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Planning Guides > Product Selection Guide > Electric Fence Chargers Guide, continued
1. Electric Fence Chargers Guide, cont'd. Sub-freezing electric deer fences require stronger chargers-because baits may sometimes be frozen, ice and snow may add resistance (making the deer harder to shock), and the deer may be starving. For all these reasons it is advisable to use an electric fence charger with a higher joule rating (like the Parmak Fieldmaster, Parmak Mark 6, or Dare Enforcer 1200). If the fence does not have alternating charged and grounded wires, it is also wise to run a grounded 12.5-gauge aluminum wire along the bottom of the electric fence on or just beneath the soil to promote good grounding of the deer. Power Sources: AC, Battery, or Solar AC-powered electric fence chargers tend to be less expensive than comparable battery-powered and solar-powered types. However, they need to be plugged into a sheltered 120-110 volt AC outlet, preferably one indoors, and in many cases a small hole will need to be drilled through the wall of a house, garage, or barn in order to pass an insulated electric fence wire from the electric fence charger to the electric fence and also from the electric fence charger to a ground rod. If the AC outlet is a long way from the electric fence, a considerable length of insulated electric fence wire will also be needed; and if the area between the AC outlet and the electric fence has any human or animal traffic, this wire must be buried an inch or so underground. If the AC outlet is a long way from the electric fence, a considerable length of insulated electric fence wire will also be needed; if the area between the AC outlet and the electric fence has any human or animal traffic, this wire should be buried an inch or so underground; and in places where the traffic is heavy the insulated wire should be run through a well-drained pipe to prevent the insulation from being broken. Battery-powered electric fence chargers are generally more expensive than comparable AC chargers but less expensive than comparable solar-powered types. However, batteries are not provided with any of the battery-powered electric fence chargers we list, and the cost of a 6-volt or 12-volt battery (commonly $50 to $80) is significant. Batteries tend to be weaker in colder weather, but the greatest problem with battery-powered electric fence chargers is that the batteries typically run down after two or three months and then need to be recharged or replaced. Marine-type batteries, which can be discharged further than car-type batteries without damage, generally perform better with electric fence chargers and are recommended for this purpose. The key advantages of battery-powered electric fence chargers are these: They are easy to move about and can operate well at a great distance from the nearest AC outlet. Solar-powered electric fence chargers have traditionally been the most expensive. However, they include both a solar panel and a battery as well as the actual fence charger. And in contrast to what one might think, solar-powered chargers are able to operate in most areas in winter, despite the sunlight they depend on being reduced. Solar-powered electric fence chargers also share the mobility of battery-powered chargers, as well as the ability to operate far from any AC outlet; and at sites with a reasonable amount of sunlight they greatly reduce or eliminate the need to periodically recharge or replace the battery. |