Name of a Good A/C? Fence Charger?

Tango · #1 02/07/14, 05:06 PM

Trying to tack down the budget for my hens, a stray dogs was here and he was hungry. I feel bad for him but he can't eat my hens. Zero, my houligan, ran it off. So I need to reprioritize and put up the electric netting for my hens. I'll be able to buy just one roll and a charger for now and then add on. I'm just totally clueless about the charger though. I've read about the joules it will need when I link 3 or 4 nets together but there are so many brands and prices. What are you using?

Thanks

Alice In TX/MO · #2 02/07/14, 05:38 PM

Gallagher is wonderful.
This website has a chart about which charger to use for different animal breeds:
http://www.gallagherusa.com/electric...cfence101.aspx

Alice In TX/MO · #3 02/07/14, 05:39 PM

Here's electric net fencing info. Are you trying to keep chickens in or dogs out?

http://www.premier1supplies.com/fenc...?species_id=6&

Tango · #4 02/07/14, 05:52 PM

thanks for the gallagher recommendation and link- have seen a few of those. i'm trying to keep both chickens in and dogs out- can clip their wings if need be but the hens are very low flyers and pretty non-adventurous sorts

this stray dog has been hanging around for a while.... don't know for sure but i lost one hen a few weeks ago to a dog by the paw prints seen and i'd been keeping them up but it isn;t as healthy as them free roaming even in this crazy weather.... looked at the premier poultry fencing and was going to order the permanent type poultry netting from them but the chargers range from very affordable (read that to mean, probably not great ) to quite expensive and unaffordable.

**highlands** · #5 02/07/14, 06:06 PM

I have two Zareba 15 WASP 15 Joule and one 6 Joule of the same. All very good. Had them for many years. You can get them at Kencove and at Tractor Supply:
http://www.kencove.com/fence/Mains+E...etail_EK15.php

The AC wall plugin units give more bang for the buck than solar powered and are a lot cheaper. This matters since lightning does strike twice. Be sure to put in good grounding, surge suppression and lightning suppression.

I would suggest a minimum of 2.5 joules. That will do well for the netting. Too high a joule unit can burn out netting, especially if you have shorting. Keep the nets tensioned, pinned and clip the bottom two leads.

Cheers,

-Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/

Gravytrain · #6 02/07/14, 06:16 PM

I've had good luck with this one:

http://www.amazon.com/Parmak-Energiz.../dp/B0002YUWHA

Jolly · #7 02/07/14, 06:32 PM

I've been running Zareba and have had good luck. Not overly expensive, either.

farminghandyman · #8 02/07/14, 07:03 PM

I have had good luck with the Parmak fencer like two posts above, I have had about 10 of them over the years and have a spare in the barn, but they seem to last good if lighting does not hit the fence, then all bets are off. even tho I am only running a few miles normaly I buy the strongest one I can find, or afford, and figure a "30 mile" fencer is minimal. I have a smaller one and it will not take dry conditions and if anything grow into it or blows on the fence.

Tango · #9 02/08/14, 05:56 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by highlands

I would suggest a minimum of 2.5 joules. That will do well for the netting. Too high a joule unit can burn out netting, especially if you have shorting. Keep the nets tensioned, pinned and clip the bottom two leads.

Cheers,

-Walter Jeffries
Sugar Mountain Farm
Pastured Pigs, Sheep & Kids
in the mountains of Vermont
http://SugarMtnFarm.com/

Thanks

Silvercreek Farmer · #10 02/11/14, 07:37 PM

+1 on Parmaks and lightening. It's like mine send up a signal when the warranty runs out.

fordy · #11 02/12/14, 06:47 AM

.................To help channel lightening to a ground I'd run a heavier than normal ground wire at the very top of the fence and connect it to grounds every 50 feet or so if it is AFFORDABLE ! This ground wire will also help to dissipate any build UP of static electricity around the fence which can attract a strike as well ! , fordy

Tango · #12 02/12/14, 11:32 AM

My Gallagher M300 a/c charger arrived today. It is 3 joules and I think will be plenty for the hens (and turkeys when they hatch). The kencove poultry fence should arrive in a couple of days. Just got one to start with and I'm adding another in a couple of months. I'm going to use the ground rod for the temporary utility post. I sold the post and so have a very nice deep ground rod there to hook to.

