12v Batteries for electric fencing

[Ratface]

Well I am having my fencing delivered today but need a 12v battery to run it.

I have been told to go somewhere like Kwikfit but is there any specific type I need as I havent a clue about batteries. I just know that there are different ones for different cars but dont know why?

Any advice (or indeed any hints as to cheaper outlets) would be very gratefully appreciated! ;)

[Kis Vihar]

You are much better off with a leisure battery - They take the constant re-charging much better than a car battery. Is there a caravan place near you?

[Ratface]

Errrm I think so!

Will check and let you know! There has to be I'm sure! Are they any less powerful?

[woodywoodpecker]

we use plain old car batteries they last about 3 weeks and have a couple so just change them over after 3 weks got the batteries from freecycle so cost us nothing as well

[Ratface]

Oh yeah freecycle!!

Hadnt thought of there! I am a member so will put an add out!!

Just rang the caravan place and they are £99!:eek:

Surely there are cheaper...

[woodywoodpecker]

they are quite expensive we got a decent battery charger for 20.00 and free batteries and works for us we have 3 acres most with electric fencing and y boy has learnt to respect the elec fencing o car batteries are just as good and work and alot cheaper

[Ratface]

Thanks Woody I think that may be the option I go for.

£100 for a battery! Pah!:cool:

[Kis Vihar]

If you've got a Maplins store near you, they have these for £9.99:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=47902#features

You put it on your battery whilst it is powering the fence, and it keeps it trickle-charged - you still probably need to charge the batteries properly every now and then, but it really helps! We have one on our mobile battery unit all the time.

Sorry I didn't think of this in my last post! :rolleyes:

I had also forgotten about FreeCycle...Don't have that out here. :(

[Kis Vihar]

If you've got a Maplins store near you, they have these for £9.99:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=47902#features

You put it on your battery whilst it is powering the fence, and it keeps it trickle-charged - you still probably need to charge the batteries properly every now and then, but it really helps! We have one on our mobile battery unit all the time.

Sorry I didn't think of this in my last post! :rolleyes:

I had also forgotten about FreeCycle...Don't have that out here. :(

[Kis Vihar]

If you've got a Maplins store near you, they have these for £9.99:

http://www.maplin.co.uk/Module.aspx?ModuleNo=47902#features

You put it on your battery whilst it is powering the fence, and it keeps it trickle-charged - you still probably need to charge the batteries properly every now and then, but it really helps! We have one on our mobile battery unit all the time.

Sorry I didn't think of this in my last post! :rolleyes:

I had also forgotten about FreeCycle...Don't have that out here. :(

[Wally]

We just use plain old car batteries, you can often get them at garages free-gratis or for very little.

[Razzledazzle]

Just rang the caravan place and they are £99!:eek:

:eek:That is very expensive for a leisure battery, one of my local agricultural merchants does them for much less...I was given a quote of £44 just last week. Shop around...:)

[peerielee]

We use car batteries, they are no bother. We have 2 whilst one is going the other is put on charge just before needed.

[Ratface]

Hello guys and thanks for ther advice.

I am just a bit stuck now as to what to do. My local garage have just ordered a 12v car battery for £40 plus vat but of course I dont know how many amps it is so dont know if it is a strong one until I actually get it. Then there is another 100amp leisure battery which I have just got a cheap quote of £61 plus vat.

I cant find anywhere what would be a good ampage of battery to have and what would be weak or if indeed that matters?

Is driving me crackers and I cant find any free ones anywhere! Arrrggghh!

[Jessey]

Garages pay to have old batteries disposed of, a battery off a big car (4x4 or similar) even though it won't start a car anymore (takes more power then you might imagine) will often have enough guts left to run your electric fence, find a nice local garage and ask if you can have a couple of their old batteries and would they possibly be able to test them quickly and give you the best of the ones they have ;) then you just charge one and use one and swap them over regularly :D

[colleen&val]

my ex hubby supplies me with mine,
he works for ATS and gets all the scrap batteries that have life left in them,

the scrap man pays for the batteries not the other way round now, something to do with the lead ;)

go and ask at some where like ATS or quick fit , im sure they will help you with a scrap battery or 2, they might even test it for you :)

[Wally]

A nearly clapped out car battery will give them wnough of a zap. We keep mon on trickle charge and one a-zapping and swap when required. Cheap and cheerful and best of all free from the garage.

[Joyscarer]

I have one spare on trickle charge in the garage (storing a battery for too long without charging will allow the insides to fur up reducing the life and performance) and one doing the zapping. The one doing the zapping I also have that solar panel thing linked to to trickle charge the one in the field but can't say if it has helped much as my batteries are huge and I never let them start to reduce in performance so don't know how they would have lasted without it. :o I got given it for christmas though.

The life of your battery will be longer if you ensure that you regularly trickle recharge the battery and don't let it get anywhere close to being flat.

I have 2 humungous batteries that my OH got me and last year I swapped them over every farriers visit to remind me to do it. This was despite not showing a reduced performance. If your battery is showing a reduced performance then you are waiting too long between charges and this will compromise your battery life.

Also when you set your fence up try not to have anything touching the fence as this will mean that the fence will ground out and continually cycle in zapp mode which will reduce life. I have to admit I find this hard in the growing season :(




I know I'm a bit of a sad sap on the electric fencing topic but hubby is a battery guru as part of his job and I guess it rubbed off on me! :o

[Ratface]

Just a quick update to let you know I ended up being given a car battery and I bought a leaisure battery for £47 too so I can use the car one whilst I charge the leisure one.

Thnks for all of the advice!:cool: