The Good & Bad Of Cyclops Electric Fence Chargers Review

[@bradjoiner3414]

Very instructive video, thanks! Ive had 2 “100 mile” Zarebas that have to be 15 years old. Well, the cases are that old. We had a local place that just stopped working on them (said they could no longer get parts). I replaced it with this Brute. After watching your video I’m afraid I may have overbought.

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

The Brute is a good unit and you should be pleased with it hopefully. They are quirky at times, but they're a decent unit. Honestly consider getting the extended warranty with the paperwork that came with the unit. It's only an extra $100 to get 4 additional years, so you'll have a 5 year warranty on the unit. The parent company that owns the Zareba brand sent out nationwide letters to all the repair places and such back in August last year, that as of November 1st 2023 they were no longer going to offer any more parts for their units due whatever reason, in not exactly why. We still have some parts here in stock for the 100 Mile units and have retrofitted those units with other parts as well to make them go again. So if you'd like to send those into us for a free once over,

[@bradjoiner3414]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity I would love to let you take a look at this Zareba! Should I email you to get particulars?

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

@@bradjoiner3414 You can if you'd like, or just go to my website, www.FencerFixer.com and that has all my shipping info and such. There's also links in all my videos to my websites that you can click on.

[@bradjoiner3414]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity Excellent! Thanks again, I will check out the site and try to get this thing boxed up to let you take a look. Thanks again for the guidance and advice!

[@MrSmith-qu4nx]

What recommendations do you have for a single unit to handle 700 thousand acre perimeter ranch?

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

Either the Gallagher M5800i or M10,000i. Expensive units for sure, but very very well made.

[@TheMCD1989]

I just picked up one of these but a 12v version in the pasture combo box valley farm supply sells them with. So far charging 4 wires of hi tensile with pretty heavy weed growth well. Gonna give it a year or so and see how it holds up and charges, I'd like to replace my main AC parmak with another Cyclops, I do like that they are made in the USA and seem to have a variety of options.

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

Parmak is made in the USA as well, about 45 minute drive from where I live. If you go with Cyclops ac unit, keep it installed indoors and not in direct sunlight where the case will fade and crack over time. Also don't go the biggest cyclops either, you'll waste money on power you probably will never get. Look at the Cyclops Champ, Brute, or Super. Those will do most standard size pastures just fine without wasting shock energy from the unit. Say you had 75 acres fenced in With 5 wires. A Champ or Brute model is plenty. You won't gain anything by going with the Master or Boss model. The unit can only put out so much and if there's not the load out there to absorb it, that extra joules you paid for, you'll never see it and wasted your money. A 5-10 joule unit will shock the same on that 75 acres as a 20+ joule will. Just because a person can afford to buy a big powerful unit, doesn't always mean they should've, bigger isn't always better with fence chargers unless you look at the 11 joules (Gallagher M1100) and larger Gallagher units, they're adaptive control units which means they adapt their output to the load they feel, so you get what you paid for when you need it.

[@AnimeDreamingEcchi]

Can this unit work with primer 1 fence? Also does Cyclopes have fence too?

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

Cyclops makes fence chargers only. You'll want to use at least a 1 joule unit per roll of that netting fence, so size accordingly. Some go oversized even if you can afford it. Some use a 5 joule champ on a single roll of that stuff unless you're dealing with goats or sheep, then the Cyclops Champ is the ideal size for that type of animal. Protect any cyclops only from direct sunlight and water. Their cases aren't the best plastic out there and will fade and get brittle with the sunlight UV rays and they don't have any seals on their cases, just an overlapping front and back case. Water can and will get inside of them.

[@AnimeDreamingEcchi]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity are cyclone easier to use than the primer 1?

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

@@AnimeDreamingEcchi it depends on if you're using a 12v one or AC powered unit.

[@AnimeDreamingEcchi]

I’m planning to use both where I can maneuver between ac and dc

[@joshuajackson8112]

Do they always click when there hot or there a way to have just the light

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

All solid state or low impedance fence chargers click when they're working. That's the norm. The clicking sound itself is the transformer inside which is what puts the shock to the fence. So if it's not clicking, then something is wrong so it's good to have the clicking sound. Some units though are quieter than others, that depends on the style of transformer they used inside

[@joshuajackson8112]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity thanks is that something that can be heard on a quiet night if it’s out a few hundred feet or so? Kind of a loaded question

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

@@joshuajackson8112 Depends on the brand and model. Some are a little louder than others, but I don't think you'll be able to hear it too loud from a couple of 100' away. You might hear a slight click, but it won't be super loud.

