Frequently asked questions

Commonly asked questions relating to electric fence installation and troubleshooting

Brad Nieper avatar
Written by Brad Nieper
Updated over a week ago

Always follow safety guidelines as stated in your Patriot energizer user guide.

Frequently asked questions

How does an electric fence work?

An electric fence is an open circuit system that allows energy to flow only when an animal touches the fence. It acts as a psychological barrier. When an animal touches the fence, energy flows through it's body, into the ground and up through the grounding kit to complete the circuit. The animal remembers the shock and avoids the fence in the future.

My PE/P series energizer is not working. What can I do?

My electric fence doesn't have a charge (voltage) running through it. What can I do?

Check the fence for shorts/faults, then test the ground system, provided that your energizer is functioning properly (output of least 3,000 volts).


What metal rods can I use for my grounding system?


Can I use a standard electrician multimeter on my P/PE series to test the voltage?

No, these testing devices are not made to measure the amount of voltage that an electric fence carries, they are made to measure 110 V/220 V.

Can I use a power extension cord for my energizer setup?

We recommend that you locate the energizer within 3' of an electrical outlet, and not use an extension cord.

I bought a unit for a predator, but I want to know if it will hurt my pets?

An electric fence is designed to act as a psychological barrier and delivers a short, sharp shock when an animal touches the fence. A correctly installed fence, with no risk of entanglement to the pet, will deliver a short, sharp shock, discouraging the pet from touching the fence again.

Can my electric fence hurt children?

An electric fence is designed to act as a psychological barrier and delivers a short, sharp shock when an animal or human touches the fence. A correctly installed fence, with no risk of entanglement to the human, will deliver a short, sharp shock, giving the human time to back away from the fence.

Can I use my energizer inside my house?

We don't recommend that an energizer or electric fence system be used inside a family home.

Can I keep small animal predators away from my garden, bird feeders or fish pond?

Yes! We have different electric fence solutions, depending on your needs and environment. See our website for details.

Do I need to cover my energizer from the weather?

If you have an AC powered energizer, we recommend it is installed indoors, like in a shed.

I'm touching the electric fence, but I don't feel anything. Is it working?

We recommend disconnecting from the electric fence and testing the voltage coming from the energizer with a digital voltmeter. It is worth noting that heavy-soled boots or shoes may prevent the short, sharp shock from travelling into the soil and back to the ground system. This can prevent you from feeling the short, sharp shock, even though there will be voltage on the wire.

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