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    Electric Fence Not Working or Alarming? Common Causes and Fixes

    A dead or constantly-alarming electric fence leaves your Johannesburg home exposed. The common faults — energizer, battery, vegetation, breaks — and how they're traced.

    9 March 2026 5 min read
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    An electric fence that's dead or constantly alarming isn't just annoying — it leaves your home's perimeter unprotected. The causes are usually a few common faults. Here's how to read it.

    The usual causes

    • Flat/failed energizer battery — worn out by load-shedding cycling.
    • A break or short in the wires — vegetation, a fallen branch, or a snapped strand.
    • A faulty energizer (the unit that powers the fence).
    • A poor earth — fences need good earthing to work.

    Why it keeps alarming

    Constant alarming usually means the system detects a fault or voltage loss — frequently vegetation touching the wires, a broken/shorted strand, moisture, or a failing energizer/battery. Clearing vegetation and checking for breaks resolves many cases; persistent alarms need an installer to trace.

    The load-shedding angle

    Electric fences run on a backup battery during outages, and frequent load-shedding wears them out fast. A fence that dies when the power goes usually just needs a new energizer battery.

    Repair and certify

    We trace and repair electric fence faults, and can arrange the separate Electric Fence COC needed when selling. Keep your perimeter working — book a callout.

    Frequently Asked Questions

    Common causes are a flat or failed energizer backup battery, a fault or break in the fence wires (often from vegetation, a fallen branch or a snapped strand), a faulty energizer, or a poor earth. If the fence shows a fault or won't hold voltage, it usually points to a break in the line or a battery/energizer issue that needs tracing.

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