[@feraldragon850]

Do you ever sell refurbished units? I run a small non profit down here in Florida that uses Feral pigs to clean out forest debris and invasive plants. We need dependable/affordable units for the field. Is there any units that would somehow remotely tell ppl when the fence isn't working?

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

Dependable and affordable on electric fence chargers don't usually go hand in hand. The cheaper stuff will work for a bit, but will randomly fail, so they're affordable but not dependable. There are two brands I would look at when it comes to being dependable, Gallagher and Cyclops. Gallagher is probably some of the best built units on the market, cyclops is a cheaper alternative and are ok for the money. I don't have anything on hand at the moment, unless I dig around me and maybe try to find something to rebuild. Most units that come in get fixed and sent back out. The ones that don't are usually the cheaper brands or the small powered units, they just aren't usually worth it to fix. The only brand I know of that has something that can tell you remotely when there's an issue with the unit or fence, are the Gallagher i-series, but they're not cheap. They also only start with a 18 joule and go up from there joule wise, so they're getting in the bigger power range. Any of the Gallagher stuff is well made, but I would look and see what size area you're fencing in and if your fence stays clean of grass and debris or not. If you need help choosing something that will work, I can help with that as well.

[@miniatures1]

Would this model be over kill for a couple of acres of fence? I need to keep hogs in and I'm not sure what to get.

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

Get a cyclops stallion or champ and that should be plenty. If you're fence will stay fairly semi clean of grass or you'll get a little grass here and there, the stallion will be just fine. If you're worried about a bunch of grass, then get the champ, but you shouldn't need anything bigger than either one of these.

[@appalachianjack99]

I appreciate all the great videos! I use premier one netting and it can be in some hairy spots with vegetation, especially in the summer. Do you recommend a larger joule charger to combat this, such as 5joule charger made by Cyclops or would you recommend I stick with the 3joule parmak energizer? Also, does battery size affect this more or charger size? Thanks- Gavin

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

You normally need about 1 joule per roll of that netting. If you deal with grass and such and when you test your fence with a digital fence tester and voltage stays in the 3kv range, then that's when you would want the higher joule. The cyclops Champ 5 joule would be a good option, just make sure to keep it protected from the weather on any cyclops. What 3 joule Parmak unit do you currently have? The battery size doesn't effect the power of the unit on how it handles a fence load. All it does is allows the unit to power on and run.

[@appalachianjack99]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity I currently have the magnum solar charger

[@appalachianjack99]

3 joule

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

@@appalachianjack99 ok that's a 3 joule stored and about 1.5+/- joule output.

[@shermdog6969]

Looking at a pharmacy vs cyclops

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

I think you meant Parmak... Parmak carry a longer factory warranty at 3 years vs 1 year on the cyclops unless you buy the extended warranty. Parmak units are fairly trouble free and relatively cheaper in cost to own with repairs and such. Don't go too large on the Cyclops, stick to the size you need which is usually in the 3-8 joules covers 75% of the pastures out there. So I would look at the Parmak Mark 8, Super Energizer 5, or Range Master. Or on the Cyclops, look at the Stallion, Champ, or Brute. Also on any of these models, make sure they're well grounded with at least 3) 6-8' ground rods as deep as you drive them leaving 4-10" sticking out to clamp onto and space them 10' a part

[@shermdog6969]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity yup. Parmak. Love auto correct. It's always incorrect. 👍

[@shermdog6969]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity can you ground to a house ground or does it need to be separate?

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

@@shermdog6969 It has to be a separate ground system and at least 35' away from any other ground system, underground water pipes, telephone wiring, or other any other type electrical wiring or metal building.

[@wadepatton2433]

No rain in three months, plus inadequate grounding for the big boxes--that's a combination for heat as I understand things. Ground rods are best on the north side (in our hemisphere) or in a place that doesn't dry out. Dry ground makes that part of the circuit weaker than damp.

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

Not enough ground rods doesn't cause excess heat inside the unit on any brand or size. What happens if you don't have enough ground rods for a particular unit is you lose voltage on the fence and it goes down to the ground instead.

[@feelnrite]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity So this could be the reason my dogs have been shocked when they walked over the place where one rod is and also why my tester keeps telling me there is a draw at the box. I think I have 4 or 5 rods but was using the parmak red box, the new one that is supposed to be their best.

[@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity]

What kind of ground rods are you using? How deep in the ground are they and far a part are they spaced?

[@feelnrite]

@@FencerFixerRepairLLCKansasCity Some have been down a while but they are 6 foot and some may be galv. but I know some of the last are copper. They are 8-10 feet apart.

[@charlieabel1533]

bigger is not better - thanks, good to know!