How To Find Break In Underground Fence

Discerning dog owners with larger land sizes everywhere hold: invisible fences piece of work. Only male child howdy tin they be frustrating when there is a intermission in the debate!

Invisible fences, also known as electric canis familiaris fences, are constructive, humane, and far less obtrusive than traditional wood or wire fences. They tend to be particularly pop with dog lovers who own lots of land, as they make going to the trouble and expense of installing acres and acres of old-fashioned fencing unnecessary.

No containment solution is perfect, though. These covert corrals come with their off-white share of issues, some of which can cause considerable frustration.

One of the biggest is ground wire breaks. When you're faced with a break, your fence'southward most significant benefit all of a sudden becomes its most annoying flaw. How in the earth are you supposed to discover a break in a argue y'all can't even encounter?

Luckily, it's nowhere well-nigh as tricky as information technology sounds. You don't need Ten-ray eyes, a magic wand, or a miracle. All you need is one of two cheap tools—and a little patience.

How Invisible Fences Piece of work

Before we get downward to the nitty-gritty of troubleshooting an invisible fence on the fritz, information technology will be helpful to have an idea of how these products function.

Equally their name suggests, invisible fences are non-physical barriers that operate entirely out of sight.

The installation process for an invisible fence involves laying or burying a series of electrical wires around the area you want to shut off. This perimeter line is linked to a unique collar worn past your dog, which contains a bombardment-powered "correction unit."

When your dog approaches the perimeter, the neckband emits a warning tone meant to startle her into turning around. Assuming she doesn't, the correction unit in the collar generates a response that varies in strength depending on the intensity setting selected by the possessor.

This correction response won't hurt your pup. Most programmable collars offset off with a gentle vibration and work up to an extremely mild daze. Fifty-fifty the highest intensity setting is only about equally uncomfortable equally getting zapped past a doorknob afterward walking barefoot across your carpet. In other words, it's more surprising than anything else.

That's the whole idea—to surprise wandering dogs and persuade them to return to familiar territory so they don't get lost or end up someplace where they might be in real danger.

Finding a Pause in Your Invisible Fence

Fix to track down that pesky break and get your fence back in working order? First, y'all'll desire to make certain you're prepared.

For this sort of project, information technology's best to start simple and meet if y'all tin can spot the break with your ain two eyes before moving on to more than involved detection methods.

Method i – Examining Uncovered Ground Wires

If y'all opted not to bury the wire that serves as the purlieus line when you purchased your argue, hunting downwards the broken connectedness should be relatively like shooting fish in a barrel, though information technology may take some time.

Use context clues to narrow downwardly the break'due south probable location and option a skillful starting point. For example, undercover wires have a way of becoming severed in areas where you mow, weed-whack, or garden regularly. Vehicle tracks, fallen brush, and holes created by burrowing animals could also exist signs that something is amiss with your fence'due south wiring.
From the starting point yous've chosen, walk the perimeter of your fence slowly, inspecting the ground wire for splits, fraying, or other visible impairment. It's a painstaking procedure, but it'southward the all-time mode to identify above-ground breaks.
When you find the intermission, hire an electrician to come up out and set it. You also take the option of attempting repairs yourself. Nevertheless, I only recommend giving information technology a shot if y'all have experience working with small electrical components, as mistakes could result in further damage, voided warranties, or even injury.

Method 2 – Scanning for a Break Using Radio Signals

If your ground wire is buried, you lot probably won't be able to pinpoint it by sight alone, no matter how good your vision is. You're up against an electronic snafu, so you'll demand to plow to electronics for assistance.

Using a radio transmitter to observe an invisible fence (AM frequency)

Purchase an underground wire locator that's compatible with the brand of your invisible fence. These handy gadgets are readily available online for around $30-70 apiece. That may sound steep, but information technology's less than the cost of paying an electrician to track down the break or replacing your fencing system entirely.
Alternatively, you can rig up a makeshift wire locator using an AM radio tuned to the same frequency equally your fence. In that location are plenty of in-depth tutorials detailing how to do this on the internet.
Before you become started, take a moment to double-bank check that your invisible fence is on and agile. Both of the devices mentioned above use radio signals to option up on interference with electric current, so information technology'south crucial to make sure at that place'south ability running to the contend if yous want the ground wire to exist discoverable.
If you're using a wire locator, configure it according to the instructions included with the device. If you lot've decided to get the Macgyver route, switch your radio to "AM" and adjust the frequency of the receiver so that information technology corresponds to that beingness put out by your contend's transmitter (this will usually exist somewhere around 530-700kHz).
Make a circuit of your fence'due south perimeter on foot, waving your device back and forth over the general area of the ground wire equally you become.
Heed closely to your device. If yous're using a wire locator, information technology will finish beeping when it passes over the break. If you're using a makeshift radio detector, you should hear the static cutting out momentarily. Pretty neat, huh?
Splice the broken wire dorsum together or get in touch with a qualified electric repair professional and have them come out and do information technology for y'all.

That's all there is to it! As you can see, information technology's not as daunting a task as information technology might initially seem. It's mostly a lot of walking, hand-waving, and attention-paying.

Conclusion

Whether your property is surrounded past an invisible debate or the former-fashioned kind, you're bound to end up dealing with a break sooner or later on.

Finding a break in an invisible contend might sound a bit similar finding a needle in a haystack, but in reality, it'southward far simpler (non to mention easier on your allergies).

The key is to be patient, go on a keen eye, and let technology accept the lead where necessary. You should take no trouble figuring it out, seeing every bit how you already possess plenty tech savvy to become with an invisible contend in the first identify.

My proper name is Chris and I am the co-creator of Oodle Life. My married woman and I love playing with our active miniature Labradoodle Max. We want all Oodle puppies to be salubrious and happy, have lots of fun and exist function of the family unit.