What To Do If an Electric Fence Is Not Working (Pretoria Guide)
By JD Gates Pretoria | Electric Fence Troubleshooting | Published: 1 July 2024
An electric fence that stops working leaves your property boundary unprotected. Before calling for a repair, work through these diagnostic steps — many faults can be resolved without a technician.
Step 1: Check the Energiser Display
Most modern energisers have an LED or LCD indicator. A green pulse light every second means the energiser is working and outputting voltage. No light at all means there is no power reaching the energiser — check the circuit breaker and the switched outlet the energiser plugs into.
Step 2: Test the Voltage at the Fence
Use a digital electric fence tester (available from JD Gates) to measure the output voltage. A fully operational residential fence should read above 5 000 V. A reading below 3 000 V indicates a significant earth fault — current is leaking to ground somewhere along the fence.
Step 3: Find the Earth Fault
Walk the fence line looking for: vegetation touching the wires (the most common cause), a broken insulator allowing a wire to touch the bracket or wall, a drooping wire touching a metal gate or other grounded surface. Clear vegetation and replace damaged insulators first — re-test after each repair until voltage returns.
Step 4: Check the Alarm Zone
If the fence is triggering the alarm repeatedly with no visible cause, check for a poorly tensioned wire vibrating in wind, or a loose insulator. Wind-induced false alarms are common during Pretoria's summer storm season.
Step 5: Call JD Gates for a COC-Compliant Repair
If voltage remains low after clearing all visible earth faults, there is a hidden insulator failure or a break in the wire that requires professional testing equipment to locate. JD Gates carries fault-tracing equipment for rapid diagnosis across all Pretoria suburbs. Call 012 012 6285 or WhatsApp 073 941 2448 for a same-day electric fence fault diagnosis.