How to Test an Electric Fence with a Multimeter (8 Steps)

You may have an electric fence on your property, either to keep animals from escaping or for protection. Whatever the reason, it is important for you to know the voltage of this fence. Depending on its strength, it can lightly electrocute or even kill someone, so testing is critical.

To test electric fences with a multimeter, you need

1. Choose your instrument (multimeter/voltmeter)
2. Set the multimeter to the correct value (kilovolts).
3. Voltage leakage test
4. Turning on the fence
5. Make sure the electrical system is properly connected
6. Connect the negative lead of the multimeter to ground
7. Place the multimeter's positive lead on the fence wires.
8. Inspect all fence wires separately

I will go into more detail in the article below.

Know your fence

In general, electric fences consist of the following parts:

• fence posts
• Bare steel wires
• Ground rods
• Fence Energizer

The fence posts send pulses of power to the wires, supporting them.

Ground rods are inserted into the ground and connected to the fence terminals. They amplify the current and create a high voltage.

The energizer determines the power of the current.

How to do an electric fence test

To start testing, you first need information about your fence.

Does your fence use alternating current (alternating current) or direct current (direct current)? You can find this in your fence manual. This part may not be needed by everyone, depending on the tool.

For more accurate measurements, some multimeters allow you to choose one of two.

Choice of tools

Checking the functioning of electrical circuits can be a difficult task if you do not use the proper equipment.

You will need the following:

• Multimeter or digital voltmeter
• Two pins (preferably one red for the positive port and one black for the negative port)
• metal rod
• Protective gloves

Counter setting

To measure the voltage of the fence wires, you must set the range of the meter.

If you are using a multimeter, make sure you connect the black wire to the voltage port. You also need to turn the switch to measure kilovolts.

If you are using a digital voltmeter, you only need to switch to the kilovolt range.

Testing for parasitic effluents

Before turning on the fence, you must make sure that there are no leaks that reduce its power.

You can do this by going to the electric fence. If you see any object that grounds the system (for example, a conductor touching a wire), you must remove it.

Be careful to remove the object when the electric circuit of the fence is off.

Checking if the system is connected correctly

After turning on the circuit power, go to the farthest point of your fence from the power source.

• Place the black wire (the one that connects to the negative port) on the second highest wire.
• Touch the other wires with the red wire (the one connected to the positive port).

The output voltage must be at least 5000 volts.

Beginning of the second test: how to attach the wires

For the next test, you will need a metal rod.

A metal rod will help to check the voltage between each electrified line and the soil under the fence.

• First, remove both multimeter leads from the fence.
• Connect the black lead of the multimeter to the rod.
• Place the metal inside the ground and do not remove it until the end of the review.
• Use the red cable to touch each of the fence wires and take measurements.

This way you check the actual voltage of each electrical wire.

Сбор данных

Typical fences produce between 6000 and 10000 volts. The average value is 8000 volts.

Your fence is working properly if the output voltage is within the above range.

If you think the voltage is less than 5000, then you need to look for reasons for the decrease in power, such as:

• Bad choice of energy
• Short circuit
• Leakage

How to Adjust Electric Fence Chargers

Change Energizer Power Supply

You can adjust the voltage of your electric fence through the energizer.

If you are using a battery powered power supply, you can change the battery to increase or decrease the voltage output from your electric fence.

However, if you have a plug-in power supply, I suggest you try the other method below.

Attach an extra wire

You can use electric fence wires as an additional ground to increase the current of your electric fence. Starting at the main ground spike, connect them across the fence. This entails running a live wire under each gate. (1)

On the other hand, placing ground rods is a great technique if you want to reduce the stress on your electric fence. Connect them to bare wires so your fence can have 1,500 foot current intervals.

F.A.Q.

Why should you use a multimeter to test your electric fence?

High voltage is present in the electric fence. That's why it requires a specialized test device.

Learning how to test electric fences with a multimeter is a must. A multimeter is an electrical instrument that can directly measure the voltage difference, current, and resistance in an electrical circuit. These are ideal tools to be used as an electric fence tester. 

What voltage should my electric fence have?

Any voltage between 5,000 and 9,000 volts will do, but (when working with animals and cattle) the best voltage will depend on the species and temperament of your cattle. So as long as your livestock respects the fence, you have nothing to worry about.

What is an acceptable reading for an electric fence?

Horses must read above 2000 volts while all other cattle must read above 4000 volts. If readings near the source are good, continue down the line, taking measurements between each fence post. As you move away from the power source, a gradual decrease in voltage should be assumed.

Common reasons why an electric fence is weak

One of the most common problems in electric fencing systems is improper grounding. The power engineer will not be able to reach its full capacity if the ground is not properly prepared. You can achieve this by placing three eight-foot-long ground rods on the surface and connecting them at least 10 feet apart.

Take a look at some of our articles below.

• How to measure DC voltage with a multimeter
• How to test an electric fence with a multimeter
• How to find a short circuit with a multimeter

Recommendations

(1) grounding - https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC3265077/

(2) earth – https://www.britannica.com/place/Earth

Video links

Testing Electric Fence with a digital voltmeter

How to Properly Test Electric Fence for Problems - Troubleshooting