Eating my words...Again

Last summer when I had new horse fencing installed, against my husbands better instincts, I promised him I would be the one who would maintain it.

Little did I know I would actually have to do just that. Our normal fencing around our pastures is just plain electric wire and in a Post awhile back  I talked about how I disliked that type of fence. So I comparison shopped and while we could not afford the beautiful white board fencing seen in Kentucky Derby towns, we were able to swing the wide electric tape stuff.

Keith didn't like it then and he doesn't like it now.

But I was convinced it was best for my four legged hobbies even though they bring in no revenue whatsoever and should be entitled to nothing more than twine around their pastures. I have been proven wrong, not terribly wrong, just some wrong as in slightly wrong.

The electric tape close up looks like this

 

This piece above is 1/2 inch wide and is deeply woven plastic and metal wire. It's only fault, in my opinion , and as Keith warned, is in high winds. About every two months a section will break. It does help to twist the tape when putting it up. The good news, for me since I promised to do the repair work, is that it is easy to fix. I show your how HERE

 

But lately we've had a problem with not breakage so much but with decreased voltage in the fence. The equines were staying put but  the hogs we have in one section of this pasture kept ending up in the horse pasture. Meaning they were not getting shocked enough. Or they had taught Fannie how to block the current with her thick matt of fur.

 

So we investigated. Even though I said I would do the fixing part I don't know squat about electricity. All I know is I swear like a heathen in purple fish net stockings when I get a jolt. So Keith volunteered his services and his handy dandy voltage meter.

 

No, I will not sink so low as to make a remark about a mans "voltage meter." You'll have to do that yourself.

 

The Device verified less power in several areas even though no part of the fence had broken wires. We did have tall grass in some regions which may have been adding to the problem but even when cleared we still did not have much of a power increase.

 

But with more in depth investigation we discovered that the corners which normally look like this

 

 

are now after a year and a half , burning out at the junction. This is noticeable only when you pull the tape slightly toward you. Could have something to do with our problem. So I traveled around the pasture and spliced in new wire, not difficult to do, and sure enough

Our voltage strength was much improved.

And below is proof I am capable of fixing my own horse fence, or at least capable enough to stand close to it and take a photo. Yes, I know, I am Queen ManurePreneur !