What you are saying about every 50 ft. sounds chinese to me fordy. Can you help me make sense? Will I understand when I see the netting? What gauge ground wire do you recommend? I';ve used one single hot wire before and I've used electric tape for my stock before but it has been a long time and my memory is fuzzy.

Oh my khaki campbell ducks arrived today - 2 were dead

but so far all the nh red pullets are alive

starting to feel like a tiny farm around here, little by little

fordy · #13 02/12/14, 12:27 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango

My Gallagher M300 a/c charger arrived today. It is 3 joules and I think will be plenty for the hens (and turkeys when they hatch). The kencove poultry fence should arrive in a couple of days. Just got one to start with and I'm adding another in a couple of months. I'm going to use the ground rod for the temporary utility post. I sold the post and so have a very nice deep ground rod there to hook to.

What you are saying about every 50 ft. sounds chinese to me fordy. Can you help me make sense? Will I understand when I see the netting? What gauge ground wire do you recommend? I';ve used one single hot wire before and I've used electric tape for my stock before but it has been a long time and my memory is fuzzy.

Oh my khaki campbell ducks arrived today - 2 were dead

but so far all the nh red pullets are alive

starting to feel like a tiny farm around here, little by little

..............Tango , they sell a standard gauge wire that can be used for a Hot(+) or a ground (-) wire at tractor supply ! My suggestion would be to run your hot wire(s) on the outside of your net wire.......put your first run say 6 inches off the ground then the second at 12 inches and maybe a third at 2 feet and then a 4th. close to the top . Most critters are going to dig under or climb over the net wire . Coyotes will dig rather than jump atleast that has been my experience .
...............At first , connect up the system to your existing ground and use a tester to see how how much voltage drop you are experiencing as you get farther away from the single ground rod . Your lowest voltage reading should be at the end of the fence , Unless your end point is close to the starting point of your fence . You can use the metal in the netting as the Minus side of your system by connecting it to the ground rod , which means , when a critter touches the hot wire while climbing on the netting they'll get a real surprise . They should also get shocked by touching a hot wire with their rear feet on the dirt , IF , the system is working properly .
...............IF , you are experiencing excessive voltage drop , as you move farther away from the single ground round , that tells you to install a couple more ground rods along the fence . You can purchase an 8 foot ground rod , and cut it in half to make (2) 4 foot long ground rods , attach them with a wire with a compression clamp to the rod as well as the fence . You'll need a 5 lb. hammer to drive them in with . Now , once they are installed use your tester and retest the voltage along the fence .
...............REmember , that the overall effectiveness of the system is contingent upon the moisture content of the soil , so IF the soil is dry , you would want to take a hose and 'Water' each ground to improve the conductivity of the soil . Questions ? , fordy

Tango · #14 02/12/14, 12:48 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by fordy

Questions ? , fordy

LOL

...

the only part i remember is about the ground and moisture. when i unbox the netting, i will see what you are saying. right now i'm stumped trying to figure out what to fence in when the ground rod is about 75 feet from the coop and the net is only 165 ft. I want to enclose the whole barn so they will always be inside the fence. ain't gonna happen

fordy · #15 02/12/14, 05:54 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Tango

LOL

...

the only part i remember is about the ground and moisture. when i unbox the netting, i will see what you are saying. right now i'm stumped trying to figure out what to fence in when the ground rod is about 75 feet from the coop and the net is only 165 ft. I want to enclose the whole barn so they will always be inside the fence. ain't gonna happen

..............Don't design your fence based upon a ground rod . You can put a couple of compression clamps on the rod , wrap a small chain around it and use a bumper jack to extract it from the ground ! Put both clamps against each other and put the chain below the clamps . As you jack it out of the ground , move the compression clamps DOWN the ground rod and reattach the chain . A neighbor should have a bumper jack .
...............Locate the fence where your common sense tells you it will do the most good . , fordy

Tango · #16 02/13/14, 05:15 AM

i've spent a long time trying to figure it out

that ground rod is in the perfect corner for when all the fencing is up but it is not the right first corner... the fence arrived last night. so now i have everything here and just need my son since i sprained my ankle two days ago and didn't realize it until last night. i will probably use another ground rod for now. thanks fordy