Solar Panel Electric Fence Question

[Rafter S]

Hello,

Sorry I haven't been around for a while, but I have a problem and could use some help.

My electric fence isn't working. The light blinks, but it's not very bright. The cattle will push right up against it so it apparently isn't doing anything.

There are two wires, knee high and waist high. The charger is directly connected to one of them at one end, and they're connected to each other at the opposite end. It's grounded to a barbed wire fence with T-posts.

I think I either have a bad ground or the charger has gone bad. I've had the charger for a number of years, and it had been sitting on a shelf in the tractor shed for a year or so, but I set it out in the sun with the switch off for a few days before hooking it up. It's a 5 mile charger, and the fence is only a few hundred yards long.

Any ideas?

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Suspect the battery is bad. Even if kept in sunlight they will go bad in a few years. Seems like being kept in dark when not used, batteries go bad even quicker.

 

[Redgully]

Yeah i suspect battery too. Easy to change, i have gone though a couple of batteries in mine but now it has stopped charging tge battery. Solar panel still putting out good voltage but to getting through board to battery.

 

[regolith]

If your ground line onto the T-post fence is sound then you're grounded... you can check that by running a wire directly between fence and ground connection see if it makes a difference. I had to replace the silly plastic-coated wires my little portable unit came with for chain, steel clips and actual wire, first time left outside and not switched on the rats chewed through one, tied it back together and found the cows would chew it too, on or not, thanks to the plastic insulation.
Having said that, I use a fence checker to check the voltage, both little units were putting out plenty according to the reading, yet cows were going through those fences all the time.
Guy you purchased from may be willing to check it for problems?

 

[callmefence]

Battery and or solar panel, although the panels are very reliable. Check both with a voltmeter.
You need to check the battery with the unit on and the solar panel disconnected. And check the solar panel with it disconnected completely and in the sun of course.

 

[Rafter S]

Thanks for all the replies. I ordered a 12 volt Parmak solar unit from Valley Vet. It's supposed to be delivered today. I saw another discussion where that one was highly recommended by several people.

It's available from Amazon, but it's $25.00 cheaper from Valley Vet.