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December 28, 2013

HOW AN ELECTRIC FENCE WORKS

 

 

An electric fence energizer converts mains or battery power into a high voltage pulse. The energizer releases this pulse on to an insulated fence line about once every second. The pulse itself is only around 150 microseconds long.

This pulse is commonly referred to as the "shock" and is felt by any animal which touches an electrified fence. When the animal makes contact with the fence the circuit is complete. It is at this point the animal receives a shock. The diagram below shows how the current flows from the energizer down the fenceline and through the animal. The current then flows through the earth back to the ground system and completes the circuit. It is the shock which deters the animal from putting pressure on the fence line.

An electric fence is a psychological barrier rather than a physical one so the animal must be educated to respect the fence. The pain that an animal feels is short lived and does not physically harm the animal, unlike barbed wire which can cause severe cuts and long lasting pain whilst also damaging the hide.

THERE ARE A NUMBER OF REASONS FOR CHOOSING ELECTRIC FENCING:

  • LOW COST - electric fences require less materials and labor than conventional fences.
  • EASILY CONSTRUCTED - with fewer and lighter materials.
  • LONGER LIFE - due to reduced physical pressure.
  • UNIVERSAL APPLICATION - will contain all types of animals while discouraging predators and trespassers.
  • IMPROVES EXISTING FENCES - by including 1 or 2 electrified wires in your conventional fence or by adding offsets. This will extend the fence life.
  • SIMPLICITY AND FLEXIBILITY - a quick and easy way to effectively subdivide a paddock for intensive grazing, improving pasture management and production.
  • LOW MAINTENANCE - due to reduced stock pressure.
  • LESS DAMAGE TO STOCK - the shock from an electric fence causes no physical damage to stock and if they are forced through electric fences by wild animals or bush fires there is reduced likelihood of injury.

Written by Gallagher Electric Fencing

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December 09, 2013

Gallagher MBX2500 Energizer, includes free USA shipping and free fence tester

Special Deals on Gallagher Electric Fence

Gallagher MBX2500 Energizer, includes free USA shipping and free fence tester

$1,349.99 USD

SmartPower MBX2500 Energizer

Features
  • Powers up to 1,000 acres.
  • Stored Energy: 25 Joules (Approx.).
  • Plugs into 110-volt outlet with battery backup or battery-only operation.
  • Four large, easy-to-read digital displays show stored energy, output voltage, fence voltage and earth voltage.
  • Remote controlled to switch the energizer on/off from anywhere on the fence line.
  • Free Energizer shipping in USA!!! Free Gallagher Baseball Cap with every $500 Order!

Dimensions:  220 (mm) / 8.7 (inch) /  310 (mm) / 12.2 (inch) /  90 (mm) / 3.5 (inch)
Weight: 4.22 (kgs) / 9.30 (lbs)
Warranty: 2 Year
Colors: Black
Product Code: G302404
  

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December 06, 2013

Worried About Hormones?

All multi-cellular organisms contain hormones. Photo courtesy of Troy Walz.
All multi-cellular organisms contain hormones. Photo courtesy of Troy Walz.

By Bruce Treffer, UNL Extension Educator

There are a lot of concerns and mixed messages about hormones in beef. There are a few things to keep in mind the next time you hear that beef contains too many hormones.

All multi-cellular organisms contain hormones. That’s true for animals and vegetables, but some meat production systems use hormone implants which cause the meat to have slightly more hormones than the non-implanted. True in beef, but not in pork or chicken as federal law does not permit the use of hormones in raising hogs or chickens. Implants are used to increase efficiency (i.e. feed conversion to muscle more quickly) or more muscle from less feed more quickly, which keeps prices down and reduces the environmental impact of production.

In beef, the implanted animals will produce meat that contains slightly more of the hormone estrogen (1.9 versus 1.3 nanograms per 3 ounce serving - which is about the size of a deck of cards). Is that extra estrogen going to cause problems? Consider the facts. When hormones are eaten, they are digested, broken down and largely neutralized, so they don’t act as hormones anymore. Even if they did, the 1.9 nanograms of estrogen in implanted beef seems miniscule when we consider that a child’s body produces around 50,000 nanograms of estrogen per day. An adult female (non-pregnant) will produce 480,000 nanograms of estrogen per day on its own.

