How to Protect an Electric Fence Control Box From Lightning

Lightning can be one of the most damaging things to happen to your fence controller. Because they are designed with access to both sides of the circuit -- where they plug into the power supply and where they connect to the fence -- electric-powered controllers can receive a double-whammy. But battery- and solar-powered systems are just as vulnerable. Sprawling fence lines that stretch for a few thousand feet, up to miles, can attract lightning, and as the surge of electricity follows the path of least resistance right back to the charger, the delicate mechanisms inside the controller can be fried. Once struck, the controller must be repaired, or at worst, completely replaced.

Things You'll Need

Surge protector

Diverter or choke

Instructions

- 1
  Use a surge protector if your controller box is electric. A surge protector will keep power surges from entering the controller on the plug side of the box.
- 2
  Install either a lightning diverter or a lightening choke on your fence line. These come in a variety of styles and price ranges -- from a simple diverter that serves to ground the lightning before it reaches the box, to a choke, which is a coil of wire that is mounted between the fencer and the fence.
- 3
  Properly ground your system, using a minimum of three grounding rods. A system with good grounding is less likely to be damaged by lightning.
- 4
  Detach the fence from the controller if possible during electric storms. This is the only way to guarantee that no harm comes to the box, as lightning may still cause damage even when other precautions are taken.

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