does anyone know how to "put your hand on the electric fence to check if it is working? I really do not like this and the dogs will only do it for me once (joke) someone said put a blade of grass on it but yikes i found out that that also gives you a shock. I have bend down with my ear close to the unit but i cannot hear the ticking. I thought maybe an electric screwdriver but there is not enough power going through for that to show up. someone said you can buy a "thingy" to check the battery itself but that confuses me because it tells you the power of the batttery which may not be that the fence is live. any input please.
I use the piece of grass to test my fence. If you hold your piece of grass right on the end and then touch to the fence, it doesn't seem to zap as much as if you hold it say in the middle of the piece of grass and then touch it to the fence. Or if a longer piece of grass is used, it doesn't seem so strong. It might just be my imagination of course! Or how about doing the grass test but with a pair of gloves on?
I always get my other half to test the fence if he's with me - I think he has no feeling in his fingers because he always obliges! The other day he tested it and said it wasn't working but it definitely must have been because I could hear the ticking, so he took his welly boots off and put his foot on the floor... and the fence was definitely working - even he felt it then!
However, saying all that, I do believe there is an electric fence tester. Probably find one on ebay at a reasonable price????
thanks helen i will try the longer grass thing first. Maybe if i used a strand of hay.
sorry if this post is now in the wrong place but i just visited a link re lucy rees the dates are confirmed as 28th and 29th and the costs are £100 for the two days . i do not know if there are any places left.
Joan - The moisture content of the grass or hay will make a difference to whether you feel anything. If the hay is very dry (and it's a dry, cold day) you may not pick up a charge unless it's a short length. Moisture is also the reason why you can sometimes hear clicking from the fence on a wet day - it's some of the charge shorting to earth through damp insulators.
hello again thank you so much peps. i followed the link to the site you suggested and saw the item. It was only just over £5 but the p.&p doubled it. still not unreasonable if it stops me getting shocks.. \but i decided to go to this farm merchant shop that i pass on the way to work.. result £8.21 incl vat...now i test the fence every time i pass it, because i can....