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Electric Fence

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Hi,

I am told that campers in Africa have a novel way of protecting their campsites from predators.

It is said that a car ignition coil a battery and some tinned copper wire is all that is needed? A single wire is run about a foot from the ground through poles with insulators and somehow connected to the coil. Is this possible or merely folk lore.

Sounds a little simplistic to me, any thoughts as to how one could construct an electric fence with an ignition coil?

Cheers
Andrew

Original post restore - DO NOT remove your posts - Moderator.
 
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It's possible but you also need an oscillator to switch the coil on and off in order for it to produce high voltage pulses.
 
And I think by law the actual fence cannot be powered constantly. It must be pulsed, I don't know the exact limitations. When I touched my friends fence, it was horrible - He made it himself! And it was not pulsed!
 
This is in South Africa where the government probably doesn't care.

By the way, don't delete your original post, it's just plain rude - the thread doesn't make any sense now.

If you've found the answer then just make a post saying so and thinking people for their help anyway.

For the benift of other's the original poster wondered if it's possible to make an electric fence out of an old car ignition coil, some copper wire and insulating poles.
 
Hi,

certainly had no intention of being rude, apologies to all. Will observe this courtesy if the situation arises again.

I found this circuit Electronic circuits,projects and schematics : Electric fence - Stego which includes a link to the Eagle files which is very helpful.

As a matter of interest I would like to use this fence around the perimeter of my tent and rods when camping out and fishing from the bank of a river or lake. There has been a dramatic increase in robberies whilst fishermen are asleep, people are getting cleaned out. These incidents are happening in "secure" resorts and some have been violent.

I have also located another circuit by Chemelec, another poster on these forums.

Thanks
Andrew
 
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I'm not sure an electric fence would stop robbers.

A burgular alarm would be a better idea.

How about an alarm which switchs the car stero on full volume with a CD of wild animal sound playing?

That's bound to scare them off as well as wake you up and give you time to get ready for a fight.
 
Good point,

you do get portable alarms which are based on infra red passive technology. These really scream loud, the only problem is they tend to be expensive as one needs a couple of them to cover 270°. The camping "kit" will cost GBP 840 on special, sounds a little on the expensive side.

The other reason for the alarm was that I wanted the thief to feel some pain.

Cheers
Andrew
 
Greetings.
A thought regarding cheap(ish) deterrents. Small floodlights fitted with PIR sensors are available quite cheaply here. How about 2 or 3 of these floodlights operated from a small inverter, facing outwards they will tend to blind anybody approaching your location whilst letting you see what is happening. You will need a car battery and the inverter which means more kit to lug around but it's an idea.
Regards
IanB
 
Good point,

you do get portable alarms which are based on infra red passive technology. These really scream loud, the only problem is they tend to be expensive as one needs a couple of them to cover 270°. The camping "kit" will cost GBP 840 on special, sounds a little on the expensive side.

The other reason for the alarm was that I wanted the thief to feel some pain.

Cheers
Andrew
hi Andrew,
You can make a decent electric fence with a vehicle ignition coil.
Go to your local vehicle scrap yard and get a 12V coil, the ballast resistor and the contact capacitor.

I made a couple of these units for the farm in PE, uses a 555 as timer and 12v relay for the driving the coil, been operating now for about 5 years.

I would get yourself a Taser for self defence.;)

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Electric fence while camping could be unpleasant, if you need to relieve yourself in the middle of the night, and forgot where you put the fence...
 
it would be highly diabolical and amusing at the same time if we were to see arcs in a path formed between the poor guy and the fence. :rolleyes:

hi Viz,
The TV MythBusters tried this on a recent program, they could not get a 'shock' by normal peeing techniques from the fence.
The 'pee stream' is too broken, I am NOT going to try it myself,, if you do, let me know how it goes...:eek:
 
hi Viz,
The TV MythBusters tried this on a recent program, they could not get a 'shock' by normal peeing techniques from the fence.
The 'pee stream' is too broken, I am NOT going to try it myself,, if you do, let me know how it goes...:eek:

