We use a low-impedance energizer system that is standard today in the use of electric fences to power our electric fences and electrified mats.  Originally referred to as non-shortable energizers, they deliver a high voltage pulse for approximately 0.0003 of a second.  These low-impedance energizers were developed to overcome shorting-out on plants and to eliminate the danger of injury that may come from a pulse that is on too long.  This brief high-energy pulse cannot generate heat, which is the damaging element of electric shock.

Also, the pulse interval of one second was developed to allow whatever touches the electric to remove itself.  The electric shock causes muscle contraction and the pulse interval allows the muscle to relax and the animal touching it to move away.  If the pulse interval did not exist, then the animal/human would continue to get shocked.

There is an old saying, “it’s not the volts that’ll kill you, but the amps”.  The electrical outlets in your house put out about 15-20 amps, the electric fence energizers we use put out about 0.5 milliamps for 0.0003 of a second.

Electric fence energizers are strongly regulated for safety and are UL listed in the US.  Electric fences cause LESS THAN ONE serious injury per year WORLDWIDE!!  Compare this to 41 people (mostly children) being killed annually from a television falling on them.

Electric fence energizers were developed in the 1940s to keep animals inside fence lines.  They were not made to kill or injure anything, but to simply create a physical and psychological boundary for livestock.  If it killed the creatures it was meant to contain, they wouldn’t be standard on the market. 

It’ll sure hurt if an animal or human touches it (that’s why electric fences are so fun for kids to tease each other with! “Touch it, I dare you!”) but will not cause lasting harm.  So be aware of when the system is on and when a pet or bare-footed person may be active around it.  If someone is wearing rubber-soled footwear, they can walk safely on the mat and never even know it was on.

These electric systems do have the potential to cause muscle spasms, which could possibly cause issues for individuals with pre-existing heart conditions or a pacemaker.

**All of this said, these have proven lethal to small amphibians like toads.  We think they hop onto the mat and when they are positioned between the two pieces of metal, they provide a connection and cannot handle the shock. 

Installed properly, the risk of fire from either the electrified mats or an electric fence is extremely small.  However, it is smart to keep weeds cut down around either system and keep your mats clear of debris like leaves, pine needles, and sticks.  Not only will this decrease any risk of the arcing through dry vegetation, but it will also reduce the risk of them “grounding out” and no longer producing an effective shock.

No problem!  You can certainly unplug or turn it off manually in the morning and back on in the evening.  Another idea is that you plug the energizer into a timer system and set it for when you want the system on and off.  That takes away the concern of accidentally forgetting to turn it off… or on! A word of caution though – never plug or unplug the mat from the energizer when the energizer is powered on. The close proximity of your fingers to the electrical connections can result in a shock. (But we guarantee you’ll only do that once!)

That is simply an arc in the electricity.  It means the shock has found a shortcut to the ground (which is where it always wants to go). Once you find the cause, power the system down and correct it.

For the electrified mat: Sometimes a simple shake of the mat could clear the gap or the item the electric is jumping.  If the arc remains, please feel free to contact us and we’ll try to help you through troubleshooting the issue.

For electric fencing: It could mean a variety of things… a piece of wet vegetation may be providing a quick jump for the electric, the wire may be touching something metal, there is a fray in the wiring itself, among other things.  Feel free to contact us and we’ll try to help you through troubleshooting the issue.

The beauty of the electrified mat is that you do not need to ground either the mat or the energizer with a grounding rod!  One piece of the metal on the mat acts as the ground, the other piece is “hot.” When the bear steps on the mat and contacts both pieces of metal, the circuit is completed and the shock flows through the bear.  It does not matter if the mat is on the ground, concrete, cobblestone, or on wood, it will work!

Our mats are extremely durable!  We use vulcanized rubber mats along with galvanized steel, and stainless-steel screws to withstand weather.  The wiring is integrated into the mat with connections made by a simple-to-use pigtail plug secured by a metal plate that resists tension on the wire.

Not a heck of a lot. The mats are just fine in the rain, they are made for the weather. Standing water or snow on top of the mat may conduct electricity between the plates however, so care should be taken if the mat becomes submerged. Often there will be an arcing/popping sound if water is on the mat. This is simply the water conducting electricity between the negative and positive metal pieces on the mat. The mat is still working and there is no risk, but the popping sound may be alarming.