Fence Charger Battery

1401 Views 6 Replies 6 Participants Last post by Jen H, Aug 24, 2004

beaglady

Discussion Starter · Aug 24, 2004

I have a Zareba battery charger that I use to run my poultry net that I use for my chickens. It is designed so that it can be used with either D cellbatteries which fit inside, or a choice of 6V or 12V batteries which can be externally connected. Right now I am using D cells, but would like to convert to 12V.

I've heard that marine batteries are best, but have also heard the same about golf cart batteries. Anyone who has used either, please fill me in on your experience. Specific model information or specs would be helpful too. For those of you who use this kind of battery, how do you connect it to the fence? Something along the lines of jumper cables, or what? I hope to get a battery this weekend, if I can figure out the right kind to buy. Thanks.

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Stush

· #2 · Aug 24, 2004

beaglady said:
I have a Zareba battery charger that I use to run my poultry net that I use for my chickens. It is designed so that it can be used with either D cellbatteries which fit inside, or a choice of 6V or 12V batteries which can be externally connected. Right now I am using D cells, but would like to convert to 12V.

I've heard that marine batteries are best, but have also heard the same about golf cart batteries. Anyone who has used either, please fill me in on your experience. Specific model information or specs would be helpful too. For those of you who use this kind of battery, how do you connect it to the fence? Something along the lines of jumper cables, or what? I hope to get a battery this weekend, if I can figure out the right kind to buy. Thanks.

I have a similar charger that is running from a 12 volt deep cycle battery. It is charging approximately a 1/2 mile of high tensile electric fence for me. I put a battery on it after the fence was built in May, and have yet to change it or recharge it. The fence still lights all of the lights on my fence meter (6000 + volts) and the sheep and neighborhood dogs wont go near it. I accidentally bumped the hot wire the other night and understand why they leave it alone.

That kind of performance far exceeded my expectations. My battery is a Walmart one that cost about $50. It connects to the fence with a small pair of clamps that run to posts on the bottom of the charger. If your charger has the posts, you could make your own set of cables for about $5 at most.

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Cyngbaeld

· #3 · Aug 24, 2004

Definitely go with the golf cart over the marine. The golf cart is deep cycle and the marine tries to be a hybrid of deep cycle and starter batteries. The golf cart will last longer in any deep cycle situation.

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· #4 · Aug 24, 2004

Cyngbaeld said:
Definitely go with the golf cart over the marine. The golf cart will last longer in any deep cycle situation.

Just curious, why is a deep cycle battery indicated for a fence charging application?

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mightybooboo

· #5 · Aug 24, 2004

Cyngbaeld said:
Definitely go with the golf cart over the marine. The golf cart is deep cycle and the marine tries to be a hybrid of deep cycle and starter batteries. The golf cart will last longer in any deep cycle situation.

I vote with Cynbaeld,if you are doing multiple deep cycling,the golf carts are better,heavier plates withstand multiple charges better,so Ive heard.IMHO
BooBoo

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Allan Mistler

· #6 · Aug 24, 2004

Just curious, why is a deep cycle battery indicated for a fence charging application?

Here's what I understand relative to lead acid batteries. Charging and discharging batteries cause chemical actions to take place within the battery which are different depending upon whether you're drawing a great amount of current for a short period of time (as in starting your car, truck etc.) or drawing small amounts of current over extended periods of time (as in your fence-charger). The lead plate thickness is greater and more resilient to heavy discharge in those batteries labelled as "Deep Cycle". This allows them to retain a reasonable life span after being drawn down to 20-30% of full charge repeatedly.
"Marine" batteries are a compromise of the two above extremes. Hope this helps.
Incidentally, Golf Cart batteries come as 6 volt usually and therefore would require two to achieve the 12 volts you referred to. They can be purchased for about $49 at SAMS club etc.

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Jen H

· #7 · Aug 24, 2004

I use the 12 volt golf cart battery for my portable electric fencing. I just hooked it up with a cheap set of jumper cables. It's worked really well for me, even keeps the goats in.

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