Electric fences are a psychological barrier rather than a physical one so animals learn to respect them rather than attempting to jump over them. In addition to providing a means of containment they deter trespassers and predators. In addition to these benefits they offer the advantage of being easier to construct and have a longer lifespan than conventional fencing.
Electric Fences are powered by a small component called an energizer (also known as a fence controller). It takes in electrical energy from the mains and converts it into very short, high voltage pulses of electricity that are transmitted along the fence wires. An energizer also has a terminal connected to the ground (called the negative) which absorbs excess energy and returns it back into the energizer.
Modern energizers use a type of electronic component called a thyristor which controls the current and the length of time it is switched on for. This makes them much more efficient than older models. This efficiency is increased by the fact that the energizer only emits a very brief pulse of electricity when an animal contacts the fence. This minimises power drain, extending battery life and making it much more reliable than older models that continually deliver high voltage.
The electric current feels like a cramping pain similar to a severe muscle cramp and is transitory. This unpleasant feeling teaches the animal to not touch the fence again. A properly sized and installed energizer can achieve this with very little risk to people or livestock.
In contrast to traditional barbed wire fences which can cause severe cuts, electric fences only deliver a very short lived electric shock that causes an animal to retreat from the fence. In most cases the animal will not return to a place it has been shocked and this is one of the reasons that these fences are so much safer than other forms of fencing.
Despite this safety there are still a number of risks associated with electric fence malaysia and it is important to be aware of these. The most serious is when a person gets too close to an energized fence and this can lead to an accident with severe injury. A faulty gate or earthing system can also cause an injury.
The most common problem encountered by electric fence owners is insufficient or poor earthing. A good grounding system is essential to the correct operation of an electric fence and should be comprised of a minimum of two earth wires. One should be a live (positive) wire connected to the fence energiser and the other should be a negative (ground) wire connected to an earth stake or rod in the ground. A positive/ground wire must be insulated from the fence and all other conductive surfaces such as grass, trees, metal and buildings with plastic insulators.
An energizer should be rated to supply enough voltage for the total length of the electric fence. Insufficient energiser power can reduce the effectiveness of an electric fence and if too low a voltage is used it can be dangerous to both livestock and people.