Quick Guide to Troubleshooting Problems with Electric Fences
(Lesson 3. Fencing Systems continued)
| PROBLEM | PROBABLE CAUSES |
|---|---|
| Energizer not on or no voltmeter reading across energizer output terminals when disconnected from fence. | · Mainline power outage · Blown fuse on input circuit · Energizer switched off · Dry cell batteries dead, wet cell batteries discharged · Terminals corroded · Faulty energizer |
| Energizer on but low voltmeter reading across energizer output terminals when disconnected from fence. (classic signs of bad transformer) | · Energizer switched to low setting · Weak batteries · Terminals corroded |
| Energizer connected & operating but no voltmeter reading on fence. (Dead short on fence) | · Ground-return wire disconnected or broken · Feedwire terminals corroded, disconnected or broken · Broken live or ground-return wire on fence |
| Low voltmeter readings at several places on fence. | · Energizer on low setting · Energizer inadequate for length of fence · Weak batteries · Terminals corroded · Ground system inadequate · Soil dried out |
| No voltmeter reading or low reading at one location on fence. | · Broken wire · Dead short across wires · Broken or disconnected jumper wire · Disconnected or deteriorated ground rod |
| Voltmeter reading on one wire higher than another or no reading from one live wire to ground-return wire or soil. | · Broken or disconnected fence wire · Broken or disconnected jumper wire · Broken or disconnected ground wire · Broken or faulty insulator · Ground rod deteriorated |
| Radio, TV or telephone interference. (major short on fence) | · Ground system inadequate · Antenna too close to fence · Fence parallel with antenna wires or telephone wires |