How to Check an Electric Fence With a Voltage Meter
Electrical fences are ideal for keeping large animals in a confined space, without the hassle of constructing a large fence. While electric fences sound dangerous, the amount of current that passes though the wire does little more than act as a deterrent.
When you need to make sure that the fence is working properly, use a voltmeter that is designed for electric fences. These devices are designed to handle the large voltages that are found in electrical fences. The high voltages of an electric fence may destroy voltmeters designed for use around your house.
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Set the voltmeter to the voltage setting. Many voltmeters are actually multimeters that can measure many types of electrical currents. The dial or display should read kV, to represent kilovolts, for voltmeter mode.
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Place the voltmeter on one of the fence wires so that the metal measurement slot makes solid contact with the wire. If you are using a voltage meter with a red and black lead, plug the black lead into the ground and touch the wire with the red lead.
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Read the display on the voltmeter. The reading should be at or above the fence voltage determined by the fence manufacturer.
References
Writer Bio
Shawn McClain has spent over 15 years as a journalist covering technology, business, culture and the arts. He has published numerous articles in both national and local publications, and online at various websites. He is currently pursuing his master's degree in journalism at Clarion University.
Photo Credits
- Old wooden posts and barbed wire farm fence against blue sky. image by GoodMood Photo from Fotolia.com
- Old wooden posts and barbed wire farm fence against blue sky. image by GoodMood Photo from Fotolia.com
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