The 1.9 nanograms of estrogen in implanted beef is also miniscule compared to 225 nanograms of estrogen in potatoes, 340 nanograms of estrogen in peas, 520 nanograms of estrogen in ice cream, 2,000 nanograms of estrogen in cabbage, 11,250 nanograms of estrogen in soy milk, and 170,000 nanograms of estrogen in soybean oil… all based on a 3 ounce serving size. One birth control pill contains 35,000 nanograms of estrogen. It may be surprising to learn that there are more hormones in commonly eaten food products than there are in beef (http://go.unl.edu/uhg4 or http://msucares.com/pubs/publications/p2767.pdf)!

So why do kids seem to be growing faster and reaching puberty earlier? Genetics play a role, but hormones make far less sense than calories consumed and increased levels of body fat (i.e., childhood obesity). According to Dr. Frank Biro of the Cincinnati Children’s Hospital, “BMI (body mass index) is, we found, the biggest single factor for the onset of puberty.” It is easy to blame hormones and sometimes just meat for that matter, or food in general for health problems because the general public is removed from actual food production and processing. It is human nature to be fearful of things we aren’t familiar with or that we don’t fully understand. It is always advisable to do some research and make inquiries yourself before believing everything you hear or read. If misinformation and half-truths are repeated often enough, and in sinister enough media campaign voices, they can take on a life of their own devoid of science or truth.

For more UNL Beef information go to http://beef.unl.edu

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December 02, 2013

Why Gallagher?

 

Gallagher’s range of gate hardware leads the farm gate market, and for good reason. From day one, the goal has been to continuously meet customers’ needs through a focus on quality, innovation and design.

  • Innovation and Design
    An in-depth understanding of farmers' and contractors' requirements has been paramount in the production of high quality, practical product design. The combined commitment of a full in-house design team, research and development group, and Gallagher territory manager force ensures Gallagher products are on the edge of design.
     
  • Quality
    Gallagher has a well-deserved reputation for quality products. The use of robotic welding, semi-automated gate bending, hot dip galvanising and no waste thread rolling ensures all Gallagher gate hardware have greater uniformity, superior strength and durability. Gallagher's products are produced completely on site, which also ensures the highest standard of quality is maintained throughout the entire manufacturing process.

So when it comes to farm gate systems, insist on Gallagher for:

  • The complete range - designed in association with farmers to meet their special requirements
  • Strength and durability - manufactured to strict design specifications and tolerances
  • Superior practical design - for easy hanging of gates

Please order online 24/7 or call VALLEY FARM SUPPLY at  717-786-0368

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December 02, 2013

Cattle Update: Fence Line Weaning

 

 

Calving season brings in newborns which can make for a loud, raucous fall when it’s time to wean.  It’s surprisingly quiet, though, with a practice called fence line weaning.  Call it a gentler, kinder way to separate a calf from its mother, it allows the pair to remain close and greatly reduces stress on both. 

 

Mark Goes, an expert on the process, spends part of his time as an instructor at Southeast Community College in Beatrice, Nebraska and the rest of his time as a small cattle rancher.  He got into the process, which he calls ‘pasture weaning’ while working with his students in 1998 in a Ranching for Profit class.

 

“We wean as early as possible,” said Goes.  “"A calf's rumen is inoculated to digest solid feeds by 4 months of age.  This also coincides with the time that dam's milk production begins to decline.  We like to get the younger calves weaned and on a solid feed diet as soon as possible, thereby meeting the performance demands of the calf more effectively and freeing up more pasture to run more cows."

 

Goes deals with just 30 animals at home and a maximum of 60 at the school.  “The University of Nebraska is doing fence line weaning with herd sizes of 250 or more,” he said.

 

Goes experience at home as well as the college shows the wean stress is over in 2 to 3 days.  “Calves get over it faster than cows, all they need to learn is where to eat” he said.  “We use a nanny to show them the ropes – where the feed and water is.”  

 

“A cow’s milk production continues and she wants some relief so what we’re really doing is weaning the mother.”

