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Piggyphile
Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 87
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 Posted: Sat Oct 03, 09 8:25 am Post subject: Electric Fencing mains or Battery |
 
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Hi everyone
I am planning to buy an electric fencing kit to enclose pigs initially (and maybe goats?) I don't know much about them (electric fences I mean) but I know they can be battery driven, with solar help with charging or mains driven. This will be for use in our Spanish place which has a limited electricity supply. You can't for example have the electric cooker on at the same time as anything else.
My worry about batteries is the lifespan of them and the nasties they contain from a sustainability point of view, I don't think you can easily recycle the contents in Spain and I think their lifespan is limited. Ultimately they will need to be recharged from the mains anyway as I don't think the solar chargers will provide all they need, they just slow the power loss?
Are small/medium sized electric fences expensive to run from the mains? Eventually fencing/hedging will be created but the ground is mostly rock/stones with thin sandy topsoil and it is going to take me ages to hedge or fence it. The enclosed area won't be huge because I want the pigs to rotivate it to the best of their ability. I'd rather they did it in bits and I moved them as required. The land is surrounding the house so the mains cable won't have to be huge or crossing anything awkward.
Thoughts?
thanks |
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RichardW
Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 5718
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 09 9:03 am Post subject: |
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For pigs mains every time. They will know when the bats going flat long before you do. At UK prices a mains charger uses about £20 per year. |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 16803
Location: York
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 09 9:31 am Post subject: |
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Or get one that does both and give you the choice? The fencers I was looking at cost more than that in electricity so we stuck with batteries. Getting the saddleback boar to even cross the line where the fence used to be means we don't have to worry about the battery going flat before we notice it.  But it depends on the breed of pig- the Tamworth didn't care whether it was working or not, she just went straight through it. |
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RichardW
Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 5718
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 09 11:17 am Post subject: |
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I assume you mean rechargeable bats Rob?
As you will be loosing up to 30% to charge them & need to replace them it will cost more than mains elec.
The bigest ONE I could find used 25w MAX so even if that max was 24 7 at 12p per unit its still only £26 per year.
This one is more powerful but only uses 16-20w.
There are plenty that use 5-10w |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 16803
Location: York
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 09 11:47 am Post subject: |
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Yes, it was some that Ixy has- according to the packaging they were more expensive to run on mains, I think.
Anyway, dpack has one of these which adds flexibility so that you don't have to decide now. |
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Piggyphile
Joined: 02 Apr 2009
Posts: 87
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| Posted: Sat Oct 03, 09 12:07 pm Post subject: |
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Thanks guys, much appreciated. |
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bodger
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 6704
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 10:15 am Post subject: |
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Mains every time. Its the best thing that we've ever bought. You can almost do toast on this one we have. It gives out one heck of a zap and also kills the grass around it, if any touches it. |
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Nat S
Joined: 15 Aug 2008
Posts: 3610
Location: York
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 11:41 am Post subject: |
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The ones I have cost '36p per day' on mains according to the box. That seemed quite pricey given that the batteries cost me a tenner each and only need charging twice a month if that (car batts) and our total monthly electric is something like a tenner? |
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bodger
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 6704
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 12:15 pm Post subject: |
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I asked about the cost of running an electric fence, either on here or another forum and the consensus of opinion was that it cost about twenty odd quid a year to run. |
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Mutton
Joined: 09 May 2009
Posts: 450
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 1:01 pm Post subject: |
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With goats, if they have horns, you should avoid electric net fencing - they can get their horns caught in it or so I've heard and that would not be a nice time for the goat!
Also, if your grass is long enough to touch the bottom strand it will short it out, so reduce the charge.
We researched electric fencing for our place a while ago, decided against, and haven't ever used any. (Basically, length needed, cost of purchase and having sheep with horns put us off.) So my answers are from research not experience.[/code] |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 16803
Location: York
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 1:26 pm Post subject: |
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| bodger wrote: |
| I asked about the cost of running an electric fence, either on here or another forum and the consensus of opinion was that it cost about twenty odd quid a year to run. |
Was that for a mains or battery one? |
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bodger
Joined: 23 May 2006
Posts: 6704
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 1:38 pm Post subject: |
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The mains Rob. I mentioned it on a thread about standing orders for electricity bills and when I mentioned the cost of running a mains electricity fencing unit, a number of people said the cost was peanuts. |
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Rob R
Joined: 28 Oct 2004
Posts: 16803
Location: York
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 2:22 pm Post subject: |
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The one we have was a Gemini 80, which is a 12v that can be run from the mains, maybe the others we're referring to are designed to be run from the mains are more efficient? |
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RichardW
Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 5718
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 2:46 pm Post subject: |
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| Ixy wrote: |
| The ones I have cost '36p per day' on mains according to the box. That seemed quite pricey given that the batteries cost me a tenner each and only need charging twice a month if that (car batts) and our total monthly electric is something like a tenner? |
That makes them 125watts or more. I cant find any that use that much. Care to quote the make & model? |
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RichardW
Joined: 24 Aug 2006
Posts: 5718
Location: Llyn Peninsular North Wales
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| Posted: Sun Oct 04, 09 2:50 pm Post subject: |
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| Rob R wrote: |
| The one we have was a Gemini 80, which is a 12v that can be run from the mains, maybe the others we're referring to are designed to be run from the mains are more efficient? |
I guess some one cant do sums.
| Quote: |
Specifications:
1.2 Stored Joules
0.8 Output joules
Output volts: 8200v
Output volts under heavy load: 4200v
Consumption for mains power: 1.6 watts
Approx.12v battery life: 4 weeks
Approx fence distances: 12km of tape or wire or 10 sheep nets or 3 Poultry Nets |
From HERE
1.6watts on mains gives a yearly consumption of 14 units (kwh) at 12p aprox per unit thats only £1.68 per year. |
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