Other Electric Fence Components, cont’d.
Lightning and Surge Protectors: Basically, lightning protectors can defend electric fence chargers by reducing the effects of lightning strikes coming in via the fence conductor, and also by interdicting surges, including lightning-derived surges, coming in through the house current (if the charger is AC-powered). Two electric fence accessories protect against strikes on the line–these being lightning “chokes” and lightning “diverters”, and two others protect against AC power surges, these being external fuses and surge protectors very much like those used to protect computers and other indoor electronic gear. For more information about all of these accessories (products 01-20, 01-21, and 01-33 thru 01-36B) see Lightning and Surge Protection in the products section.
Electric Switches: We offer both single-throw and double-throw cutoff switches (products 06-12 and 06-13). The single-throw switch is handy for cutting off current on a section of a long fence without having to shut down the entire fence or walk all the way back to the charger. Besides doing this, the double-throw switch can disengage a conductor or fence section from one part of an electric fence system and add it to another system. For example, it can remove one or more fence conductors from a series of actively charged conductors and tie them into the fence’s ground system. This is useful for making every other conductor on an electric fence part of that fence’s ground system in seasons when the ground is dry or frozen; and then, when water comes back to the soil, returning them to an actively charged status with the flick of a switch.
Ground Rods: An essential part of an electric fence is the grounding system, and in places where grounding conditions are reasonably good one or more ground rods provide the fundamental electric collection device for that system. We offer a ground rod clamp, a little two-foot ground rod for portable fences, and regular galvanized or copper-clad ground rods in 6 or 8 foot lengths. For more about grounding systems and these products see Ground Rods and Clamps in the products section.
Polyconductor Reels and Spools: Winding reels and spools are an important labor-saving tool for paying out any significant length of electric fence polyconductor, and also for reeling a conductor up and transporting or storing it until it can be used again. Two sets of winders and spools are provided on this site, one being small and suited to dealing with polywire or short lengths of half-inch polytape, the other being larger and designed to handle significant lengths of polyrope, polybraid, or wide polytape (see products 01-38 thru 01-41). In cases where a polyconductor is being taken up and stored, extra spools will commony be needed.
Warning Signs: More times than not these signs are desired for an electric fence–not only because many states require them, but because it is just common courtesy to warn unsuspecting strangers about the fence (see product 10-01).