 

A power fence is critical to the process.  Goes uses a simple and inexpensive two wire fence and an energizer from Gallagher to control his animals.  Explaining its effectiveness, Gallagher president Erwin Quinn said “An electric fence is a psychological barrier that doesn’t require great strength to be effective. It must be well designed and constructed to absorb some pressure from animals, snow and wind and the energizer must have enough power for the length of the fence and for the animals being controlled.”

 

A pulsed electric current is sent along the fence wire, about one pulse per second, from a grounded energizer.  When an animal brushes against the fence, a circuit between the fence and the ground is completed and the animal feels a short, sharp but safe shock.

 

Most people agree that posts and woven wire won’t do.  “Weaning calves are like sheep,” said one proponent.  “They’ll bunch up next to the fence and, sooner or later, they’ll push through.  The power fence prevents them from doing that.”

 

To prevent fence line crowding, Goes said it’s important to eliminate corners and place food and water sources away from the fence. 

 

Backing up Goes’ real life experience are many scientific studies.  California researchers, for instance, tested the effectiveness of fence line weaning a few years ago.  They weaned a group of calves with only a power fence between them and their mothers and compared them to calves weaned totally separated from their mothers.

 

They found that fence line calves and cows spent about half their time within a few feet of the fence during the first two days.  Fence line calves bawled and walked less, and ate and rested more than the separated calves.

 

All the calves were placed together 7 days after weaning.  Even so, at two weeks, the fence line calves had gained 23 pounds more than separated calves.  At 10 weeks, fence line calves gained an average of 110 pounds compared to 84 pounds for separated calves, indicating the stress from weaning was an ongoing problem. 

 

Goes agrees with the research.  He noted that at harvest the fence line calves still showed more weight gain and better quality meat than traditionally weaned animals.

 

Please order online 24/7 or callVALLEY FARM SUPPLYat  717-786-0368

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December 02, 2013

Gallagher’s Ingenious Fence Tester Powers Itself

Easily clipped to an electric fence, Gallagher’s new Live Fence Indicator is a clever device that shows a fence is working properly. Best of all, it doesn’t need batteries!

Gallagher Product Manager Byron Arnold says the Live Fence Indicator is designed to be permanently fitted to an electric fence and features a super-bright flashing LED light that can be seen from a considerable distance, day or night.

“It’s very simple. If the light is flashing, the fence is working correctly. If there is no flashing, the fence voltage is too low and you know you have a problem.”

Byron says the Live Fence Indicator is designed to give farmers peace of mind that the fence is doing its job.

He says its biggest advantage is that it runs off the power of the fence itself, so no batteries are required.

“That’s quite a significant technical advancement and it means that the Live Fence Indicator is a very reliable, low-maintenance product.”

Positioned in a convenient and visible location, the Live Fence Indicator flashes with the fence pulses to show that the fence has sufficient power to be effective.

Easily installed, it can be clipped onto fence wire or attached to electric fence tape up to 40mm in width.

Byron says the Live Fence Indicator has been developed to make life easier for the farmer by providing a permanent and convenient solution to fence testing issues.

“You don’t have to worry about carrying a portable fence tester around all the time. And you don’t have to remember to change batteries.”

Water and UV resistant, the Live Fence Indicator is built tough to ensure a long working life.
It was developed using laboratory tests that mimicked the harsh conditions most fences are exposed to, including blistering heat and torrential rain.

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December 02, 2013

Gallagher Geared Reels Lock On To a Common Problem

Most pastoral farmers will know the feeling. One minute you are happily cruising across the paddock with your electric fencing reels and standards stacked tidily on the back of the motorbike or ute. Next minute: you hit a bump and fencing equipment goes everywhere.

But Gallagher have come up with an ingenious solution to this common and frustrating problem – the Geared Reel Transport Lock.

An improvement available on new Gallagher medium geared electric fencing reels, the insulated Transport Lock is designed to stop fencing reels ‘jumping off’ during transportation or falling off a permanent fence.

