I don't understand electricity anyway

[Alice In TX/MO]

Having been told MANY times that joule rating on an electric fence charger was REALLY important..... I found this.

http://www.baygard.com/faq.htm#Q5

Q. How does the joule relate to the performance of an electric fence charger?
A. It doesn't. It would take a lengthy discussion to explain all of the different factors which make an electric fence effective and safe. The joule does not measure the effectiveness or safety of electric shock.

Two easily measured factors determine fence charger performance. Guard voltage and shock current. Safety dictates that the amount of shock current, on time (the amount of time the shock is on the wire) and pulse rate be held within strict tolerances established by recognized safety agencies such as Underwriters Laboratory (U/L) and Canadian Standards Assoc. (CSA). The value expressed in the joule does not decode to the user the effectiveness of a shock.

What controls livestock is voltage and current. You must have voltage in order to force electricity through the conductor (fence wire) as well as vegetation touching the fence, etc., and you must have current in order for the livestock to feel the shock.

The most effective fence charger will have the highest, safest power (voltage and current) possible with the shortest on-time, thereby allowing the fence charger to develop a shock which is more effective and at the same time is safe to use.

Example of how misleading the Joule rating is: The Parmak model Pet Gard is a continuous current, non-pulsing type charger designed for very small animals in backyards, gardens, etc. Using the joule rating (Voltage x Amps x Time) the Pet Gard (PG-50), because it is a continuous current fence charger, would have an unlimited joule rating making it the most powerful fence charger, which it is not.

In summary, it is important to point out that Underwriters Laboratories (U/L) or Canadian Standard Assoc., (CSA) do not recognize the joule as a measurement when applied to electric fence chargers.

[Minelson]

I have been told that too about Joules. This is interesting. I wonder what charger has the highest volt and current??
And I don't understand electricity at all...my mind goes blank and eyes glaze over every time hubby tries to explain it to me.

[Bearfootfarm]

What you have to do is include the pulse time in the calculations.

They make a big deal of the "continuous " types having a much higher Joule rating, but the truth is those are usually the cheapest, most least used type of charger.

Safety dictates that the amount of shock current, on time (the amount of time the shock is on the wire) and pulse rate be held within strict tolerances established

The more commonly used "pulse" chargers all cycle at about 1/10th of a second on time, every second, so the Joule ratings on those are a good comparison

The continuous chargers are dangerous, and probably shouldn't be sold

I wonder what charger has the highest volt and current??

Look at the most expensive plug in models and those will generally have the most power

[noeskimo]

Good post.Thank you Alice! Now I need to go back to my Physics classes of years ago and make it all make sense

[CaliannG]

Seeing as how my DH is attempting, today, to explain to me why we can't use the billions upon billions of feet of leftover cable we did the barn with to make 220 extension cord ... and I am SO not getting it, then I can certainly sympathize with not getting the electrical stuff.

I'm with Minelson and noeskimo...

[julieq]

Originally Posted by CaliannG

Seeing as how my DH is attempting, today, to explain to me why we can't use the billions upon billions of feet of leftover cable we did the barn with to make 220 extension cord ... and I am SO not getting it, then I can certainly sympathize with not getting the electrical stuff.

I'm with Minelson and noeskimo...

I attempted reading through Alice's post and my eyes crossed! I figure if I touch the fence and it causes me to bite my tongue, then it's probably hot enough...

[Nancy_in_GA]

Here's something I don't understand either. I installed a cutout switch on my fence, about 10 feet from the charger, to help in finding faults. When I throw open the switch---making the electric part of the fence a straight line instead of a circle---the charge jumps up by about 1000 volts on the far side of the switch, and drops slightly on the short section between the charger and the switch. It's as if the electricity gets confused if it has to go in a circle.