If your fence is not giving the shock you expect, it is most likely to be your earth system. Always check the earth first. The earth is half the effective circuit in an electric fence system.

• Insufficient earth rods.
• Badly connected wires, or wires of different metal types joined together.
• Poor connections to the earth rods.
• Earth rods too close together.
• Earth rods not long enough.

Depth is important to good earthing as it ensures that part of the earth rod is always in damp soil.

1. Create a dead short by placing enough steel stakes against the fence line to reduce the voltage to 1000 volts or less. These stakes should be at least 100m (330ft) from the earth system.
2. Connect one clip from your Stafix Digital Voltmeter to the last earth rod. Connect the other clip to a small stake placed in the ground at least 1m (3ft) from any other earth rods.
3. The reading on the Voltmeter should be 0.3 kV or less. If it is greater than this, the earth system is inadequate and more earth rods will need to be added.

1. Do this test as close as possible to the end of the fence line.
2. Place a steel rod or stake at least 0.3m (1 ft) into the ground, preferably into damp soil.
3. Measure the voltage between the earth wire, and live wires on the fence and then between the steel rod and the live wires.
4. The voltage between the earth stake and live wire should not be more than 0.3kV greater than the voltage between the live and earth wire.
5. If the difference is greater than 0.3 kV then check the earth return wire for loose connections. Also remember to check the live wires. If the live wires are alright you will need to add more earth rods along the fence line and attach these to the earth wires.