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  Discussion on Fires from electric fencing
Author Message
Member:
Disco1

Posted on Friday, Jul 23, 2004 - 7:43 pm:

I'm wondering if anyone has run into a problem with this. About a month ago we had a woodshed catch fire for no apparent reason. We had no electrical wiring in the far end where the fire started, nothing else one would think would start a fire. However, what I did have was a strand of electric fence running through insulators around the corner of the shed. The shed was made of dry cedar shakes, and there was a bit of spark where the fence had a broken wire strand. This is with a battery powered Surroundem fencer, with intermittant current. I could not imagine that the tiny extremely brief spark could ever ignite a solid board.
Does anyone have a similar story to tell? Needless to say, whether or not the fence was to blame, I shall be very paranoid about where it runs now. We also lost a bit of the nearby house roof and wall, but thankfully no people or animals were hurt.
Member:
Longhorn

Posted on Saturday, Jul 24, 2004 - 1:11 am:

We have a smooth electric wire running along the top board of our wooden fencing. The current is static, that is, it's an alternating or "sparking" current like you'd experience with static electricity where the humidity in the air, the moisture on your own body, and the grounding determine the severity and strength of the pulsating spark. When I'm wearing my rubber clogs and touch the wire on a dry day, it's no more severe than the static electricity you'd get from clothes directly from your clothes dryer. BUT, if I'm sweaty and I touch that wire and am also touching the metal pipe in my barn, I'll get a shock that will numb my arm.

Still, all in all, it usually isn't the kind of static or current that would ignite a shake roof. I'd look to spontaneous combustion from some other chemical mix OR vandalistic michief.

I'm not an expert by any definition, it's literally my two cents' worth.
Moderator:
DrO

Posted on Monday, Jul 26, 2004 - 2:28 pm:

If conditions are right, dry with a bit of wind, it is very easy to believe a shorted electric fence could ignite wood shakes. A electric spark creates a ember, the ember is faned to a small flame, the flame becomes a fire.
DrO
Member:
Lilo

Posted on Wednesday, Jul 28, 2004 - 1:49 pm:

We have had a grass fire started at a neighbors lot because of a mouse touching an electric fence wire (I believe it was a mouse). I also use electric fencing along with my wooden fence (so the horses don't eat the whole fence), and found once that the insulation had deteriorated and there was a black burned area on the wood post. On a dry day, that could have easily flared up into a fire and even threatened the barn. I guess one has to check electric fencing regularly and throroughly. Lilo
Member:
Disco1

Posted on Saturday, Aug 14, 2004 - 1:18 pm:

Thanks, everyone, for your input. I have since had several people mention that they had noticed charred posts, etc., from arcing wires. Well, for sure I'll be way more careful now.
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