# Electric fence question



## Nab58 (May 8, 2016)

We're getting two goats on 6/11. We built a 100 sq ft no climb fence and wired it with solar powered electric. We turned it on and the red light links as it should. We tested it with a volt meter grounded to the wire fence and the volt meter seemed to malfunction. We replaced the batter in the meter and tried again but thought there must be something wrong with the meter because it would turn on and off and give wonky numbers. We bought a new meter (same model) and the same thing happened. It appears the fence fried the meters. You can hear a click coming from the fence when you put the meter in it. 
My questions are.....do you need a specific electric fence meter to test it? Do you think the fence is working? Short of touching the fence (which no one is willing to do) how can we test it? My husband is getting irritated with me because I want proof it's working and he's convinced it is.


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## CanucksStar-17 (May 3, 2013)

I can't help with the first couple questions, but I can maybe help with the last one. It isn't the best way to test if the wire is working or not but this is how I do it.

When I'm not sure if the wire is working or not I grab a long piece of grass, put the tip of the grass on the wire and slowly move it closer to where you are holding it. If it's working you will kind of feel it, but because it is so far from your hand it doesn't really hurt. Now keep in mind if you decide to do this make sure you aren't standing in water, and try to wear rubber boots.

Now keep in mind this isn't the best way to test this but it's the way I do it and I haven't ever got a big jolt or anything.


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## deerbunnyfarm (Dec 14, 2015)

The meter is probably doing that because the electricity pumps through in pulses, it's not a steady constant current. Based on the meter picking up electrical waves it sounds like the fence is on.


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## ShireRidgeFarm (Sep 24, 2015)

An electric fence will ruin a volt meter - we made that mistake!  There are specific devices made for testing the output of an electric fence, we got one at tractor supply, and they will not be destroyed by the fence. It only goes up to 7,000 volts, though, and our fence exceeds that. :lol: ,
The testing the fence with grass works, too.

This is not what we have, but this actually looks better: 
http://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/zareba-electric-fence-tester?cm_vc=-10005


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## chelsboers (Mar 25, 2010)

My husband uses a screw driver to touch on the fence and see if it arcs. We have tried regular volt meters and they don't work


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## Jessica84 (Oct 27, 2011)

Yeah you probably won't like how I do it but it kinda kills 2 birds with one stone. I get on the other side of the fence from the goats and shake a can of grain, they come over one gets zapped and I know it's working and they now know to stay back.


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

you can pick up a simple light for a couple of bucks at TSC or similar










as for fence there is pulsed and constant, animals can and will learn the pulse and use it to their advantage, we only use constant on

are you totally insulated from fence and the posts? you shouldn't hear the fence unless it's shorting out

the fence and posts should be grounded via earth, and electric wire insulated from it

also what is defense at night? I would check fence in the AM before sun comes up to see if it is still hot enough to protect the little guys

Are you keeping things out of fence? or in the fence?


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## Nab58 (May 8, 2016)

Well I know the fence works because my 20 lb dog got zapped yesterday. 
I'd still like a reliable way to test it though. Because it's solar powered, I'd like to know it's still working after a run of cloudy days and I'd also like to test it indifferent areas.

Currently we have it strung both high and low on the outside of the fence to keep predators out. We are planning one low strand on the inside to keep the goats from leanings it in the inside.

The fence is grounded per the installation instructions.

It's curious that a regular volt meter would beruined by an electric fence. Does anyone know why that would be?


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## Nab58 (May 8, 2016)

Bansil said:


> you can pick up a simple light for a couple of bucks at TSC or similar
> 
> 
> 
> ...


If an electric fence ruins a regular volt meter, would it do the same to the light?


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## Bansil (Jul 23, 2015)

Nope they are made to test them, black lead to ground/fence and red to electric wire.
I keep one on tractor,in truck and hanging by the door


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## cheyenne (Aug 21, 2011)

We use the 5 light tester something like this one;

http://www.jefferspet.com/products/...848f9fa2600f000001ea/533884909fa2600f000001ff


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## PurpleToad (Feb 14, 2016)

Touching an electric fence is NOT fun but it won't kill you.lol Funniest thing I ever saw so far is after we brought our new myotonic goats home one of the goats touched the fence and it scared him so he stiffened and fell over which scared the other myotonic and he stiffened and fell over and I'm in the house and hear this commotion and I go outside and there's two goats laying on their backs with the third goat looking at them like they're insane.lol

Otherwise good advice given. I know that the hog farm has a test meter that's a bit fancier and more expensive (think $100 minimal) that will actually rate the shock from 1-10 based on the voltage running through, that way you know if it's shocking hard or light (we average an "8" on it). Right now we just borrow the hog farm's (which they actually use to test electric fence for cattle) when we need to double check. So far we've never had a problem with the solar panel working during cloudy/rainy times and generally once the goats learn what the wire IS they won't go near it....at least that's my experience so far.


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## PippasCubby (May 13, 2015)

Nab58 said:


> It's curious that a regular volt meter would be ruined by an electric fence. Does anyone know why that would be?


Depending on what kind of voltmeter you have, it could be a couple things.

Some voltmeters only read AC (alternating current), a fence output is DC (direct current).

Another reason would be the voltage it can handle. Most house hold use is 120V/240V so simple voltmeters will only read 250-ish max. The one I have, reads up to 600V (sure hope I never have to use it that high!). Compare that to an electric fence which puts out anywhere from 1,000V to 20,000V (I would say most are in the 5,000V-10,000V range). That is a huge difference. The voltmeters aren't made to handle that much so the huge electric pulse fries it.

Hopefully that helps a bit


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