The Native Iowan

A sunny, windy winter’s day here in QLD. The wind dries things out but we have heaps of water so we’ll survive easily.

Not sure how many of the folks out there are familiar with the use of electric fences on farms. They are standard world-wide. I don’t think the basic technology employed has changed over the past many decades. An insulated-from-ground wire or “tape” is electrified either with standard Ac power or with a battery. The electric shock produced is enough to keep a 1000kg bull off the wire. Calves jump and often get a couple good shots before they can get away. The cows are smart, rarely get hit by the shock.

Just the other day, I was “out back” checking fences in my 4x4buggy. Gracie was with me. I have one long run of electrified fence way back. Its a standard unit hooked to an old tractor battery and with a mini solar panel to keep the battery fully charged. I believe the units I use produce upwards to 6000 volts, The current is strong enough to shock but not really injure. The amperage is very low, measured in milliamps. So high volts with minimal amps not really dangerous, but…

I went to check my set up. I can hear that its active. You can hear the pulse of current, is sounds like a metallic “click”. Every 3 seconds or so you hear the unit send a charge of electricity down the line.

I see the earth lead is not where I think it should be. I was out here a while back and moved it, but was on the wrong Side of the fence so did not clamp the earth lead to the steel post holding the solar panel up. Instead I clipped it onto the steel barbed wire line going the other direction. Suitable, but not correct. A good grounding makes it work better so… I unclip the earth and prepare to move it, as the unit goes, click – click – click…

Right hand has the earth lead as my left hand gets close enough to the electric tape for the charge to jump the gap. Current in my left hand, through my chest, and out my right. Didn’t last long but when I managed to drop the lead I was two frankenstien-stiff-steps from where I’d started. I vividly felt the current. Knew intuitively I had to drop the lead but it took some effort, as my body went stiff and my arms rose like I was conducting a symphony.

Of course Gracie laughed her arse off.

I shook my self like a scalded dog. Laughing too, I shivered from head to foot.

Promptly turned the damn unit off, fixed the ground properly, commenting as I did so that “I sure as hell shoulda turned that off in the first place”.

While Gracie laughed all the time. I think she is still laughing.

Smiles all around