I need help.
I would like to keep my our (Rat Terrier & Boxer) out of wife's flower bed. I have an electric fence energizer (several years old "farm" variety) available to use. This is PULSE type,"weed burner", (and "5 mile" I think??). I can get make/model, photo, etc if it will help, and have digital multimeter to check output.
MY QUESTION: For a short fence with pets, how can I REDUCE voltage on the wire--I don't want to hurt them (physically or psychologically) just get them to stay out of the flower bed.
I was thinking about putting a resistor in-line, but don't know how many OHMS or whether to put in on "Fence" or "Ground" sides?
Any Ideas?
I would like to keep my our (Rat Terrier & Boxer) out of wife's flower bed. I have an electric fence energizer (several years old "farm" variety) available to use. This is PULSE type,"weed burner", (and "5 mile" I think??). I can get make/model, photo, etc if it will help, and have digital multimeter to check output.
MY QUESTION: For a short fence with pets, how can I REDUCE voltage on the wire--I don't want to hurt them (physically or psychologically) just get them to stay out of the flower bed.
I was thinking about putting a resistor in-line, but don't know how many OHMS or whether to put in on "Fence" or "Ground" sides?
Any Ideas?
I used to work in the industry designing these things. Your pet WILL get hurt - thats the whole idea! But its not physical damage - just pain. To reduce the effective output use a 10 watt ceramic wire wound resistor in series with the 'hot' side of the output. A k or two would be about right. It MUST be a wirewound resistor - not film. Film types blow up if the fence arcs to ground. Wierd but true - short circuit is OK, arcs are not!
Test the fence on yourself before you unleash it on your dog. If the fence bites too hard, add more ohms. It wont kill you (they're designed not too .
) but it will hurt. Don't bother with the multimeter - it wont tell you anything useful, even if it survives.
Edit: just looked up the specs on that energiser. Its only half a joule output - thats pretty tame. I've been hit by bigger beasties than that. The 16kV peak might give your trouble with flashover - better make that two, or maybe three resistors in series. Be sure to use the BIG 10W ceramic ones.
Test the fence on yourself before you unleash it on your dog. If the fence bites too hard, add more ohms. It wont kill you (they're designed not too .
) but it will hurt. Don't bother with the multimeter - it wont tell you anything useful, even if it survives.Edit: just looked up the specs on that energiser. Its only half a joule output - thats pretty tame. I've been hit by bigger beasties than that. The 16kV peak might give your trouble with flashover - better make that two, or maybe three resistors in series. Be sure to use the BIG 10W ceramic ones.
TwoSpoons,
Points for clarification...
1--You said "two, or maybe three in a series" I'm taking that to be mean start off with something like three x 500 ohm resistors (for total of 1.5k) in the series (as opposed to three x 1k in a series for starts).
2--Is it ok to go "end to end" on resistors, or do I need more "airspace" by using jumpers between resistors to prevent arcs?
Thanks
agm2003
Points for clarification...
1--You said "two, or maybe three in a series" I'm taking that to be mean start off with something like three x 500 ohm resistors (for total of 1.5k) in the series (as opposed to three x 1k in a series for starts).
2--Is it ok to go "end to end" on resistors, or do I need more "airspace" by using jumpers between resistors to prevent arcs?
Thanks
agm2003
When you get this working, it will very effective.
Back when I was working with horses we had plenty of electric fences. At home we were having problems with neighborhood dogs getting into our trash cans at night. It was long enough ago that the cans were metal. (the 70s)
A wire from the electric fence unit was all it took. Connected it to the garbage can and waited for night. Sure enough, "rattle, bang -YIP-YIP -YIP!!!" Never a dog near the can ever again.
OT:
BTW Two Spoons, I notice you are in "Waiuku", NZ. Did you know the county seat of Maui is "Wailuku". I'm not sure what Waiuku means in your local version of Polynesian (mud flats?) but here it would mean "Flea Water."
Back when I was working with horses we had plenty of electric fences. At home we were having problems with neighborhood dogs getting into our trash cans at night. It was long enough ago that the cans were metal. (the 70s)
A wire from the electric fence unit was all it took. Connected it to the garbage can and waited for night. Sure enough, "rattle, bang -YIP-YIP -YIP!!!" Never a dog near the can ever again.
OT:
BTW Two Spoons, I notice you are in "Waiuku", NZ. Did you know the county seat of Maui is "Wailuku". I'm not sure what Waiuku means in your local version of Polynesian (mud flats?) but here it would mean "Flea Water."
Panomaniac,
"When you get this working, it will very effective."
While I was setting this up (just to see if the energizer still worked), I had told my wife to be very careful to not touch the wire. Something happened and caused one stem of one of her plants to touch the wire, which of course shorted to the ground and caused an arc to the plant. To "rescue her precious plant" when she touched the stem of the plant to move it (while being careful not to touch the wire) but she became the best ground! OOPS! She said the fence worked! She now remembers where to unplug the energizer!
"When you get this working, it will very effective."
While I was setting this up (just to see if the energizer still worked), I had told my wife to be very careful to not touch the wire. Something happened and caused one stem of one of her plants to touch the wire, which of course shorted to the ground and caused an arc to the plant. To "rescue her precious plant" when she touched the stem of the plant to move it (while being careful not to touch the wire) but she became the best ground! OOPS! She said the fence worked! She now remembers where to unplug the energizer!
Ouch! You are supposed to use it on the dogs, not the wife!
I bet she'll remember where the plug is.