Gallagher Product Manager Graham Johns says the Transport Lock is a very simple and easy to use device that enables the fencing reel to be securely latched to the transport tray of a farm bike or other vehicle. Made from impact-resistant glass-fibre nylon, it can also be used to lock the reel onto the wire of a permanent fence. This will stop the reel falling over when the temporary fence is being reeled out.

Graham says portable fences are a vital part of the pastoral farmer’s tool kit and are used virtually every day during the cold winter months when feed is being rationed.

He says Gallagher’s on-farm research shows that fencing reels falling from farm bikes and other vehicles is a very common problem that often leads to significant damage to the reels.

“We also know that many farmers put up their portable fences by hanging the reel on a permanent fence, and then walking across the paddock while pulling out the wire or tape and carrying and placing standards in the ground. If the reel falls from the fence during this process it can cause considerable frustration and time loss.”

Graham says Gallagher solved this problem by adding an insulated swivel latch that closes across the loop of the main reel hook, preventing the reel from dislodging from the wire or bar it is hanging from.

“The Transport Lock offers major benefits for farmers because it saves time and eliminates a lot of the hassle of putting up electric fencing. It also protects the reel from damage and greatly extends its working life.”

Designed for real farm conditions, the patented Transport Lock is incredibly tough and has been thoroughly tested. It is also very easy to engage, even when gloves are worn.

A secondary catch prevents the lock accidentally disengaging. The wire or tape on the reel can still be electrified by wrapping the wire around the product’s existing steel hook.

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December 02, 2013

Gallagher Energizers Provide Effective Solution For Elephant Protection

 


Gallagher fencing technology is helping to solve a major ecological problem in Sri Lanka by keeping elephants safe from humans and humans safe from elephants.

Situated off the southern coast of India, Sri Lanka is home to an estimated 4000-5000 elephants- one of the densest elephant populations in Asia. Revered as a national treasure and a symbol of pride, Sri Lankan elephants are a protected species under the nation’s Wildlife Conservation Act. But in the 1980’s the development of new agricultural land surrounding Sri Lanka’s Mahaweli River (335km) brought humans and elephants into conflict. Traditional elephant migratory paths were blocked by this development, and elephants started encroaching upon farmland.

To solve this problem faced by farmers and elephants alike, the Mahaweli Authority of Sri Lanka - the institution responsible for the development of the river basin - needed to ensure that man and elephant could co-exist peacefully. When the authority was looking for a solution in the late 1980’s, Sri Lankan technology company Sunpower Systems (Pvt) Ltd introduced the concept of non-lethal high-voltage electric fencing. The company initially designed, supplied and installed two sections of 30km fence, which were powered by Gallagher Energizers, for the Mahaweli Authority. Once implemented, the responsibility for maintenance and set-up of these fences was handed over to the Department of Wildlife Conservation (DWC), which is entrusted with the task of minimising the human elephant conflict. The concept proved a huge success and today there is an estimated 3000km of elephant fencing throughout the region.

Building a fence to control an animal that typically weighs around 2500kg is no easy task. Especially when the fence has to be built through difficult jungle terrain in hot and humid conditions. Ravi Weerasekera, managing director of Sunpower Systems, says the fences are mostly installed in linear sections, each up to 20km in length. Standing up to 1.82metres high, fences typically consist of three wires, two of which are live. When an elephant touches the fence they get a short, sharp shock and this deters them from pushing against the fence again. Ravi says elephants are highly intelligent animals that learn from observation. They approach the fences with caution.

At some wildlife parks, for example, people will try to feed the elephants from behind the fencing and “a whole herd of elephants” will be lined up along the fence at a measured distance, waiting for food to come through. “It’s quite a dangerous situation and feeding the elephants is certainly not encouraged, but it does show the respect elephants have for these fences.”

He says the fences are powered by Gallagher Energizers which are sited in control rooms in the middle of each 20km section. Local villagers are trained to maintain the fences and this includes keeping the fences clear of vegetation. They also learn how to use the solar-powered equipment and perform voltage checks. In the early stages of fence development the fences were powered by B1200 Gallagher Energizers, “which performed very well in tough conditions”, but in recent years these have been replaced by MBX 2500 and MBX 1500 Energizers.

