My friend had a Parmak model DF-SP-LI given to him and its brand new. It came with no instruction so I looked it up online. Says it needs a minimum of 3 ground rods at least 6' deep. Is this really necessary? The ground is on a pretty steep incline and rocky as hell, we'll be lucky to get down 3'. All this is for a dog that's hell on wheels about digging his way out of a fenced in area.
Solar powered electric fence questions
- Thread starter HeelSpur
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ard
Well-known member
Try one rod. To test it, grab hold of the wire while standing on the ground.
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It depends largely on your soil/moisture.
Here in northern New England, I very easily get away with one ground rod. More is better...but 1 works for me. The better the animals connection back to the charger via ground the bigger the jolt, but I routinely use one and test my fence (with a fence tester) and get great readings. Right now I have mine setup with using a 4' piece of angle iron as the ground pounded about 3' into the ground. I move the coop regularly so I like to use a ground rod thats more mobile vs permanent rod pounded in real deep.
It probably depends too on how big of an area we're talking about...I generally use mine for a small enclosure I put around a small chicken coop when the bears get active (like right now) so even if the animal touches the fence furthest from the charger its not that far at all. If you're doing a huge horse paddock or something I imagine more ground rods would be better. Probably depends on the animal you're targeting too. Thick fur might insulate an animal better for instance.
I have x2 Parmak chargers too, one solar and one plug-in. My solar one is going on 6 years and still works incredible. They're pricey but one of the best chargers out there.
Here in northern New England, I very easily get away with one ground rod. More is better...but 1 works for me. The better the animals connection back to the charger via ground the bigger the jolt, but I routinely use one and test my fence (with a fence tester) and get great readings. Right now I have mine setup with using a 4' piece of angle iron as the ground pounded about 3' into the ground. I move the coop regularly so I like to use a ground rod thats more mobile vs permanent rod pounded in real deep.
It probably depends too on how big of an area we're talking about...I generally use mine for a small enclosure I put around a small chicken coop when the bears get active (like right now) so even if the animal touches the fence furthest from the charger its not that far at all. If you're doing a huge horse paddock or something I imagine more ground rods would be better. Probably depends on the animal you're targeting too. Thick fur might insulate an animal better for instance.
I have x2 Parmak chargers too, one solar and one plug-in. My solar one is going on 6 years and still works incredible. They're pricey but one of the best chargers out there.
Thank you, the fence total is about 250', and as rocky as the ground I guess I should use as many as possible.
Stuart in MN
Well-known member
If you can't dig straight down far enough, dig a trench and lay the ground rods in horizontally.
Thank you, the fence total is about 250', and as rocky as the ground I guess I should use as many as possible.
Yeah if you're setting it up on a permanent fence it really can't hurt to have more. Pound them in as much as you can...if you hit a rock and just can't go any deeper, cut it off flush with the ground and go to the next one.
Three rods at varying depth from 3-6' or so should do you just fine!
RPH
Well-known member
You can also tun ground wires around the enclosure itself. Just make sure when he tries to dig he contacts both wires.
ard
Well-known member
My first post was tongue in cheek....but the underlying concept was dead serious: put in one and see how it works.
Sitting at a keyboard, many can tell you 'put in three'..'put in ten'. But in a area where it rains year round, likely not needed.
If put in a ton of E fence. Miles. You don't put in more ground rods for bigger fenced in areas. All a ground rod does is reduce the impedance between charger and eart. Once yuou have a good ground, you can charge 25 miles of fence. 250' is nothing.
(Something YOU cannot control is the impedance between earth and the animals' foot. 20 ground rods won't change that. Again, in WV the ground will be moist enough that it is a non-issue. But in desert environments, there are special considerations.)
I have two of those Parmacs and one fixed AC charger.
Finally, a dog fence w collar is more effective. IMO.
Sitting at a keyboard, many can tell you 'put in three'..'put in ten'. But in a area where it rains year round, likely not needed.
