All PetSafe
Radio Fence® Products carry a Lifetime
Warranty.
1. How deep should I bury the wire?
2. What is the best thing to use to dig a trench for my wire?
3. How do I cancel the signal in certain areas of my boundary?
4. Does it matter where I mount the transmitter?
5. Why do I need to have rounded corners along my boundary?
6. How can I install the wire across hard surfaces like my driveway or
sidewalk?
7. What can I use to give the wire additional protection?
8. Why do I need those little flags?
9. Where do I place the flags in relation to the buried wire?
10. How far should my ground rod be from my transmitter?
1. How deep should I
bury the wire?
We recommend that you bury the wire a minimum of 2 - 4 inches underground to
give it protection from possible damage caused by small rodents or surface traffic. It is
not vital to the operation of the system that the wire be buried, but it is recommended.
As an alternative, with the Heavy Duty wire we include in our systems, you can tack this
wire onto an existing or partial fence line or trees. You can also bury the wire deeper,
(up to 6-8 inches) if you are concerned about damage caused by aeration, run off etc.
2. What is the best
thing to use to dig a trench for my wire?
There is no need to dig a "trench" so to speak. A simple slit is
all you need - then the wire can be easily threaded into this slit. There is absolutely no
need to dig up your yard. We have found that the quickest way to dig this "
trench / slit " is with a straight edged spade or shovel. A power lawn edger or
trencher is ideal for larger installations and / or hard soil conditions. These units can
be inexpensively rented from a tool rental agent locally such as the Home Depot.
3. How do I cancel the
signal in certain areas of my boundary?
The Radio Fence signal can only be cancelled by twisting two opposing
strands of wire together. The wires must be part of your continuous loop, and must be
traveling in opposite directions. The tighter the twist, the better your cancellation will
be. However, you must be sure not to over-tighten the wire and cause a break in the wire's
outer insulation. We recommend a minimum of 12 twists per foot - but you may need to go
tighter than this. The easiest way to
accomplish this is with a cordless drill on a low setting and wrapping periodically along
the length with tape in order to hold the weave in place.
Example: Start with one end of the wire attached to your transmitter (A).
Take wire out to the edge of your boundary (B), make your loop which encloses your
property, then come back to point (B). Between point (B) and the transmitter (A), twist
the wire against the initial strand of wire that you started with - this will cancel the
signal in this area. This same principle can be applied to enclose pools, ponds, gardens,
barbecue areas, outbuildings, etc..
Also, another tip will be to bury the twisted wire deeper than 8 inches at this point to
help dampen any missed signal.
4. Does it matter
where I mount the transmitter?
Yes. The transmitter should be mounted INDOORS ONLY in an area where it will
be dry at all times. This is because exposure to moisture can damage the electrical
components inside the unit resulting in poor fence signal and risk of electrical shock or
fire. Also, the transmitter should not be mounted near any major appliances or large metal
objects. The metal and other electrical components found in these items can cause
interference with the signal produced by the transmitter.
5. Why do I need to
have rounded corners along my boundary?
It is important that the corners on your loop are rounded with at least a 6'
radius. This includes the angle at which your twisted wire ( cancelled signal ) meets your
active boundary. Any sharp turns or angles in your loop can cause complete signal failure,
or just intermittent signal conditions along your entire boundary. This is because the
signal that is radiated off the boundary wire cancels itself out if it crosses with an
opposing signal. Since wires in a sharp corner or angle allow the signals to cross each
other directly, they cancel each other out. A rounded corner will prevent direct crossing
of the signals and your Radio Fence will function properly. It is recommended to do a test
run prior to permanently installing or burying your complete boundary.
6. How can I install
the wire across hard surfaces like my driveway and sidewalk?
If you have to cross concrete, asphalt, brick or other hard surfaces, either
lay the wire in a convenient expansion joint and silicone in place or use a circular saw
with a masonry blade to cut a 1/2 inch groove. Place the wire in the groove and cover with
an appropriate patching compound or silicone. Your local hardware store can help you
choose the right compound for your type of driveway.
7. What can I use to
give the wire additional protection in areas such as my gravel driveway or livestock
crossing?
In areas that may experience particularly high traffic, or areas prone to
small animals digging or chewing, we recommend that you run the wire through a PVC pipe (
conduit ) or rubber garden hose, then bury it 3-4 inches deep. This will
not affect the signal, but will give the wire additional support and protection in these
areas. NOTE: It is inadvised to use metal piping, culverts or any garden hose
containing metal filament strands in the weave. The use of these items can impede the
signal.
8. Why do I need those
little white flags?
The flags are absolutely vital to the success of your system. They form the
"visual boundary" that your pet will learn to associate with the warning beep
given by his receiver collar. Without a visual boundary, your pet will only be confused by
the warning beeps, and training will take much longer. Once the pet is trained, you may
remove the flags. This is described in the training video and manual that came with your
kit.
9. Where do I put the
flags in relation to the buried wire?
The boundary flags must be placed on the inner edge of your boundary, at the
point where the warning signal on your pets collar begins to activate. You never want to
place the flags further into the middle of his "warning zone", because by doing
so, you are telling him that it is OK to be in areas where the warning signal and shock
are present. The boundary flags should be placed a maximum of 10 feet apart from each
other along your entire boundary. Also, it is important to make sure the boundary is at
least 5' from the buried wire.
10. How far should my
ground rod be from my transmitter?
You should ground your system by running a wire from the grounding terminal
on your transmitter to a grounding rod. It is best to locate your grounding rod as close
as possible to your transmitter. We also recommend that you run the grounding wire in the
opposite direction of your boundary wire. Most electrical supply or hardware stores
will have both the ground rod or plate and clamp.
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