These Energizers monitor the fence status and correct any fluctuations automatically. They also generate an alarm when manual intervention is necessary. Ravi says the Energizers are very popular with the people who look after the fences. “They make fence maintenance easier due to the amount of fence performance information available on the Energizer itself. They are also very reliable.”

He says Gallagher Energizers are spread throughout the region. Ravi says Gallagher electric fencing products are used widely throughout Sri Lanka in pastoral farming and security applications. Many pastoral farms in Sri Lanka also require perimeter fencing to keep predatory pests like leopards and wild boar away from livestock. The newly built international airport in the southern region of Sri Lanka also has a Gallagher electric fence to prevent elephants from wandering onto the runway.

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December 01, 2013

Electric Fence - Volts, Joules and Deep Cycle Batteries

 

Fencer's Journal provides Interesting and informative discussions about fencing livestock.
 
The use of electric fencing to control and especially manage livestock and wildlife is very popular and efficient but sometimes very frustrating. There seems to be a general familiarity and acceptability to this type of control. In contrast, there is also a poor understanding concerning the individual components that make a system work. This article has useful fencing information. ...WVU-ES Editors.
 

Deep cycle batteries can be rated in either cold cranking amperes (amps) or amp hours. However, there are many types of deep cycle batteries. True deep cycles are never used for starting vehicles and thus have no cold cranking rating.

A deep cycle battery should rarely, if ever, be discharged to less than 40 percent of full charge. To do so will damage the plates. So, a battery that is rated as 100 amp hours has only 60 usable amp hours. Sixty ampere hours is 60,000 milli-amperes. Most battery energizers will provide statistics regarding their draw per hour. It is usually given in milli-amperes. (Truly big ones use over 1,000 milli-amperes per hour).

An energizer that draws 200 milli-amperes per hour will take 6,000 milli-amperes (24 hours x 200 milli-amperes) out of the battery in a 24-hour period. So, that 100 amp hours deep cycle battery should run the unit for 10 days ( 60,000 milli-amperes/6,000 milli-amperes per day).

An 88B unit is an unusual energizer in terms of circuit design and function. Though only a 5.5 joule unit, even at low setting, the joules that it actually delivers to the point of animal contact greatly exceeds that of much larger units when the total fence circuit resistance is high. However, its voltage is usually10-15% lower than many others. This is a direct result of the unusual circuit design. It is my estimation that, even at low setting, this unit has about five times more energizer energy output available than is needed in most instances. That is always better than the opposite situation, however.

A word on the subject of voltage for electric fences. Few things seem to be so misunderstood by so many. It is not the voltage that deters an animal. If it were, static electricity would be a terrible thing, as the voltage contained in it often exceeds 15,000 volts (not a misprint). But the energy available in static electricity is minute. Thus only minute pain is felt. It is the actual quantity (joules) of energy that passes through the animal. The energy that flows is not proportionate to the voltage of a circuit. However, a minimum level of voltage is required to overcome the resistance of the animal/fence wire/soil, etc. Without adequate voltage, no energy will flow.

An example of this is a 12 volt battery. If a human or animal touches both terminals of a battery, no pain is felt, yet so much energy is available that if one instead lays a metal screwdriver across the terminals, sparks will fly, the metal will become red hot and even melt.

Why the difference between human flesh and metal? The metal has very low resistance ( in ohms). Therefore 12 volts are enough to "open the door" for energy to flow from one terminal to another. Compared to most metals, animal flesh has high resistances, so high that much higher voltage than 12-15 volts is needed to allow energy to flow. Thus, when we touch a battery's terminals, no energy flows.Thus no pain is felt. An electric fence circuit is between a battery and static electricity. It has higher voltage than the battery, yet usually less than static electricity. It has much higher energy potentials than static electricity yet less than that from a battery (which offers a constant flow, not in pulses).

It has been stated that 3,000 volts is needed for sheep, 2,000 for cattle or variations on this theme. Such statements need to be read with much more understanding than is usually provided. The same sheep fence in my area in the early morning in June may read only 1,000 volts at 7 a.m. and 3,000 plus volts at 5 p.m. At both times, the fence is probably delivering effective energy and voltage to an animal.

