tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post3603344325637550021..comments2024-03-28T23:36:14.807-04:00Comments on Eaton Rapids Joe: Proof-of-concept trialEaton Rapids Joehttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09102166969915526172noreply@blogger.comBlogger8125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post-13671316090599741532020-05-25T16:46:15.901-04:002020-05-25T16:46:15.901-04:00Yes, it is usually in the lowest wire. But sometim...Yes, it is usually in the lowest wire. But sometimes it is not.<br /><br />I am also powering the Widow Sprite's fence and the short can be over there. I have a cut-off so I can drop out her fence when the critters are on my pasture.<br /><br />The possibility of the short being on my property or Sprite's complicates things.Eaton Rapids Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09102166969915526172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post-31931286588228956822020-05-25T16:44:10.862-04:002020-05-25T16:44:10.862-04:00The fence energizer fires a very high, very short ...The fence energizer fires a very high, very short duration pulse of voltage into the fence.<br /><br />I tried a compass and had no luck.<br /><br />I tried little "slides" filled with iron filings with no luck.<br /><br />I considered hooking up AC current to the fence and using a 100W light bulb to limit the current to a maximum of about one Amp. Then I could use my current pick-up on my multi-tool to follow the current.<br /><br />The disconnect and air-gap is where I ended up.<br /><br />I may end up with two disconnects per leg. One for diagnostics and one to drop out the leg so I can de-energize the leg without having to walk all the way back to the barn. It is prudent to de-energize the wire before trying to untangle shorts.Eaton Rapids Joehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09102166969915526172noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post-52249019624370253152020-05-25T13:58:30.966-04:002020-05-25T13:58:30.966-04:00Sometimes I grab my test light because I really wa...Sometimes I grab my test light because I really want the problem to be somewhere else and I'm just grasping a straw so I don't have to get beat up by the 800 pound gorilla. I usually wind up saying "shut up and fix it Fred, just shut up and fix it.FredLewershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02221076803807309775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post-21993332629385538242020-05-25T13:46:18.717-04:002020-05-25T13:46:18.717-04:00And I'm betting you already have an 'idea&...And I'm betting you already have an 'idea' as to where the short is occurring in what section of the fencing based on historic knowledge.Old NFOhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16404197287935017147noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post-82949778672495567202020-05-25T10:26:22.492-04:002020-05-25T10:26:22.492-04:00Oooo... I like that. I've found bad plug wires...Oooo... I like that. I've found bad plug wires by turning the lights off in the shop and watching for the spark. I never thought about a scope. Thanks.FredLewershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02221076803807309775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post-49109168614579587732020-05-25T10:24:10.427-04:002020-05-25T10:24:10.427-04:00Magnetic compass works great for finding short cir...Magnetic compass works great for finding short circuits. If you can use a cycling circuit breaker or automatic circuit breaker.<br />The high current flow generates a magnetic field around the conductor. Hold the compass close to the wire and watch for it to deflect every time the CB cycles back on. Trace the wire with the compass when the deflection disappears that's where the short is.<br />I've used this method many times to locate a short in an automobile. Sure beats pulling all the body parts off to inspect the whole harness.<br />Caveat 1. Size your cycling circuit breaker to the smallest conductor in the circuit. You cannot push 30 amps through 30' of 20 GA wire. It will not fit. You can force the current into the conductor but it will damage the insulation. Not enough room in the small insulation for 30 amps AND magical smoke. The amps will fit briefly but then all the magical smoke oozes out and the circuit quits working.<br />Caveat 2. I don't know if electric fences rectify the AC to DC or not. I've never used the compass trick on an AC circuit. I don't have an AC cycling circuit breaker. The only ones I've seen are massive kV capacity units on big industrial generators. I suppose a second person could cycle the CB for you.<br />Good luck with the fence.FredLewershttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02221076803807309775noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post-1181443225041109552020-05-25T09:39:45.171-04:002020-05-25T09:39:45.171-04:00I like your ingenious way of building a low-cost f...I like your ingenious way of building a low-cost fault-finder. The one I'm looking at buying from Premier 1 is $101.Contrarian Viewhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05694963568572098322noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-2970975545475697571.post-77224223739946639312020-05-24T16:51:15.293-04:002020-05-24T16:51:15.293-04:00Interesting way to do it. I was having a problem ...Interesting way to do it. I was having a problem following you for awhile but I got it now. One way I used when I was in the business was to go out at night with my most powerful rifle scope and scan the fence. A sparking wire can be seen from a surprisingly long distance away. ---ken coyoteken48https://www.blogger.com/profile/06182514695395380561noreply@blogger.com