I'm assuming you are using standard copper clad steel grounding rods that you use to ground a house electical system), you can pull the rod out and move it over a foot or so and try again. No guarantees, but you may dodge that rock and go all the way down the full 8 feet with little trouble. We have a lot of shale here and you can usually break through or push aside smaller pieces, but the great big ones...Oh man!

On the other hand if you have ledge all over at 3 feet or 4 feet, that's as far as you can go. You can either try to angle it in (hard to pound) or sink two or more four foot sections. In the end, its the quality of the charge on your fence that counts. If you are testing a good voltage, probably no need for more ground rods.