Solar Electric Fences

No matter what sort of livestock you keep, be it sheep, cattle, pigs, goats or even chickens; portable, solar electric fences can be an invaluable tool. With the advent of far less expensive solar powered electric fence chargers, compared with those that existed even just a few years ago, farmers and ranchers are better able to practice ecologically sound rotational grazing without hiring a full-time herdsperson.

To the farmer or rancher, solar powered electric fencing is only as useful as it is suited to the animals you’re keeping. That means the “live wires” need to be at a reasonable height. That’s a very different thing whether you’re trying to keep goats corralled on a patch of land, or if you want to keep the pigs confined on an area of the field you want ploughed up with their snouts. Be extra careful to find out just how you should configure the solar electric fence for best results with the species you’re trying to confine.

The solar power charged portable electric fence allows you to manage animals across the land so you can get them to work for you, rather than against you by ruining sections of your acreage in succession or breaking out and landing in the neighbour’s field.

Electric fences that are solar powered will always have a charge controller and a deep cycle battery. Be forewarned that since batteries shouldn’t be discharged past 40%, you need to make sure you’re able to supply enough amperage over the course of the day without draining the battery too far. Also be sure to check the ratings of your batteries in very hot and very cold weather, as this can vary.

Often, the solar electric fence charger will be mounted on a pole, or even a small cart that you can push around. Do yourself a favour, and be sure to include an off switch if you build your new solar electric fencing yourself, so it can be moved around without incident.

Solar powered electric fence systems will certainly require a multi-tap, step-up transformer, so you can select the best setting for your livestock and the weather conditions. For instance, one typically turns the voltage down on dewy mornings. Though there is some loss to the conductive water on the grass, the animals are also dewy and therefore, more conductive. It could be dangerous to use the same voltage on them in the morning that you would in the afternoon or immediately after a storm.