Stray voltage from electric fence

[brw]

I am getting shocked from electric fence when ground is wet when I touch metal panels in my holding pen. Electric fence is not attached to fence panels anywhere and electric fence and panels do not share post . Ground wire and 4 ground rods sit under panels but do not touch panels. it is especially bad with gates in alley where ground wire and rods are under one side. I attached photo of alley. if I have on leather gloves i do not feel it, bare handed you can feel it.

 

[Ebenezer]

Something is touching.

 

[Dsth]

where is the fencing unit hanging? it could be passing through the fencer to the panels. I can't see how the post and insulators are positioned in the pic but if you have old or weak insulators with post touching the panels, that could give it a path. check for good connection between fencer and ground rods.

 

[brw]

where is the fencing unit hanging? it could be passing through the fencer to the panels. I can't see how the post and insulators are positioned in the pic but if you have old or weak insulators with post touching the panels, that could give it a path. check for good connection between fencer and ground rods.

Charger is hanging in enclosed Barn on wood not barn you can see you do not get shocked touching the metal barn siding ..... fence is 10 foot from panels...gate between fence and panels, that gate does not shock....ground wire and ground rods are under panel in line with panels but wire and rods do not touch panel. you only get shocked close to ground wire and rods

 

[jltrent]

With all those panels setting on the ground one would think they would be grounded. Also a ground wire should not carry voltage. If you unplug the charger does it shock you? How strong is the charger? Maybe try another charger.

 

[Nick Wagner]

Try hooking the gates to the ground system, tying them together. I suspect ground currents are the problem. Do you get a poke if you touch the ground rods?

 

[Dsth]

unhook the wire from the + side of the fencer and see if you still get a shock from the panels. if yes, problem is from grounding side. if no. problem is from + side. why are the grounding rods under the panels if the fencer is farther away in a barn? maybe move the grounding rods closer to the fencer. since the gate closes to the hot wire doesn't give you a shock, problem is most likely grounding problem.

 

[brw]

unhook the wire from the + side of the fencer and see if you still get a shock from the panels. if yes, problem is from grounding side. if no. problem is from + side. why are the grounding rods under the panels if the fencer is farther away in a barn? maybe move the grounding rods closer to the fencer. since the gate closes to the hot wire doesn't give you a shock, problem is most likely grounding problem.

charger is in enclosed barn looking back the other direction down the alley in this photo

 

[wbvs58]

Keep looking.

Ken

 

[simme]

A few thoughts. Like any electrical circuit, the positive wire carries the voltage and amps to the load (in this case the fence and anything that touches it). The negative "wire" carries the amps back to the source (charger negative terminal). The negative "wire" in this case is the animal's feet, the dirt, the ground rods and clamps and the negative wire to the charger. The path through the ground will be the path of least resistance depending on soil moisture, mud puddles, buried metal, steel panels touching the ground, etc. Is the ground wire from the charger to the ground rods insulated or uninsulated? How is the ground attached to the ground rods? Are the connections corroded? If the ground wire is not insulated or has cracked insulation and there is corrosion between the ground wire and the rods, the current flow from the fence back to the charger is still going to take the path of least resistance. Steel panels setting on dirt may have less resistance than a corroded connection of the ground wire to the rods.
Easiest solution is probably to move the ground rods away from the panels and closer to the charger.

 

[sstterry]

How is the ground attached to the ground rods? Are the connections corroded? If the ground wire is not insulated or has cracked insulation and there is corrosion between the ground wire and the rods, the current flow from the fence back to the charger is still going to take the path of least resistance. Steel panels setting on dirt may have less resistance than a corroded connection of the ground wire to the rods.
Easiest solution is probably to move the ground rods away from the panels and closer to the charger.

As I recall you can also get stray voltage if your grounds are not properly interconnected.

 

[brw]

A few thoughts. Like any electrical circuit, the positive wire carries the voltage and amps to the load (in this case the fence and anything that touches it). The negative "wire" carries the amps back to the source (charger negative terminal). The negative "wire" in this case is the animal's feet, the dirt, the ground rods and clamps and the negative wire to the charger. The path through the ground will be the path of least resistance depending on soil moisture, mud puddles, buried metal, steel panels touching the ground, etc. Is the ground wire from the charger to the ground rods insulated or uninsulated? How is the ground attached to the ground rods? Are the connections corroded? If the ground wire is not insulated or has cracked insulation and there is corrosion between the ground wire and the rods, the current flow from the fence back to the charger is still going to take the path of least resistance. Steel panels setting on dirt may have less resistance than a corroded connection of the ground wire to the rods.
Easiest solution is probably to move the ground rods away from the panels and closer to the charger.

ground wire is uninsulated. wire is attached with a ground wire clamp...hot wire will attach to field fence and not show shorted on charger...some times I can here hot wire clicking on field fence and know is is attached somewhere...so that may be happing causing me to feel the hot wire through the panels

 

[wbvs58]

Have you checked all your field fences well away from the yards? In my experience what you are describing is often a hot wire up against a barb wire fence that then runs back and is tied to a gate post. It may not be obvious if it needs water to make it happen.

Ken

 

[sstterry]

ground wire is uninsulated. wire is attached with a ground wire clamp...hot wire will attach to field fence and not show shorted on charger...some times I can here hot wire clicking on field fence and know is is attached somewhere...so that may be happing causing me to feel the hot wire through the panels

If you hear clicking and it is not the charger, you have a short or a bad connection somewhere.

 

[wbvs58]

If you hear clicking and it is not the charger, you have a short or a bad connection somewhere.

Go out at night after a bit of dew has settled and look for a bit of arking.

Ken

 

[Ebenezer]

ground wire is uninsulated. wire is attached with a ground wire clamp...hot wire will attach to field fence and not show shorted on charger...some times I can here hot wire clicking on field fence and know is is attached somewhere...so that may be happing causing me to feel the hot wire through the panels

How long has it been installed? Did you use dissimilar metal: bare #4 copper, galvanized rods or are the clamps dissimilar? It only takes a few years for the ground systems to develop ionic films as insulation between two different metals. If not enough ground, auger a posthole where there will be ample water, mix sodium bentonite in the dirt from the hole and put the new rod in the center and backfill. The new "ground rod" will be the diameter of the posthole. And use the non-ionic grease on the junctions.

 

[Shoestring]

How dry is it there? Very possible to have transient voltage travelling to the panels. You have the ground rods positioned under the panels?
Water around those groundrods and see if it still happens. That is why the layer of gravel at electrical sub stations. 'Evens out spikes of stray voltage.'; so to speak. I think it is a basic issue. Don't over think it. Electricity basically works in a circle. Don't break the circle, don't put anything on the circle.

 

[Dave]

I had a dairy farmer that I was working with who was getting stray voltage into the water trough. The cows wouldn't drink because touching the water would shock you. Concrete trough that I am sure had rebar in it. The ground rods were 40 feet from the trough. We ran a wire the length of the stall barn and put in ground rods there. That was 150 feet or so from the trough. That cured the problem.

 

[Shoestring]

@brw what did you find?