FWIW, my step son used to install the invisible fences that use the radio activated shock collars. He said ti was very effective. (And expensive)
So here's a little trick. The invisible fence systems use little white flags in the ground to tell the dogs where the limits are. They learn to stay well clear of the flags, even when there is no shock. You can use that to your advantage.
I bet she'll remember where the plug is.
FWIW, my step son used to install the invisible fences that use the radio activated shock collars. He said ti was very effective. (And expensive)
So here's a little trick. The invisible fence systems use little white flags in the ground to tell the dogs where the limits are. They learn to stay well clear of the flags, even when there is no shock. You can use that to your advantage.
Two Spoons I need your help!
I 'm a snail farmer and i have an energiser for the electric fence which i want to decrease it's voltage. The voltage that provides with no load is 8000v and on 500ohm load 2700v. I want to decrease it for not harming the snails, but just to prevent them from escaping at about 3000-5000v volts. The model that I use is Hercules Hc 850. Input 12v 95mA, stored power 1.25Joules, output power 0.85 joules. What type of resistor do i have to use for that? I have orderd a " Rotary Wirewound Adjustable Resistor Rheostat 500 Ohm 50W". Will it do the job?Its specifications are below.
Thanks anyway my friend!
Specification:
Product NameRheostatMaterialCeramic, MetalColorAs Picture ShownPower Rating50 WResistance Value500 ΩMounted Hole Dia4mm/ 0.157"
Bottom Screw Diameter5.5mm/ 0.216"Bottom Base Diameter54mm/ 2.1"Shaft Size33 x 16mm/ 1.6'' x 0.6''(L*D)Body Size73 x 27mm/ 2.9" x 1"(D*T)Net Weight150gPackage Content1 x Rheostat
I 'm a snail farmer and i have an energiser for the electric fence which i want to decrease it's voltage. The voltage that provides with no load is 8000v and on 500ohm load 2700v. I want to decrease it for not harming the snails, but just to prevent them from escaping at about 3000-5000v volts. The model that I use is Hercules Hc 850. Input 12v 95mA, stored power 1.25Joules, output power 0.85 joules. What type of resistor do i have to use for that? I have orderd a " Rotary Wirewound Adjustable Resistor Rheostat 500 Ohm 50W". Will it do the job?Its specifications are below.
Thanks anyway my friend!
Specification:
Product NameRheostatMaterialCeramic, MetalColorAs Picture ShownPower Rating50 WResistance Value500 ΩMounted Hole Dia4mm/ 0.157"
Bottom Screw Diameter5.5mm/ 0.216"Bottom Base Diameter54mm/ 2.1"Shaft Size33 x 16mm/ 1.6'' x 0.6''(L*D)Body Size73 x 27mm/ 2.9" x 1"(D*T)Net Weight150gPackage Content1 x Rheostat
I made one up with a pencil style ignition coil.
It produces a good high output voltage but not more than a clip around the ear worth of energy.
It uses the start-up sequence of an SMPSU.
I built it to stop domestic cats digging up seedling beds in the spring when they go into kill everything new born plant or animal mode.
It just makes them sulk and does no lasting harm.
It produces a good high output voltage but not more than a clip around the ear worth of energy.
It uses the start-up sequence of an SMPSU.
I built it to stop domestic cats digging up seedling beds in the spring when they go into kill everything new born plant or animal mode.
It just makes them sulk and does no lasting harm.
Just tried the resistor trick
Well I just tried the resistor trick and it's not working yet. I first added a 25W 1.5K ohm ceramic flameproof resistor inline on the hot side. My fence tester measured 5K volts (max reading on the meter and the same reading without the resistor).
I then added an additional 470 ohm resistor inline for a total of 1.97K ohms... still the same reading. And then added another 470 for a total of almost 2500 ohms... still hitting the 5K v mark. I touched the wire to feel it for myself and it's still packing a pretty good wallop ��
These were all the resistors I got at Fry's so I can't experiment anymore today.
Here is what I'm dealing with:
http://www.amazon.com/Fi-Shock-EA2M...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01
http://www.amazon.com/Fi-Shock-A5LV...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
Well I just tried the resistor trick and it's not working yet. I first added a 25W 1.5K ohm ceramic flameproof resistor inline on the hot side. My fence tester measured 5K volts (max reading on the meter and the same reading without the resistor).
I then added an additional 470 ohm resistor inline for a total of 1.97K ohms... still the same reading. And then added another 470 for a total of almost 2500 ohms... still hitting the 5K v mark. I touched the wire to feel it for myself and it's still packing a pretty good wallop ��
These were all the resistors I got at Fry's so I can't experiment anymore today.
Here is what I'm dealing with:
http://www.amazon.com/Fi-Shock-EA2M...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s01
http://www.amazon.com/Fi-Shock-A5LV...&redirect=true&ref_=oh_aui_detailpage_o01_s00
You measure the voltage right at the output of the energiser?
Adding resistors in line will just decrease the load so main output will increase but the voltage at the fence wire would be dependent of the conductivity of the subject/animal.
You can, instead, place resistor in parallel with the output so that load increase and the voltage will reduce.
Got it
So here's what I ended up with.
My electric fence tester was pegged at 5500v before and now reads about 1000v. I also added a 1amp fuse so it's not going to hurt anybody.
So here's what I ended up with.
An externally hosted image should be here but it was not working when we last tested it.
My electric fence tester was pegged at 5500v before and now reads about 1000v. I also added a 1amp fuse so it's not going to hurt anybody.
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