The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Smallholding => Equipment => Topic started by: Rhea on March 04, 2015, 10:54:23 am
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I'm about to set up a 12v battery powered electric fence, but I'm remembering some things from my school days about water and electricity not being the best combination....
So - do I need to put some weather protection around my leisure battery and energiser? I don't seem to find anything sold for this or anyone else asking so I guess it's a silly question, but I can't stop wondering if I need to build it a little hat? :raining:
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I put my batteries in a plastic battery box - you can get them from any camping/caravan shop. The energisers I use are designed for outdoors so are weather proof.
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The main protection is from being nicked.
Someone who grazed my fields with their sheep puts the energizer in a blue plastic barrel which is staked internally into the ground, the top is then padlocked shut. I have never used a battery box, I hide mine in rubbish with a lead out cable.
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Brilliant - found loads of them for about £10 on amazon.
Things are so much easier once you know the words to search for - thanks!
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we bought a brand new Falcon energiser in October. That of course is weatherproof. We covered our battery in a heavy plastic box. We have the battery attached to a solar panel. This is the same system we have used for several years with no problems.
All was well for about 2 months, then the energiser stopped working. No line problems, the earth rod seemed fine and nothing snagging the electric rope. We brought everything inside and the battery was fully charged but the energiser appeared dead. We weren't able to contact the company for a few days but in the meantime the energiser seemed to burst into life again. We have no idea why.
So everything went outside again and all was well for 2 weeks. Then the same problem arose again.
The company didn't know what the problem could be but told us they would send us a new energiser and that the faulty one would be picked up.
The 2nd energiser duly arrived and we set up. All fine. You know what's coming dont you?! :-\ The same happened AGAIN!
The chances of 2 brand new energisers having the same unidentified fault must be very small.
So what are your ideas? Does the energiser working after a time indoors suggest that something is getting damp that shouldn't?
The 1st energiser hasn't been collected yet so we currently have 2 new energisers :excited:....sadly neither of them works reliably :(
Any clues anyone?
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Our battery got submerged in a flood last winter, but was still powering the energiser! It's now raised up in case of a repeat event, but with no cover on it. Never had any issues and the battery lasts for weeks!
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Kimbo yes,
I think its water penetration and it drys out inside. I recon they vary in how water resistant they are. We had a similar problem. Ours had to be repaired under warranty.
Rhea,
before you shell out a tenner. I use an empty mineral lick bucket with clip on water tight lid. lts economical, environmentally friendly and a great disguise.