[PipKelpy]

Ok, so I did ask about 12v. NOT wanting to buy anymore of these ones due to the batteries.

However, I have a small area, which keeps getting holey either by rabbits or stripey foxes, say no more!

I have looked at doing a temporary but permanent fence on 1 strand of wire, but it will double back as a 2nd strand lower down, to keep sheep and cattle in.

At the top of this website there is a link to a fencing company but I read reviews and one of the models I looked at, someone said only lasted a few months.

Amazon sell similar but they too have not brilliant reviews.

So, NOT mains, does anyone have any experience of using a dual powered energiser, like a 9v battery that can also take a 12v in emergencies or similar (solar panel) that would suit my needs? Don't want to have to fork out £150 and it dies within a few months.

I have looked at 9v energisers before and disregarded them yet when I think of how much I spend on my marine batteries (numax) and how they usually die after about 3 years, yet are not used all year round, maybe in the long run, a 9v energiser would work out more cost effective.

A neighbour told me he has a heavy duty solar powered one but the "proper" type of way above my price range.

I have looked at the Hotline Rapters (I think it is) but they are 6v & 12v, so it still means buying another 12v battery.

[Womble]

I'm confused. Unless you already have a battery, what does 9V give you that 12V doesn't?

[chrismahon]

Puzzled as to why your 12v batteries have such a short service life PipKelpy? We have a Rutland 12v unit which is as old as one of the leisure batteries that is used with it, so about 12 years. Our charger is small and the batteries pretty big (last a month), so they take 48 hours to recharge- that's from the battery light going black to being green again. So I'm wondering if your charger is for fast charging car batteries and is overcharging the leisure ones?

[PipKelpy]

Womble, understand question but don't want to buy another 12v fencer that works solely on 12v batteries due to the cost of them. Can't plug mains in anywhere and the batteries i buy are heavy duty ones so quite hefty to lug. Have googled etc and though some companies do 6v/12v dual power the only ones with 9v/12v power are either cheap makes or not got good reviews. I have googled 9v batteries and some that I have found with good reviews etc state anything up to a years life on a short fence. £30 for a year would be fabulous especially seeing i am paying around £90 minimum for a 12v leisure battery that never seems to go beyond the 3 year life!

ChrisMahon, also a good question! The charger we use was bought for agriculture purposes, has high and low settings 12v and 24v. Batteries in the past have lasted longer. I've been buying Numax marine batteries for as long as I can remember and they did last longer. Maybe they have changed bits inside?

The charger itself has never given us problems and it wasn't a cheap one so maybe I'm getting bad batteries? BUT, the fencers aren't on year round. They just all currently need to be used and I could do with a 4th but am reluctant to buy another identical to what I have knowing that what I have are battery equivalent to mains when it's not necessary (that and the fact I would have to buy another battery!)

[chrismahon]

Our original leisure battery is an 'Auto Elite', the same sized new ones (4 years) are 'Platinum' and cost £135 each. We have 3 batteries because we have, for the last 4 years, planned on 2 enclosures. Our charger is delivering 1 ½  amps max- I know because I have checked it, not trusting the reading on the charger. The batteries are used in turn and the fence has been running nightly for the last 3 years.


I have to say PipKelpy, that if I was paying £90 for a battery that only lasted 3 years I'd be searching for better alternatives as well. We do make sure our electric lines are kept clear of undergrowth, as that does run the batteries down quickly and may lead to early failure.