Any recommendations for a solid solar fence charger? Needs to drive less than 1000 feet. Horses are already doing their best to ruin brand new fencing (this is why we can’t have nice things, sigh.) Looking at putting up some sort of poly wire or rope.
Considering the Gallagher S10? Anything else I should look at?
might want to upgrade the battery in whatever you get as "The standard rating for batteries is at room temperature 25 degrees C (about 77 F). At approximately -22 degrees F (-30 C), battery Ah capacity drops to 50%. At freezing, capacity is reduced by 20%. "
In the northeast Freezing conditions are usually met with long periods of overcast skies… not really good solar recharging conditions…especially if you have forgotten to wipe the snow off the panel (an deice it after the snow melts)
Parmak, sorry forge the model #
I’m happy with both of mine from Premier1. I like the older one in the metal case best, but their newer blue plastic one is doing fine also.
https://www.premier1supplies.com/c/poultry-supplies/energizer-kits
I’m happy with the Parmak but the battery doesn’t work at night when it drops below -20C. But when it’s that cold, the horses are just huddled in the barn or around a bale so I’ve never worried.
I’ve used the 12 volt Parmak here in Wisconsin for about ten years with no problem. The big thing in winter is keeping the solar panel free of snow…and making sure there is enough ground moisture to keep the fencer grounded…and keeping the snow off the bottom fence line. When I built my fencing I did five lines of braid. Lines 1,3 and 5 are hot, and I ran a ground wire to lines 2 and 4. It works great.
I have several, different types. The only time they aren’t working is when they get covered with snow, otherwise very effective. Especially if you are using it to beef up and protect a solid fence, use steel or aluminum wire, it is more sure to carry the charge. If you have deer, set the wire so that the deer won’t hit it when they jump the fence… not sticking up higher than your solid fence, and tight enough to the posts that it is more likely to be cleared successfully when they jump the fence. It’s nice to have a spot in your fenceline where the deer CAN get through without jumping, a space that deer can get through but horses can’t. The deer learn where these spots are, and choose to go through there rather than jump, which saves your electric fence.
Awesome, thanks for the feedback, all.
This will be a single strand on stand offs on the inside top board of a 4 board oak fence, so pretty straight forward. Might extend to two strands between the two that bicker–the fence takes a hit :rolleyes: Mostly protecting against teeth, but preventing butt rubbing is a plus, too.
Thankfully, we’re not THAT cold here…I rarely plug in the water heaters, if that gives an idea. And we actually specced out putting solar on the roof of the barn to power the house…went another direction, but it does get as much sun as possible, really, for our area.
I think the trickiest part will be driving the ground rods in our rocky soil!
No Tricks Needed, use a bipolar fence tape…part of the tape is hot and part is the ground… no grounding rod needed, no need to worry about abnormally dry ground
I think she meant the ledge/rock will get in the way of a rod. She’s in a state where it’s frustrating to try to pound fence posts in because you go four inches down and hit shale or ledge the size of a car.
I do have a Horseguard fence, Bi-Polar edition. It was expensive but no complaints other than pounding the fence posts in was a B because we have plenty of ledge here, too…
make your own… run two separated but close together tapes, one positive, one negative
Yep! Soooo much rock. I am literally building a whole wall of rock right now, ha!
@clanter Not going bipolar for this. Tough to get two points of contact with just the teeth touching the fence :lol:
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