If put in a ton of E fence. Miles. You don't put in more ground rods for bigger fenced in areas. All a ground rod does is reduce the impedance between charger and eart. Once yuou have a good ground, you can charge 25 miles of fence. 250' is nothing.
(Something YOU cannot control is the impedance between earth and the animals' foot. 20 ground rods won't change that. Again, in WV the ground will be moist enough that it is a non-issue. But in desert environments, there are special considerations.)
I have two of those Parmacs and one fixed AC charger.
Finally, a dog fence w collar is more effective. IMO.
dcg9381
Well-known member
Where I am it is horrendously rocky - with multiple "shelves" of rock.
To get ground rods in, we typically take a jack hammer up on top of a ladder and use the jackhammer (no bit installed) to make pretty quick installs.
For really really stubborn cases - start things off with a hammer-drill masonry bit, a long one... Bosche makes one that is 3' long.
A 6' ground rod - no problem.. even out here using these two techniques.
As others have mentioned - installing horizontal is appropriate in some cases.
To get ground rods in, we typically take a jack hammer up on top of a ladder and use the jackhammer (no bit installed) to make pretty quick installs.
For really really stubborn cases - start things off with a hammer-drill masonry bit, a long one... Bosche makes one that is 3' long.
A 6' ground rod - no problem.. even out here using these two techniques.
As others have mentioned - installing horizontal is appropriate in some cases.
TheEquineFencer
Well-known member
Is this an entire new fence? Is this going to be nothing but an electric fence or is it electric wire over an existing fence? If it's like one I did for a relative, I used the chain link fence as the ground.
Instead of a ground rod, try using galvanized pipe, it'll work and is easier to drive.
If it's new fencing an you're using wood post, get some high tensile wire, roll a coil onto the bottom of each post. Use fence staples to hold it in place and run the wire up the side of the post and use a ground wire from the charger to a ground wire run around the perimeter and tie it to each wire in the ground on each post. PITA, but it works great.
If it's T-post, tie each post to the perimeter ground wire. PITA also.
Burying a ground rod horizontal works if it deep enough.
Burying some 2x4 kennel fencing around the perimeter and tying it to the perimeter ground works and keeps them from digging under too.
All your connections at the attachment points need to be crimped, not just wire twisted around another. It'll start arcing after a while and burn through given enough time. I got tired of hearing my neighbors fence arcing and fixed it myself. Do it right the first time and there will not be a second time.
From personal experiences, most "cheap" solar chargers ****. Gallagher brand kick **** and hold up pretty good. The batteries need to be replaced every so often.
Set the charger in full sun for at least three days prior to turning it on and using it.
https://www.gallagherfence.net/collections/fence-chargers-energizers/power-source_solar-capable
Instead of a ground rod, try using galvanized pipe, it'll work and is easier to drive.
If it's new fencing an you're using wood post, get some high tensile wire, roll a coil onto the bottom of each post. Use fence staples to hold it in place and run the wire up the side of the post and use a ground wire from the charger to a ground wire run around the perimeter and tie it to each wire in the ground on each post. PITA, but it works great.
If it's T-post, tie each post to the perimeter ground wire. PITA also.
Burying a ground rod horizontal works if it deep enough.
Burying some 2x4 kennel fencing around the perimeter and tying it to the perimeter ground works and keeps them from digging under too.
All your connections at the attachment points need to be crimped, not just wire twisted around another. It'll start arcing after a while and burn through given enough time. I got tired of hearing my neighbors fence arcing and fixed it myself. Do it right the first time and there will not be a second time.
From personal experiences, most "cheap" solar chargers ****. Gallagher brand kick **** and hold up pretty good. The batteries need to be replaced every so often.
Set the charger in full sun for at least three days prior to turning it on and using it.
https://www.gallagherfence.net/collections/fence-chargers-energizers/power-source_solar-capable