·        Joules - A measure of energy that essentially tells you the relative power of each energizer. For comparison with other brands, we provide both the "stored" and "output" joules for each product. Remember that the best use of this number is to look at two chargers and determine which one is more powerful. You won't likely ever get the recommendation to buy a specific joule level of charger. that is where measures of distance come into play. NOTE: Do not confuse joules and volts. All Gallagher products are around 7,000 volts at the charger. You won't likely need more than that for any animal control.

·        Miles - All our chargers come with a "miles" rating to help you decide which charger will be ideal for your length of fence. The longer your fence line, the bigger charger you will need to maintain 7,000 volts along the entire length. If you have 3 miles of fence line with 4 lines of poly wire you actually have 12 miles of fencing material to be powered.

• The most economical power source (hydro, batteries, or solar) depends     on ease of access to fencer
• Output voltage needs to be high enough to get the attention of the     livestock being contained
• Output joules rating must be capable of delivering the voltage along     the length of wire in the fence
• When in doubt, buy bigger than you need.

Measure the area where you’ll install electric fence wires. Multiply the length by the number of wires. For longer fences, use a charger that outputs more joules. For example, a fence with 5 wires covering 2 miles requires a charger that outputs at least 10 joules.

1. Grounding/Earthing: For each joule output, you’ll need 3 feet of ground rods. For a 10-joule fence energizer, you’ll need 30 feet of ground rods. Dry soil has low conductivity, requiring more ground rods to maintain a steady charge.

2. AC vs. DC Fence Chargers: AC-powered fence chargers can output more joules, while DC (battery-based) or solar chargers have limited current supply.

3. Type of Animals: Different animals require different joules. For instance, animals with thick fur like sheep need more joules to deliver a shock.

4. Quality of Conductors: Using good conductors with minimal resistance helps deliver voltage efficiently, requiring fewer joules.

5. Stored vs. Output Joules: Stored joules are the energy saved in the energizer’s capacitor, while output joules are the energy sent through the fence wires.