A guide to an effective electric fence in Kenya - Farm Fences

Weeds or vegetation growing on the fence line is the most common culprit contributing to a heavy fence load and ineffective electric fence. Green plants draw voltage and amperage from the electricfence to earth.

Other circumstances that can rob the fence of voltage and amperage include Cracked or broken insulators, or insulators of a poor design will allow electricity to leak to the fence post and down to earth. Sagging or broken wires can contact un-insulated wires or the ground. Wet weather will magnify all of these problems. When enough conditions exist to draw all of the electricity produced by the energiser from the fence, the fence is said to be `shorted out'.

Rusty wire, poor splices, or wire of insufficient diameter to carry the flow of voltage and amperage also contribute to fence load. These problems do not draw voltage and amperage to earth, but they do impede the flow of electricity along the fence, contributing to the fence load.

Even the length of the fence contributes to the fence load. The longer the fence, the less ability (or greater capacitance) it has to store the energy supplied by the Energiser. On very long fences, capacitance can become a major contributor to the fence load. This problem can be solved by using properly sized energizer machine.

For installation of farm electric fence, we recommend use of high quality energizer machine like Stafix or JVA Farm Energizer Machines.

Proper construction with quality components, installing an adequately powered energiser, a proper earth installation and good management practices are the key to keeping fence load under control.

Inadequate earthing is the most common failure in electric fence operation