At 7 a.m.in late June many of the wires will be touching dew-laden grass. Thus the voltage is reduced by the leakage through the set grass and weeds.

But the feet and nose of both sheep and sheep predators are also wet at this time so their total resistance is also reduced. Less voltage is needed to "open the door" for energy to pass through the animal. One thousand volts may be enough for this situation. In fact, 600 volts may be enough (Remember, that animals have been killed by 220 volt circuits when touching alternating current, so, we know that 220 volts are enough to "open the door" to the passage of energy through flesh in optimum conditions.)

At 5 p.m. the grass is dry, and so are the animals' hooves and hair. Thus the animals' resistance to electrical flow has increased considerably, and more voltage is needed to open the door for energy to flow. Two thousand volts may indeed be needed to "open the door" for energy flow in this situation.

Energizers also vary. Some deliver higher energy levels at lower voltages to an animal than other energizers. So the guidelines are just that - guidelines, but not scripture.

So, when you read voltage, the total situation must be taken into account before concluding which is good versus not good. One needs to take several readings in order to observe a trend, and the readings are not always transferrable between energizers.

Animals react differently to an electrical shock. The work that I have seen and the experts that I have discussed this with indicate that the difference is not intelligence, but that canines, for example, received a much higher actual shock (in joules) if they touch the same fence at the same spot as your lambs. How can this be?

Remember that a canine has bare pads on the ground and a bare, usually wet nose. Thus his skin/flesh/foot resistance is lower (less ohms) than the lamb--which has hard hooves and usually drier head contact surfaces. Thus the lamb's resistance may be 1,000 ohms and the dogs only 250. That means the dog receives a much great percent of the delivered energy than the lamb.

The same effect can be observed by humans touching the same fence in bare feet versus in shoes. This trial (not advised by the way) must be done at the same time to the very same contact point for it to be relevant. The shoes increase the total resistance a great deal and thus decrease the actual joules delivered.

Please order online 24/7 or call VALLEY FARM SUPPLY at  717-786-0368

 

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November 30, 2013

Fencing Focus: Solar Powered Energizers

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Making use of the sun to power your electric fence line is both economical and sometimes necessary, if you need to power an electric fence which isn’t near a mains power supply.

Gallagher PowerPlus solar powered battery energizers provide effective animal control, and are a great way of making use of the sun as a natural resource. The following is a guide which will help you determine what you need to power your electric fence by the sun.  The components required for a Gallagher electric fence solar system are; a solar/battery energizer, solar panel, regulator, battery, earth and fence.

Solar selection guide
Solar power is the technology of obtaining usable energy from the light of the sun. Solar energy has been used in many traditional technologies for centuries and has come into widespread use where other power supplies are absent, such as remote locations or where mains power is not available.

A Gallagher solar panel (a photovoltaic panel) converts sunlight into electrical energy and this is used to charge up a battery. The battery allows you to collect energy when the sun is shining and store it until it is needed to power your fence.


Components of your solar system
1. Solar panel
Solar panels generate power by processing the UV light in the atmosphere. Depending on your power requirements Gallagher have a range of solar panels to meet your needs.

2. Battery
There must be sufficient capacity to reliably power the energizer during winter or reduced light conditions. The recommended battery type is a deep cycle (also called leisure or marine) battery.

3. Energizer
Gallagher has a range of battery energizers that are suitable powering a multiwire fence up to 60km.

4. Earth
The earthing system refers to the galvanised metal stakes that are placed in the ground near the energizer. The earth completes the circuit which is what allows the animal to get a shock.

5. Fence
Connect a lead set between the energizer and the fence ensuring that the connection is for powering the fence


Step 1: What size solar energizer do I require?
Permanent solar powered battery energizers are the logical choice for areas where there is no mains power supply. The energizer uses the battery to operate during day, night or during periods of low sunlight. Gallagher have a range of PowerPlus battery energizers that are well suited for permanent solar applications.

There are several factors which must be taken into consideration when selecting your energizer
• The size of the area/ how many paddocks that you plan to fence
• The type of animals you are wanting to fence
• The total distance of wire that you need to be electrify (either single wire or mutli-wire)
See your nearest Gallagher dealer for help on choosing the correct solar energizer for your property.
 
