Donnie Hyatt

One of our dogs seems so intent on catching rodents and burrowing critters that she has a persistent wound on her snout that simply won't heal. I don't know if she thinks she's one of the pigs, or what! We try of course to keep it free from infection with Blu-Kote and such, but this has been going on for many months and I'm not sure what to do about it. Stifling the behavior seems unreasonable, and bandages surely won't last more than a minute or two. I've considered the cone of shame, but I'm wondering if this is common behavior for GPs, or if anyone in the Permiesphere has experience in curbing it or dealing with the repercussions.

Thanks in advance for any advice, we really appreciate it.

Friends -

I am happy to report that the fence is finally functional, thanks in no small part to the encouragement, reassurance and suggestions provided by you friendly folks. As I walked the perimeter listening for arcs or pops, I found a place where the wire was hooked on a piece of barbed wire, in an area that I had checked no less than a dozen times prior. Because I was on the other side of the fence with my ear closer to the energized wire, I saw it from a different angle which was apparently obscured from the other side from where I had been looking previously.

My frustration levels were through the roof, and I was ready to throw in the towel when I posted here, and your support got me to the resolution. Thank you all so very much.

James Freyr wrote:Ok, what kind of insulation on the wire? Or maybe I should ask if this is special electric fence lead wire?

https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/american-farmworks-underground-cable-50-ft?cm_vc=-10005

Is it possible to have a faulty insulator? I know that sounds ridiculous, even as I type it, but I have walked that stretch many times looking for any place it might be grounding out, and it is only touching insulators. No branches, no posts...only insulators. I am completely baffled.

James Freyr wrote:

Donnie Hyatt wrote:... I am stretching a length of wire across the gate ...

What kind of wire?

14ga insulated steel wire (the same stuff I buried under the gates)

Wow, amazing responses! Thank you so much! There's a lot of questions to answer, and I'll do my best to provide all of the requested information.

Soil: I am in an Atlanta, Georgia suburb, and while the soil in our pasture is not really clay per se, it's still Georgia soil, so it's heavy. We've had a TON of rain in recent weeks, so the ground is quite wet....wetter than usual to be sure.

I am using an American FarmWorks 15 Mile controller (0.7 Output Joules, 0.9 Stored Joules) and 17ga steel wire. Plastic insulators attached to wood posts as pictured below. To eliminate possible issues with the buried insulated wire, I am stretching a length of wire across the gate from insulated post "T" to insulated post "T".

The tester I am using is NOT contact-less, it has a ground stake of it's own and a dual prong probe that straddles the wire (https://www.tractorsupply.com/tsc/product/american-farmworks-digital-fence-line-tester?cm_vc=-10005)

Please forgive the crude sketch, it's not anywhere near scale and it's not pretty to look at, but I thought it might help visualize the setup.

I plan to make another perimeter walk listening for "arc" or "pop", thank you for that suggestion. In the meantime, I do hope this information will solicit more suggestions and feedback.

I am new to electric fencing, and I am stuck with a problem that seems like it has an obvious answer, but the obvious solution is not helping. I have installed an American FarmWorks energizer that puts out approx. 14,000 volts through the first section of fencing (two wires, maybe 40' each from the energizer to the first gate). When I connect the TOP wire ONLY of the next section (maybe 500' from the first gate to the second gate), measuring voltage in the same place (at the end of the first section, just before the first gate), the voltage drops to 1,300, and at the end of the second section it's less than 800. The energizer is rated for 15 miles, heavy weed conditions.

I am 100% positive that the top wire is making contact with NOTHING except the plastic insulators in the second section. I have walked the perimeter a dozen times and confirmed it, and again right before typing this out. I have 3 ground stakes 48" deep and 10' apart near the energizer, and it is not near any other grounds (that I am aware of). Because of the fact that I can get a solid reading of 14k at the first gate when the second section is disconnected, I do not believe the problem to be with an insufficient ground, and because I am confident that the wire in the second section is not grounding out anywhere, I do not believe the problem to be with a ground-out. Also, the problem does not suggest poor connections, as I would expect to see a drop in voltage beyond the bad connection, and not a drop in voltage at the same place that measures well when not connected to the second section.

I am stumped and would appreciate advice from anyone with more experience. Thanks in advance.