[RFI] Electric Fence pulsing (will get worse soon !)

[ve9aa at nbnet.nb.ca]

Hi Ken, 

I am taking this step by step and yes, the owner is working with me, but I have to first convince him I know what I am talking about. WE've never encountered each other before, so we have no history.  I want it to be a good one.  I told him about my concern about him losing his horses.  I said I help you, you help me.  He seemed to like that.

I am a ham, ex apprentice electrician and current EE TEchnologist so at least have some idea what I am talking about ;-)

Electric fences are new to me, but Electricity is Electricity.

It's slow going, but he's not resistant.  Just very busy like most folks.  Has a day job outside horses.

Two weeks ago he redid a connection or two (more to go)-no real change.

Last week he added another short ground rod and one large ground plate this last weekend. . (we cannot really drive a rod here more than 1-2 feet, max.

This morning @ 7am I noticed it was off.....whatever that means.  Could be he was redoing a connection before he hustled off to work.
....
Since yesterday I now know his make and model so I have printed out a manual for him highlighting 7 or 8 times in there that says (essentially) "weeds are bad and it won't work touching the weeds" so I will drop that off tonight and/or tomorrow.

I bought a fence tester and told him he could use it any time he wanted and/or I would help troubleshoot it.  Not forcing me to do it for him.  Getting him to ask ME to help him more or less.

BTW, I was NOT able to even measure 300v is what I said.  I touched it last night (with him as a witness) as the fence came around the last part of around 1000' of wire-rope and barely felt a spark.....so maybe a couple hundred volts? (a wild guess)

I'll get there. WIth your guys help and my work with him.

The very worst thing I could do is go waving around my rights and rules and my ham license.  Not sure who told me that, but that's not how we do things here in NB.  I appreciate the advice, but I am months if not years from doing that.  Strictly a last resort !

Mike VE9AA
---- "Kenneth G. Gordon" <kgordon2006 at frontier.com> wrote: 
> On 21 Jul 2015 at 19:07, Mike Smith VE9AA wrote:
> 
> > Large red box built by PARMAX. SOLAR PAK 6 Model DF-SP-L1 (Kansas City) 
> 
> OK. I just checked the manufacturer's site. The specified voltages are:
> 
> 11.5 KV when the entire fence is "open circuit" and 2650 Volts at 500 ohms.
> 
> From your report, you measured something like 300 volts at one point, and 
> even less at another.
> 
> 300 Volts, if that is an accurate measurement,  indicates an impedance of 
> less than 60 ohms. (2650/500=300/X)
> 
> There is DEFINITELY some sort of short-circuit somewhere in that fence 
> system.
> 
> I REALLY think that even you could "feel" a 2600 volt pulse!!!! I know I sure 
> could!!!!
> 
> Also, the unit is specified for use in small to medium pastures, whatever that 
> means.
> 
> There is most certainly something wrong with the installation. My suggestion 
> to disconnect, completely, the bottom strand of the system, then to re-check 
> its performance with only the top, completely clear (supposedly) strand would 
> at least make the issue more clear.
> 
> Someone else here with far more experience than I with farms and electric 
> fences also said that in his opinion there was definitely a problem with the 
> installation.
> 
> Have you yet compiled the info we have tried to share with you and 
> presented it to the other fellow?
> 
> Have you taken this man to the point in his fence system where YOU felt 
> almost nothing and had him "test" it himself?
> 
> If you cannot convince him of 1) your competence in such matters, and 2) 
> that there IS a problem with his installation, and 3) that it is MOST LIKELY 
> his installation that is causing severe interference to your federally licensed 
> radio station, then maybe you had better consider calling in some "bigger 
> guns" if such exist in your area.
> 
> To my way of thinking, this has gone far enough.
> 
> Ken W7EKB