Snow can ground out an electric fence.
The winter season poses special problems for farmers and ranchers who depend upon electric fences to contain or exclude animals. Understanding why an electric fence stops working in winter can help you prevent this issue and ensure that your animals don't escape.
Features
For an electric fence to deliver a shock, the electricity traveling through an animal's body must be able to complete an electrical circuit by traveling through the ground to the energizer's grounding system. During the winter, the frozen ground loses moisture, which makes it more difficult for the electrical charge to travel through the ground to the charger's grounding rods.
Considerations
Heavy or drifting snowfall may cover the bottom wire in your electric fence. This could cause the wire to ground out, just as it does when weeds or grass make direct contact with it; this can reduce or completely eliminate your fence's ability to deliver a shock.
Prevention/Solution
Prevent your electric fence from failing during the winter by installing a ground-wire return system in your fence, recommends the British Columbia Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Fisheries. Install at least one uncharged wire on your electric fence and connect it to the ground terminal on your fence energizer; when an animal makes contact with both charged and uncharged wires, the uncharged wire takes the place of the ground in carrying the charge back to the grounding terminal.
Related posts
An electric fence along a farmWhether you're trying to keep livestock from roaming off of your property or trying to keep pesky deer out, an electric fence is the ideal solution. When installed pr...
Electric fencing is a good choice for cattle containment.An electric wire fence is a cost-efficient way to contain cattle and other livestock. Take the time to plan out your fence. This is a long-...
Use at least four wires in your hot wire goat fence.Notorious for their ability to escape just about any fencing system, goats seem to be the Houdini of the animal world. You can set up a hot wire...
A wire fence can keep your dog inside your yard, which is safer for the dog than being loose outside. However, while a fence is safe for a dog, a dog is not always safe for a fence. Dogs can chew...
Fencing can help contain your dog in your yard.If you want your dog to be able to run freely in your yard, a good way to keep the animal safe is to install a fence. Many types of fencing are quite...