Step 2: What battery should I choose?
The key consideration in choosing a battery for a solar power electric fence system is the battery type and capacity (amp hours). There must be sufficient capacity to reliably power the energizer during winter or reduced light conditions.

If you leave the solar panel connected to a battery, the battery will slowly charge up. If you are putting in more energy than you are taking out, then the battery will eventually become fully charged. If this continues, the battery will become overcharged and be damaged by corrosion of its plates. To avoid this, all Gallagher solar panels have been regulated to maintain the health of your battery.

We recommend Deep Cycle batteries for your solar installation because they are designed to discharge and re-charge hundreds or thousands of times. A deep cycle battery will typically last two to four times longer than an automotive battery when used for powering energizers. A deep cycle battery is also designed to be deeply discharged over and over again.

Batteries need to be placed on a level surface and protected against extremes of temperatures- they should not be in direct contact with a cold surface such as the ground. Placing suitable insulating material under the batteries, or placing them in a battery box and burying the box, will also help increase their service life. Ensure that the battery has adequate ventilation to allow any gases to escape.

The electrolyte level (water levels) needs to be checked regularly (once a month for deep cycle batteries, and at longer intervals for valve regulated and flooded batteries). If the level is below the full indicator, then pure water (distilled or demineralised – never tap water) may be used to top up the level in each cell.

For further information contact your local Gallagher dealer or battery retailer for the most suitable battery for your solar system.

Step 3: What size solar panels do I require?
Depending on your power requirements Gallagher have a range of solar panels to meet your needs. Gallagher large energizers draw more current, therefore require more solar panels to charge the battery to a level it can satisfactorily power the fence.

Seasonal conditions also play a part as to how many solar panels you will need. The amount of sunlight can vary considerably depending on geographical location of the solar panel and the time of the year. You would need a larger solar panel if the location you choose has limited sunshine hours.

All Gallagher solar panels come with the option of a solar hardware kitset which attaches the energizer to the solar panel. This kitset is easy to assemble and allows you to set your solar panel for premium cover during sunlight hours. This is a permanent fixture and attaches to wood or steel posts to last years.

Step 4: What sort of earthing do I need?
The earthing system refers to the galvanised metal stakes that are placed in the ground near the energizer. The metal stakes in the ground are part of the circuit that is completed when the animal touches the wire. The completion of the circuit is what allows the animal to get a shock.  It is essential to have an effective earthing system. Visit our website www.gallagher.co.nz and download a copy of our Gallagher Power Fence™ Systems manual which will give you a detailed explanation on all you need to know about earthing.

Step 5: How do I connect the fence from the energizer?
It is important to gain a good connection between the energizer and the fence.  You need to have a lead out cable that is able to deliver the full power of the energizer to your electric fence.  Think of it like water being pumped through a pipe.  If the pump is capable of delivering enough water to fill a 100mm (4”) pipe, but your pipe is only 25mm (1”) you are not utilising the pump to its full potential.

When selecting a leadout wire/cable, remember the longer the wire, the higher the resistance and the larger the cable the lower the resistance.

Below are some key tips that you need to take into consideration when you are installing your solar unit.

It’s best to install your solar panel in an area which can be visited for general maintenance of the battery which needs to be checked once a month. It is also a good idea to give your solar panel a clean with a damp cloth to allow the panel to perform at its designed capacity. Cleaning is more important if you are in areas that are exposed to dusty conditions, or close to the ocean where salt might build up.

When you design your solar system it needs to be protected from livestock that might want to interfere. If the panel is to be installed on the farm fence it is recommended you fence an area off around the panel for safekeeping.

Setting the tilt angle for the solar panel is also important.  The solar panel should be set to face the Equator, i.e. North in the Southern Hemisphere and South in the Northern Hemisphere

The tilt angle of the panel is measured from the horizontal. A minimum of 15° tilt angle is recommended to minimise the build up of dust and dirt and to allow rain to wash the surface clean.

Handy hint: When set correctly, the panel will create its largest shadow at midday on the shortest day of its use.

Next month we will take a look at security of your property and Gallagher products which can be used to do this.

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