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Solar Charger- No Power To Fence

boboren
Member

Apr 20, 2006, 11:45 PM

Post #1 of 3 (814 views)
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Solar Charger- No Power To Fence	Can't Post

I have a 3-Mile Solar Charger that I installed late last summer. My "fence" consists of three wide-tape lines, of which all three were energized. The total distance is probably only 250 feet as I only run it on one side of an area that has board fence on the other three sides.

It worked fine last summer and fall and even early this Spring. Then I noticed the tape was not energized. Nothing was rubbing on the fence. I took the charger back to where I purchased it and was given a new one. I let it sit in the sun for three days before I hooked it up. But- no power to the tape.

My ground is very hard and rocky and the ground wire connects to three ground rods that are only 2 feet in the ground. The ground wire is bare, and connected thoroughly to the three rods that are about 6 feet apart.

Can anyone give me some advice on what to do to correct my situation?

Bob Oren
Semper Fi

JimHess
Silver Member

Apr 29, 2006, 11:17 PM

Post #2 of 3 (790 views)
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Re: [boboren] Solar Charger- No Power To Fence [In reply to]	Can't Post

Hope you have found a solution to your fence problem. While it's unlikely, it's not impossible to get two bad chargers in a row. The hard, rocky ground is less than ideal, as are the two foot ground rods, but if it worked before that way it ought to again. Having the three rods should help if you can't get any deeper. You've probably checked all your connections and gone to the source, the charger, to check for a shock. I don't like to get zapped, so I use a "five-o-light" fence tester. I suppose you could connect the tester to the hot and ground terminals of the charger without it being connected to the fence at all, to rule everything else out.
Have you checked the battery with a voltmeter?

-Jim

dtd24
New Member

Jun 20, 2007, 3:40 PM

Post #3 of 3 (487 views)
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Re: [boboren] Solar Charger- No Power To Fence [In reply to]	Can't Post

The ground rods is where I would start. Most charger problems start there. Sounds weird but rough up the ground alittle arounnd the ground rods and pour water around them!!!

Sometimes in hard dry soil the ground rods don't work well. I have an electric setup, but I only have 1 6' galvanized rod. I would suggest you add a 6' rod as well.

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