Haha,

I won a contest (20 competitors) peeing over seven garbage cans without wetting them with a continuous arc. :D

It requires the proper peeing technique to do so. :)

Hans
 
hi Viz,
The TV MythBusters tried this on a recent program, they could not get a 'shock' by normal peeing techniques from the fence.
The 'pee stream' is too broken, I am NOT going to try it myself,, if you do, let me know how it goes...:eek:

Haha.. grampa Eric, I do have a very keen sense of imagination.. :D but how come it's broken? I thought pee streams are a continuum? :)

Haha,

I won a contest (20 competitors) peeing over seven garbage cans without wetting them with a continuous arc. :D

It requires the proper peeing technique to do so. :)

Hans

:rolleyes: I imagined you built a trajectory sensor control systems incorporated on a skateboard, you pee while standing, the skateboard senses the decline in the distance of your pee hence adjusts its distance from the can until every drop gets into it? :p
 
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hi Andrew,
You can make a decent electric fence with a vehicle ignition coil.
Go to your local vehicle scrap yard and get a 12V coil, the ballast resistor and the contact capacitor.

I made a couple of these units for the farm in PE, uses a 555 as timer and 12v relay for the driving the coil, been operating now for about 5 years.

I would get yourself a Taser for self defence.;)

EDIT:

It looks simple and effective circuit. I'll give it a try. By the way, is safe for human ?
 
It looks simple and effective circuit. I'll give it a try. By the way, is safe for human ?

hi,
Any electric shock can be unsafe, especially if the person being shocked has a heart condition or is in general ill health.

The voltage on the fence is pulsed about once per second and is roughly the same as you would get from the spark plug on a car if you touched it.

The fence is in use on a farm to control the animals from roaming or eating crops, it works OK, we have never killed a human, dog or other animal.

You are personally responsible for the safety of users for ALL electrical equipment that you build.
It should comply to the local regulations for health and safety.
 
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hi Viz,
The TV MythBusters tried this on a recent program, they could not get a 'shock' by normal peeing techniques from the fence.
The 'pee stream' is too broken, I am NOT going to try it myself,, if you do, let me know how it goes...:eek:

I'd don't have cable, so have never seen the show, but have heard of it before. You mean these guys, actually urinated on an electric fence, intentionally? They couldn't possibly be that insane. I've had a few run-ins with electric fences, and it's not pleasant. Don't even want to think about what would feel like down there. Wonder how many people saw it on TV, and had to go out and see for themselves. I mean, if they say it's perfectly safe, it must be true, and something like that would be a huge money maker for drunken bets.
 
Haha.. grampa Eric, I do have a very keen sense of imagination.. :D but how come it's broken? I thought pee streams are a continuum? :)



:rolleyes: I imagined you built a trajectory sensor control systems incorporated on a skateboard, you pee while standing, the skateboard senses the decline in the distance of your pee hence adjusts its distance from the can until every drop gets into it? :p

Hi Viz,

good imagination, but far too complicated. :D

Try another approach using man power solely! :) (and an adjustable eyeball system) :)

P.S. It won't probably work if you are beyond the 50s. :D The goal was not to pee on to any trash can but peeing over either one not hitting any one!

At the end of the game none of them has to have a sprinkle of pee!

Did you get it now? :)

P.P.S. If you want to learn the techniques of proper peeing visit me in Thailand: 102 Moo 9 Lampasak, T. Dong Mon Lek, Mueang Phetchabun, 67000 Phetchabun, Thailand. :)

Kind regards

Boncuk

P.P.P.S. Don't be afraid of my dogs. They are as friendly as I am and just like to welcome you. They're both Golden Retrievers.
 
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Haha.. grampa Eric, I do have a very keen sense of imagination.. :D but how come it's broken? I thought pee streams are a continuum? :)
:rolleyes: I imagined you built a trajectory sensor control systems incorporated on a skateboard, you pee while standing, the skateboard senses the decline in the distance of your pee hence adjusts its distance from the can until every drop gets into it? :p

hi Viz,
If you try it, make sure you are wearing good quality rubber Wellington boots and remember to pee down wind.:rolleyes:
 
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