| EARTHING your energizer effectively is essential. To ensure your fence is working properly an effective earth system is essential. The earthing system is an integral and critical part of your energizers' performance and poor earthing accounts for the majority of problems. An electric fence is installed as an open circuit originating at the energizer. The current is carried by the fence wire placed in insulators. When touched by a target animal the current flows through that animal into the ground so closing (completing) the circuit. This means that the ground is 50% of the electrical circuit. If the circuit is not completed the installation will not be effective and the animal will not feel a shock and the Earth Post is this vital link. Some energizers (generally the portable 9v models) are supplied with earth stakes; these however must be correctly inserted into the ground for maximum effect. The larger the energizer, (longer the fence), the more efficient the earth system must be. This may involve using 2 or more earth stakes. There is always a chemical reaction taking place between soil and metal thus the greater the surface area between the earthstake and soil - the better. Rust is not an efficient conductor so a rusty stake will not be as effective as a galvanized stake or even better, a copper rod. Always try to install the earth system in a permanently moist area. If this is not possible, water the ground around the earth stakes in dry weather conditions. In areas with particularly poor earthing conditions, ie. sand, peat or very dry soil, it is possible to increase the earth efficiency by: - Increasing the number of earth stakes.
- Positioning the earth rod in a patch of continuously wet soil, under a tap or in a streambed.
- Running an earth wire below the live wire on the fence line.
Earth stakes must be totally independent of the household/domestic earth arrangements and at least 10 metres away from a domestic electricity supply earth rod where an earth leakage trip is employed. Remember that all electrical circuits must form a complete loop from the positive (live) to the negative (earth) terminals of the energizer. In terms of electric fencing this means that the ground (earth) is just as much part of the circuit as the fence line and the earth post is the vital link that completes the loop. | 
