Grounding electric fence

[inyati13]

I use the fence tester so cant help you with the volt meter except I do know it can be used. Sorry, someone else chime in here.

Careful..
I've seen more than one person fry their perfectly good VOM while troubleshooting a hot fence wire system.
Most Voltmeters aren't rated for over 600VDC--a few work at 1000VDC. (six hundred to one thousand volts).
Most chargers output over 6000-10,000VDC. (Six to ten THOUSAND volts).

Been there done that. I think that was the very same model I fried.

 

[inyati13]

Greybeard, my electric fence puts out 12,000 volts at maximum if I remember correctly. I used my voltmeter and it was history. I got one of the electric fence testers at the feedstore that basically uses a graduated scale that lights up where the voltage output level is.

 

[yme]

I have used a barbwire fence for a ground with some electric fence that we roll out for fall/winter pasture on some bottom, flood prone hay ground and I think it works very good. If it is very dry or really frozen, not so good but for the most part we have rain in the fall and by the time the ground freezes that hard they have learned what that wire means to them. The fun part of this for me is when you get a big rain on frozen ground and you get a flash flood. Have to get the cows out fast and then decide if you want to rebuild the fence.

 

[M5farm]

I have one Electric fence box that is grounded to a 4" well casing. I've never had a issue with the ground on it.