How To Repair An Invisible Fence Wire [Easy 5-Step Guide] (2024)

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Quick Summary

• To repair an invisible fence wire, first locate the wire break. Next, strip the coating and then join the wires. Finally, cover the exposed wire.
• To locate a wire break, you can use a handheld radio or a wire break detector.
• Prevent future breaks by replacing thin wire with thicker wires and then using PVC pipes to protect them before burying.

The basic steps on how to repair an invisible fence wire break are pretty easy. You will want to locate the break. Next, strip off the coating and expose the boundary wire. Twist these together and then tie a knot close to the twist to keep any tension from breaking the wire again. Wrap the exposed copper in electrical tape. Then fold over the repair and wrap it again to help prevent future breaks.

Electric dog fencesare great if you can’t use a physical fence for any reason. These fences can use a few technologies, but many use a wire to transmit a signal that lets your dog know when it is leaving the fenced area. Personally, I prefer GPS dog fences as these do not require burying and maintaining wires. But if you already have an invisible fence and your dog has beentrainedproperly, the only reason your pup would be outside the fence is if the wire breaks. If your fence system breaks, there’s no need to worry. My step by step guide below will teach you how to repair an invisible fence wire.

Quick Guide: How To Repair An Invisible Fence Wire

Step 1. Locate the Wire Break

The first step is to find the broken wire. A wire break locator can help. We will go over some tips to help find hidden breaks later in the article if you do not have one. Check around the perimeter of the fence and inspect the wire. This can be easy if your wire is above ground. You may also spot obvious damage like roots or torn up the ground above the underground wire. An underground wire break will need to be dug up. Once you find the broken wires, check to see if you have enough slack for a repair. If not, you will need to splice new wire in such as your test wire. There is proper splice kit available for this job. Thankfully, this works the same way as repairing the wire.

Step 2. Stripping the Coating

Your invisible dog fence wire will have a coating over the wires. You will need to strip this off to expose the internal copper core. Many pliers include a wire stripper. Be gentle and try not to damage the wires or break them. If you do, you will need to cut off the damaged portion and try again. Remember to strip off each side of the wire break. Do not be afraid to cut off any damaged wires in your electric dog fence.

Step 3. Join the Wires

This is pretty easy to do. You will notice that the wires may splay out. Twist them together to start. Then you can join the two wires by twisting them together. This is called a butterfly twist. You can trim off any loose ends if you like. Since this wire transmits a radio signal, this is a good repair. Electrical wires need more care.

Step 4. Cover

In order to help prevent a potential wire break or short, you must insulate the wires. Use electrical tape since it is designed for covering wires. You need to cover the entirety of the exposed wires. The best solution is to wrap starting below the knot. Then cover the exposed copper wires. If you want to keep things neat tape a bit beyond the end of the wires, then fold the loose end down and cover it in more tape. This helps prevent potential breaks or snags. Having slack in the wire helps with future repairs and can prevent breaking.

Step 5. Prevent Future Breaks

This step will depend on why your cable might have broken. If it is above ground and was hit by something like a trimmer, you need to protect the wire. A PVC pipe is a great option. You can thread the wire through to help protect it from trimmers. This can also work if is underground wire. This can be difficult if your electric dog fence is fully buried. You may have to dig up the fence. If your wire is old and degrading, it may be a good step to take. You can use a new wire and thread it through PVC pipes to keep it safe. Since most wires are either on the surface or buried less than three inches, they can be cut easily. Remember to note where your wire is for yourself and any work you need to be done around your home. If your pet containment system came with a thin wire, you may want to replace it with a thicker wire. A seven-strand wire with a sturdy coating will last longer and help resist breaks.

How to Find the Break

Finding a wire break can be a bit hard. If your transmitter is beeping, that typically indicates a wire break or faulty transmitter. The easiest step is the start by making sure the transmitter is working. Disconnect the fence wires. Use a small piece of wire or a paper clip in the inputs for the wire to connect them. If the beeping stops, the transmitter is fine and your fence wire is broken. If it is still beeping, your transmitter is the problem and the fence is likely fine. You can also use a voltage tester to see if the wire is broken. You can use it on the disconnected wires to test for resistance. If there is none, your wire is fine and the transmitter is the problem.

If you can find out what frequency your fence is, you can use a handheld radio tuned to it to find the wire break. You can also buy detectors for wire breaks. Go slow and you should be able to find it by listening for when the signal cuts out. Otherwise, use the collar to find the wire break. You will want it to be on the audio cue if possible. You may need an RF choke to help you find the break. These are cheap and easy to find.

Troubleshooting

If you find your dog frequently escapes and you can’t find a break, there can be a few causes. First, it may be a training issue. Some dogs are very stubborn and will ignore the corrections. Many intelligent breeds are very stubborn and will make anyobedience trainingdifficult. Try to go through more training and work specifically on how to introduce an invisible dog fence while training your pet. It can also be that your correction is not right for the dog. Some dogs do not react to scent cues or shocks. You will find the right option for your dog by experimenting. If you do notice regular breaks in the electric dog fence, you may need a stronger wire or to try any of today’sbest wireless dog fences or best GPS dog fences. Some yards may have a lot of plants that can damage the dog fence wire. Dog fence wire left on the surface can also easily be broken or damaged by the sun and weather. The underground wire will stay safe from the weather and being hit by a lawnmower.

FAQ

How Do You Fix a Broken Invisible Fence Wire?

Once you find the break, remove the insulation and twist the copper wires together. Then use electrical tape to cover the ends and keep the wires from shorting. You can use electrical caps that use silicone to cover the wires, but these can fail from the weather. Carefully wrapped electrical tape can work a bit better if you are thorough with your wraps.

How Do I Find a Broken Invisible Fence Wire

If you cannot see an obvious cause like roots or a dug-up dog fence wire, you can use either the collar or a handheld radio to find the wire break. This works best with audio cues. Over a radio, the fence will sound like regular beeping. If your fence uses a system other than radio waves, you will need to use the collar itself [1].

What Gauge Wire is Used for Invisible Fence?

Many commercial dog fences use a 20 gauge dog fence wire. Professionally installed fences may use a 14 or 16 gauge since these can be sturdier. If you deal with frequent wire breaks in the fence, a 14 gauge may be a better choice. Remember, a smaller number means a thicker wire.