Poor insulators

[grassfarmer]

I've always been a fan of Pel/Stafix/Speedrite electric fencing products but had a disappointing experience with Stafix claw insulators which I used for the first time last fall. Put up half a mile of fence along a treeline that was buried under some huge drifts all winter. Imagine my surprise on checking to find every claw insulator on that half mile with the bottom jaw hinged down and the wire lying on the ground. I normally always use pinlocks and the high and low posts were all done with pinlocks which held up. These claw type are just not up to the job. The dealer replaced them OK as they have a 10 year warranty but I'd rather only fence things once.

[smcgrath76]

I have never seen that before. I have seen aircraft cable that is unwound/rewound saw them off before but not bend them out. We use thousands of those same insulators. We have noticed issues over the last many years with cheaper insulators.

I think with a lot of these plastic products (ear tags, insulators, car parts, baler twine, etc.) that the manufacturers change the recipe slightly for cost advantages or whatever other reason and the performance changes dramatically. We have noticed ear tags in some batches turn brittle or break more commonly in certain years of cattle (not just the oldest tags), and once we bought the really fancy Gallagher insulators for the extra money and they turn brittle from sun and snapped in half (broke in the collar behind the wire, not the tabs).

[Blaithin]

I've seen similar ones do that as well. Can't say what brand they were as can't recall but they definitely didn't stand up as well as the odd pin type ones that were on the fence. However the pin ones also broke. Wire was too heavy gauge and the snow too heavy pulling it down. They just snapped or bent.

No lack of work replacing insulators that spring! Lol

[WiltonRanch]

I was told years ago to buy nothing but black insulators. Reason being they handle the sun. I believe it as we've used yellow and black, and black lasts better. Always have bought the black Gallagher. Speed rite or whatever they call themselves seem a bit lower quality on products compared to Gallagher. Have a couple of the mains/battery fencers and they pooped out long before our gal laggers. When peavey mart quit selling Gallagher and went to the other stuff I was displeased like the time they quit z tags and went to y tex. Just being cheap I guess.

[grassfarmer]

My experience has been the opposite with fencing materials WR - PEL/Speedrite/Stafix are way better products than Gallagher and generally less money. The old Gallagher mains fencer was great - model # 1400 or something like that - the modern replacement for it is junk. I bought one to replace a 750 PEL which has roughly half the output size and the big, new Gallagher put out 1000V less than the PEL. I returned the Gallagher and bought a Speedrite. Like an old fencing contractor in AB told me - Gallagher - overpriced and under powered.

[WiltonRanch]

My experience has been the opposite with fencing materials WR - PEL/Speedrite/Stafix are way better products than Gallagher and generally less money. The old Gallagher mains fencer was great - model # 1400 or something like that - the modern replacement for it is junk. I bought one to replace a 750 PEL which has roughly half the output size and the big, new Gallagher put out 1000V less than the PEL. I returned the Gallagher and bought a Speedrite. Like an old fencing contractor in AB told me - Gallagher - overpriced and under powered.

You're right about overpriced. That's why I really hoped speed right was worth taking a chance on.

[smcgrath76]

I would vote for Speedrite, but I am biased. We started using it based on price vs. quality and I became a dealer. Had a customer call the other night, his electrician friend was freaking out on him that his fencer voltage on the tester was lethal, so we had a discussion about pulse vs steady current.

I know it works here and at Meadow Lake it even stops skidooers from cutting the fence.

[WiltonRanch]

I would vote for Speedrite, but I am biased. We started using it based on price vs. quality and I became a dealer. Had a customer call the other night, his electrician friend was freaking out on him that his fencer voltage on the tester was lethal, so we had a discussion about pulse vs steady current.

I know it works here and at Meadow Lake it even stops skidooers from cutting the fence.

You deal with pooped fencers? If I still have the one I should get you to send it away for fixing.

[smcgrath76]

You deal with pooped fencers? If I still have the one I should get you to send it away for fixing.

I don't fix them myself, but I can get them fixed for you. The last one I had fixed was my 9000. It fell off a truck and got run over by a trailer (full on tire). I then cut the cord off as I needed a quick fix for a spare fencer. My postage to send it in and get it back was more than my repair bill. Still ticking 6 years later (only runs about 9KV though).