Problem with earth for Gallagher Electric Fencer and looking for advice

[An Gof]

We rely on a mains electric fencing system to keep our cattle where we want them and to stop them rubbing the hedges down.
I have just purchased a new Gallagher fencer but seem to be having problems getting a sufficient earth for it. The recommendation is for an earth reading between 0.3 and 0.5Kv. But i can't get it under 0.9

I have 4 metal earth spikes, all connected in series that are 3-4 feet in the ground and each spike about 2m apart. Surely that should be adequate. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to how i might improve the situation?

 

[Bullring]

Dry ground? Try chucking a few buckets of water around the earth stakes. What does the fence line read out when it’s working?

 

[Exfarmer]

We rely on a mains electric fencing system to keep our cattle where we want them and to stop them rubbing the hedges down.
I have just purchased a new Gallagher fencer but seem to be having problems getting a sufficient earth for it. The recommendation is for an earth reading between 0.3 and 0.5Kv. But i can't get it under 0.9

I have 4 metal earth spikes, all connected in series that are 3-4 feet in the ground and each spike about 2m apart. Surely that should be adequate. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to how i might improve the situation?

Pour water down the stake?
what sort of stakes are you using would be worth soldering wire to a copper stake

 

[Bury the Trash]

We rely on a mains electric fencing system to keep our cattle where we want them and to stop them rubbing the hedges down.
I have just purchased a new Gallagher fencer but seem to be having problems getting a sufficient earth for it. The recommendation is for an earth reading between 0.3 and 0.5Kv. But i can't get it under 0.9

I have 4 metal earth spikes, all connected in series that are 3-4 feet in the ground and each spike about 2m apart. Surely that should be adequate. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to how i might improve the situation?

How are you taking the earth reading, ?are you taking it in the right way?

 

[Suffolk Serf]

The earth stakes need to be at least 3m apart. For a permanent installation I've even banged them in the ground in the bottom of a trench. Also helps if they go in some ground that you know will keep fairly damp, such as near a water trough- but be careful of stray earth in that situation. Also works well using the steel frame of a non livestock building (but I didn't tell you that!).

 

[An Gof]

How are you taking the earth reading, ?are you taking it in the right way?

Earth reading is coming direct from display on fencer unit.

 

[An Gof]

Dry ground? Try chucking a few buckets of water around the earth stakes. What does the fence line read out when it’s working?

Fence line reading 17A and 6.8kV

 

[An Gof]

Pour water down the stake?
what sort of stakes are you using would be worth soldering wire to a copper stake

Stakes are three galvanised steel runners cut from old roller shutter door guide and the forth is an old buck rake tine. All connected with proper insulated underground electric fencing cable with Gallagher earth clamps.

 

[Dan@JF]

have you got a post knocker/soft ground? Get the longest scaffold pole you have and knock it in as far as you can a whilst doing it keep pouring some bentonite around it as you bang it in. Get a good clamp for solid attachment and then fill the pole with water. You wont have to worry again

 

[Al R]

I know people that have had motorway crash barriers for building cattle handling setups with and then they’ve put 4 down full depth for earthing mains fencers with.

 

[kill]

Put an old ibc or 205 plastic barrel of water next to your earthing stakes and just leave water running as a steady drip and the water will soon increase your earthing power as a bucket of water will last virtually no time ATM.

 

[A Sales representative]

I use 4 x 1m Gallagher earth stakes linked with 2.5mm leadout cable linking them, what model fencer do you have? Does it have a separate earth stake for feed back to the screen?

 

[Dry Rot]

You can always run your earth to every other wire of your fence -- so one live, next one earthed. That is actually the only way to electrify a fence for deer which jump between the wires and will only contact them when their feet are off the ground.

 

[NZDan]

We rely on a mains electric fencing system to keep our cattle where we want them and to stop them rubbing the hedges down.
I have just purchased a new Gallagher fencer but seem to be having problems getting a sufficient earth for it. The recommendation is for an earth reading between 0.3 and 0.5Kv. But i can't get it under 0.9

I have 4 metal earth spikes, all connected in series that are 3-4 feet in the ground and each spike about 2m apart. Surely that should be adequate. Can anyone give me some suggestions as to how i might improve the situation?

Not enough earth, we have 6 earth rods, 3m in the ground and 3m apart, joined with 4mm wire. If in doubt add more earth, you've spent good money on a unit why scrimp on the earth which is the cheap easy bit.

 

[TripleSix]

I've seen someone bury a steel 5 bar gate as an earth before...

 

[Wombat]

We just normally knock a steel bar in a couple of ft. Never had an issue

 

[tepapa]

Go for a bigger earth. As said above crash barriers driven. If needed move the earth to a damp bit of ground and run the cable back to the energiser.
Watch the connections on the rods too, if they start to rust it'll affect the election flow so cover all joints with some type of tar or something to stop then rusting.

 

[An Gof]

Thanks to everyone for all the advice

 

[Bury the Trash]

Earth reading is coming direct from display on fencer unit.

Double Check it independently with a volt meter . Theres a best' way of doing it tho that Gallagher recommend anyway.

But I suspect you have some fair leakage, shorts /poor insulation on your fence line causing fairly high loss as that 6.8kv is a bit low if it's a good energiser.