We repair electric fences in Pretoria and surrounding areas. Fixing broken wires and replacing rusted old electric fence wires. Fence energiser repairs, electric fence fault finding and fixing fence alarms. Electric fence repairs start from R750.00. Permanent alarms and short to earth problems. We also do new installations in Pretoria and Johannesburg.
Key Takeaways
- We specialize in electric fence repairs Pretoria, including fixing broken wires and replacing rusted components.
- Common faults include short to earth, cut live wires, low energiser battery, and faulty energisers.
- Our repair service starts at R750.00 and covers fault finding and repairing broken wires.
- Proper maintenance, such as keeping the fence clean and replacing rusted parts, is crucial for optimal performance.
- DIY tips include maintaining tension in wires and checking the energiser battery to prevent issues.
Common electric fence faults
A faulty electric fence will be detected by the energiser setting off the alarm or siren. Key problems that can trigger the alarm on the fence are short to earth, Cut live wire, Low energiser battery, trees touching the fence or faulty energiser.
Live wire short to earth
A live wire short to earth is one of the most common faults that causes the alarm to set off. This type of fault can be caused by trees touching the fence, live wire in contact with grounded steel. Normally when this happens the electric fence alarm will set off immediately when you switch it on. Walking around and carefully checking the fence can help to locate the problem. If you cant find the fault we can assist with electric fence repairs in Pretoria.
Cut live wire
Broken or cut electric fence will trigger the alarm or siren in a series connection. The energiser monitors the live wire going out and coming back. If the series connection is not complete the it will go into alarm immediately. To fix this problem check for broken wires or loose connections.
Low or faulty energiser battery
Depending on the energiser type this low battery can cause an alarm. Most Nemtek and Stafix energiser will go into low battery alarm. Fixing this fault will need replacing the battery. To verify a faulty or low battery the fence will switch of when you unplug the mains or the fault will disappear when you take battery terminals out.
Faulty energiser
Electric fence energiser are prone to lightning damage. Installation of lightning diverters is critical to protect the energiser. A qualified technician will need to test the energiser to determine if its repairable or need replacement.
Service suburbs in Pretoria
Based in Pretoria East we serve most suburbs in and around Pretoria. Repairs and maintenance of both commercial and domestic electric fences. We also do rewiring of old fences to meet the new compliance regulations.
Pretoria east electric fence repairs
- Lynnwood electric fence installation and repairs
- Moreleta Park electric fencing
- Waterkloof electrical fence installation and fixing
- Faerie Glen electric fence
- Garsfontein electrical fencing
- Monument park electric fence repairs
Electric fence fixing Pretoria North
- Pretoria north electric fence repairs
- Akasia electric fencing
- Rosslyn electric fence installation and repairs
- Sinoville electric fences
- Wonderboom electrical fence
- The orchards electric fence installations and repairs
- Soshanguve electric fences
Cost of electric fence repairs
The cost of fixing a broken electric fence starts from R750.00 excluding parts. This price mainly cover faultfinding and repairing broken wires. Light bush clearing is also included although thicker bushes may be quoted extra. Repairs and upgrades to make the electric fence compliant may cost more depending on extra parts to be installed.
Electric fence rewiring
Electric fence wires are subject to corrosion resulting in low conductivity. This can be as a result of age or poor electric fence wires. To ensure your fence is in optimal working condition pulling new wires is necessary. Poor connections on joints can also cause low voltage delivery across the electrical fence.
Electric fence wire estimated lifespan
The lifespan of electric fence depends on a number of environmental conditions and maintenance. Coastal areas where generally have a shorter electric fence wires durability. Clean and well maintained electric fence last longer. Electric fence arching and poor or incorrect combination of materials can cause chemical reactions leading to wire snapping. Below is a table showing general electric fence wires sizes and estimated lifespan.
| Wire type | Size | Lifespan (yrs) |
|---|---|---|
| Galvanized (stranded) | 1.2mm | 8-10 years |
| Galvanized Solid | 2.2mm | 10-15 years |
| Aluminum (Stranded) | 1.6mm | 10-15 years |
| Aluminum Solid | 1.6mm | 15-20 years |
| Stainless steel (stranded) | 1.2mm | 15-20 years |
How to fix a faulty electric fence
30 1 hour and 30 minutes
Practical steps to fix a faulty electric fence. The following steps can help fix most common electric fence faults including alarms and malfunction conditions. Please note that great care is needed to avoid getting electrocuted. We advise on switching the fence completely off when working on it.
- Check for touching or loose wires
Live wire short to earth is usually the most common faulty causing electric fence alarms. Walk around and look for wires touching each other or wires out of the insulator touching the poles. Please note that you need to switch of the fence before you can fix any identified problems.
- Check for trees and clear fence area
Any vegetation touching fence wires can result in a short circuit on the electric fence. Switch off the fence and clear any vegetation around the fence. For free standing electric fence a distance 1m on each side of the fence is recommended. Keeping the fence clean of vegetation also protects damage of components from veld fires.
- Replace rusted wires and fence line clamps
Corroded wires and electric components can cause a great resistance to the flow of pulse on the fence. Switch off the fence and repair any rusted wires and fence components. Crimp tight all the joins using a proper crimping tool.
How to troubleshoot a faulty energiser
So to get started, you need to have your tools ready for opening and testing your energiser.
Total Time Needed :
45
Minutes
Required Tools:
Things Needed?
Steps to test the energiser:
Switch off the energiser using the tag key
Take out the live wires from the fence energiser. Remember to mark them for when you have to put them back.
Put the small HT cable between the live terminals of the energiser.
Switch the energiser back on and see if it works again. If the energiser works then the fault is on the fence.
DIY electric fence maintenance tips
Electric fence maintenance is critical to keep your fence in good working order. Lets explore some of the critical electric fence maintenance tips for end users.
Keep the fence clean
Cleaning the fence includes clearing all bushes and trees growing towards the fence. In domestic electric fences this will help in avoiding false alarms due to shorts and arcing. When it comes to game and farm freestanding electric fence fundamental to keep the fence clean. At least 1m clearance from either side of the fence to protect damage due to veld fires.
Fence wire restraining and tensioning
Loose wires compromises security as intruders can push the wires apart to gain entry as well as wires shorting to each other. Regular checks and wire restraining will help to keep them straight and tight. Please note that this exercise must be done with the fence switched off or consult a qualified technician.
Replace rusted parts
Corroded parts like line clamps or even wires in some cases cause a lot of resistance to power circulation throughout the fence. High resistance will lead to low voltage in the fence and therefore compromising the effectiveness of the fence.
Check and replace energiser battery
Faulty or low electric fence energiser battery can cause alarms to the fence. It is also very important to keep the fence running in the event of power failures. Please note that this may need to be done by a qualified installer or technician.
Electric fence troubleshooting guide
Fence alarm and low voltage are some of the common and worrisome electric fence faults. In the table below we will describe fault causes and possible solutions.
| Fault | Cause | Solution |
|---|---|---|
| Instant alarm | Live shot to earth | Check wires touch to poles, trees or each other. |
| Instant alarm | Broken live wire | Check for cut wires or loose connection |
| Alarm in rain or wet weather | Live shot to earth | Check cracked insulators and sparks |
| Fence off when power is off | Faulty backup battery | Replace energiser battery. |
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