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Meriel Younger, from Electric Fencing Direct, joins us again on the blog and continues her guide to electric poultry netting kits.

Your battery electric netting kit has arrived, you have never seen an electric fence before, and have no idea how to put it up… here are some pointers and useful tips.

Battery Operated Kit Contains:

Electric netting including posts
Guys and pegs (for bottom line) and netting repair kit
Battery Powered Energiser and Earth Stake (the energiser spec depends on the number of nets)
Electric Fence Warning Sign
12v Battery (Leisure/Agri battery preferably as will hold power longer)

Preparing the Area:

Clear the area of any debris – i.e. sticks and large stones and ensure there are no branches or plants that could touch the netting and short it.
Mow or lay dpc or spray the grass where the netting is going to stand.

Setting Up Your Battery Operated Kit:

Locate the Energiser close to the net (this can be at the end or middle of a net) and push its stand and earth into the ground. Please keep the energiser off the ground to prevent it getting damp. (For Solar Units ensure the solar panel is facing south and out of shade so it receives the maximum amount of sunshine)

Link the earth cable on the Energiser to the supplied earth stake using the green crocodile clip. For a multiple earth system, locate earths 1m away from each other and link via lead out cable.

Link the live cable on the energiser to the metal clip on the net or the top line of the netting with the red crocodile clip. DO NOT attach the crocodile clip to a vertical line in the net (as these are not electrified).

Link up the two battery leads, (black EARTH first, then red LIVE). When switching the energiser on you will see the Energiser flashing indicating it is sending pulses. To disconnect the Energiser from the battery, switch off, take red LIVE off first then black EARTH.

Solar Assist: attach the solar panels clips on to the appropriate battery terminal and then attach energiser clips on to battery terminals.

To Set Up The Netting:

Lay out the net in roughly in the position you want the net to be.

Put the first/start post in to the ground.

Go around the netting putting the posts into the ground – use your foot to pull the bottom of the post to ensure tension in the netting.

Position your hot gate if you have one – connect by using the metal clips on the netting.

Your netting doesn’t have be in a circle… it can be in a straight line if required.

Once your netting is up tweak its position and use your guy ropes (half way up the post) to put tension in corners or on long straight sections. Use netting clips to lift any sagging sections or reposition the posts with your foot to get better tension. Wooden corner posts can be used to give extra tension to netting but the netting must NOT touch the wooden post or it will short. Peg down the bottom line – it is not electrified.

Testing:

Once all is connected you should ideally test your net with an Electric Fence Tester. It must be greater than 3000v to be effective.

If below 3000v you have:

You have too much earthing (listen for a clicking sound) reposition net posts so that live lines do not touch the ground, slightly leaning the posts outwards sometimes helps, otherwise add netting clips or more posts.

Poor connection between the Energiser and net (you may even see it sparking at night).

Poor connection between Energiser and earth stake.

Battery needs re-charging (take live line off the net and test voltage output of wire).

An equipment failure.

Further Notes:

The Nets: Keep vegetation away from the net (i.e. by mowing or if in a semi-permanent position by spraying or lay down a strip of heavy material e.g. damp course under the net).

Additional nets: are linked by slotting the end clips together and then tie together with the green cord provided.
Gates: Hotgate is an easy way to access an enclosure. It has an insulated handle and a foot plate for the moving post to slot into.

Set Up Tips: Do not try to pull the net too taught during set up. Once the net is up, re-position individual posts until the net stands up right. If you have undulating land or are very exposed you may need more posts and/or net tensioners, which will minimize sag. (To insert follow instructions for adding the ‘Gate Post’) Setting the posts at a slight angle outwards can also help improve tension.

12v Battery: For best results use a ‘Deep Cycle’ battery (e.g. a fencing/agri battery) with a minimum output of 30 amp hours for the smaller Energisers, or a minimum of 60amp hours for larger Energisers. These should last approx. 4-12 weeks between charges. Car batteries are not recommended, they are not designed to be discharged and will let you down.

We love talking electric fencing… so if you need to contact us: call 01620 860058 or email info@electricfencing.co.uk

www.electricfencing.co.uk

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