Glossary
Alternating current
Current that flows back and forth, changing
directions rapidly. AC current is typically
used in households in the United States and
Canada. It reverses directions 120 times per
second or 60 full cycles.
Amperage
A measurement of electrical current; what
you feel when you receive a shock. The
higher the amperage, the more intense shock
the animal will feel.
Baiting
Used to train wild animals to avoid an
electric fence. Turn off fence controller.
Smear an aluminum pie tin with the bait
(peanut butter, honey, rancid bacon,
molasses, etc.). Connect pie tin to an
electric fence wire using metal wire. Locate
several baited pie tins around the perimeter
of the fence. After baiting is completed,
turn fence controller on and monitor bait
stations regularly.
Capacitive discharge
A term used to describe electric fence
controllers that pulse electricity at
regular intervals through a fence, typically
at one-second internals.
Capacitor
An output capacitor is used to store direct
current (DC) electricity between pulses
through a fence. Alternating current (AC)
can't be stored using a capacitor.
Continuous current
Refers to a continuous output of alternating
current (AC) rather than a pulsed or cycled
output. Continuous current fencers produce
very low voltages and extremely low
amperages in order to keep them safe. As a
result, these fencers do not work well on
long, weedy or wet fences. Continuous
current fencers are not UL listed.
Corner posts
Sturdy wooden posts driven deep into the
ground to provide extra support for the
tension put on a fence line as it changes
direction. Corner posts are not only used at
corners, but also for gates and end posts.
Direct current
Current that flows steadily in one
direction, typically produced by batteries
through a chemical reaction.
Direct-discharge fencer
A type of fence controller that does not
require a grounding system to deliver an
electrical shock. Direct-discharge fencers
are most effective on short, weed-free
fences.
Distance ratings
A way of comparing the relative power of
fence controllers. Ratings are based on a
single strand of 17-gauge steel wire strung
36 inches above the ground under ideal,
weed-free laboratory conditions.
Fence load
Any number of conditions that cause current
to be drawn from a fence wire. Weeds
touching the fence, broken insulators, rusty
fence wire, and even wire splices all
increase fence load and reduce the fence's
voltage and amperage. Fence load is measured
in ohms.
Ground wire return system
used where dry or sandy soil conditions do
not allow a traditional ground system to
work. Consists of running a ground wire
parallel to a hot fence wire, delivering at
the point where the animal touches the two
lines.
Ground System
Necessary to create a complete
electrical circuit: when the animal touches
the electrified wire, the electricity
travels through the animal, into the soil,
back to the ground rods that are connected
to the fence controller, resulting in the
animal receiving a brief shock. A ground
system consists of ground rods (3), hookup
wire, ground rod clamps and line clamps.
High tensile
An affordable, long lasting electrified
fence system that is an excellent choice for
perimeter fences, providing a barrier to
contain or exclude animals. These sturdy,
permanent fences require braced corner and
end posts in wood along with special
insulators, hardware, and tools that
maintain constant high tension on metal
wire.
Insulator
A nonconductive material (plastic or
ceramic), typically used to offset fence
wire from a fence post. Insulators prevent
the current from traveling through the post
and into the ground, short-circuiting the
system.
Joules
A measurement of electrical energy used to
rate low impedance fence controllers. The
effective power the controller delivers to
the fence, independent of other factors that
can drain voltage. The higher the joules,
the more intense shock the animal will feel.
(1 joule = 1 watt of power for 1 second)
Line posts
A post used to support electric or
non-electric fence wire. Line posts support
the fence line, and have far less tension
put on it than corner posts. As a result,
they can be made from a variety of
materials, including metal, wood, plastic
and fiberglass.
Low-impedance fencer
Low impedance fence controllers increase the
joules (energy or shock) on the fence line
if weeds or other vegetation touch the line.
Available in AC, DC and solar powered
models.
Mob grazing
The tendency among certain species of
animals to graze vegetation down to the
dirt. May cause animals to reach vegetation
outside the fence.
Ohms
Ohms are used to measure resistance to the
flow of an electric current. A low ohms
reading represents a heavy fence load, and a
high ohms reading represents a light fence
load.
On-time / Off-time
On-time refers to the duration of the
electrical pulse produced by a capacitive
discharge fencer. Off-time refers to the
length of time between the pulses. Zareba
fencers have electrical pulses that are only
microseconds long, followed by one full
second of off-time between each pulse. This
long off-time enables an animal (or person)
to easily break away from the fence.
Pulse width
Pulse width refers to the duration of the
electrical pulse produced by a capacitive
discharge fencer. (See On-time / Off-time)
Resistance
Resistance is any force that resists the
flow of electricity, consuming power from a
circuit by changing electric energy into
heat. Electricians measure resistance in
ohms.
Rotational grazing
A system for livestock grazing, using
internal temporary enclosures (within a
boundry fence) to control the specific areas
where the animals graze. This allows the
vegetation in the previous enclosures to
grow back. Typically is 1-strand of wire at
40" or at animal's nose level.
Solid state
Solid-state fence controllers deliver a
medium amperage shock in pulses of medium
duration. They are best used to control
shorthaired livestock, small animals, and
pets where light weed conditions exist.
Splicer
A component that joins together separate
strands of fence wire, tape or rope without
breaking the fence's electrical circuit.
Temporary fencing
A one to three-strand electric fence
system that is used for rotational grazing
or other short-term uses. It typically uses
step-in poly posts or rod posts, and a DC or
solar operated fence controller for
portability and flexibility.
Tensioner
A component used to tighten fence wires,
typically polytape, to increase tension on a
section of the fence line.
Transformer
A device that increases or decreases the
voltage of alternating current.
Voltage
A measurement of electrical pressure. It
functions similarly to water pressure in
that it "pushes" amperage down the fence
wire.
Watt
A unit of measurement for electric power
equal to voltage times amperage. |
