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| Subject | Date Asked |
| Petsafe fence problem | 1/26/2012 |
| Q: My fence has suddenly stopped working. I've tried two different collars with fresh batteries, two ... A: 3.5 Ohms is right on for 700 feet of wire. There is no way for me to troubleshoot this effectively ... | |
| RF-1010 Standard | 8/22/2011 |
| Q: Kevin My transmitter only puts out a signal for 2 to 3 feet from the wire. I did the short loop test ... A: That would switch the signal to a previously unused capacitor and let it flow through. So now, the ... | |
| RF-1010 Standard | 8/21/2011 |
| Q: Kevin My transmitter only puts out a signal for 2 to 3 feet from the wire. I did the short loop test ... A: John, I hate to tell you this, but it sounds like you have the worst possible problem, a partial ... | |
| Break in wire? Still have "loop" signal | 6/27/2011 |
| Q: Kevin, I have a stumper for you. Recently, after several days of rain, my in-ground fence alarm ... A: It sounds to me that your unit was hit by lightning. Some of the output capacitors or surge ... | |
| RF125 | 1/4/2011 |
| Q: I have a Petsafe Deluxe transmitter which is about 2 years old. It started beeping acouple months ... A: I do not have access to one of the boards,but I doubt that is your only problem. It sounds like you ... | |
| PetSafe RF-1010 Transmitter... | 12/18/2010 |
| Q: I read a number of your very helpful responses to PetSafe fence questions, and I was wondering if ... A: In the interest of full disclosure, I work for PetSafe. I spent 7 years in engineering. These ... | |
| PetSafe RF-1010 Transmitter... | 12/18/2010 |
| Q: I read a number of your very helpful responses to PetSafe fence questions, and I was wondering if ... A: Yes, it does indeed suggest a problem with the asic (microcontroller). If you look at the board, it ... | |
| light switch positioning | 12/5/2010 |
| Q: All of my home light switches are the opposite of expecation, meaning the switch closest to the room ... A: It sounds like the electrician pulled the wires to the wrong box from the breaker box. If I had to ... | |
| Receptacles | 10/23/2010 |
| Q: I have 20 amp circuit breakers. What determines which receptacle to use 15 or 20 amp? A: Each circuit is wired to handle a certain amount of current. If you exceed this amount of current, ... | |
| Circuit Breaker Won't Reset | 9/29/2010 |
| Q: Kevin, I see this is not your preferred area for troubleshooting, however considering your ... A: If you have no power, it is an open, not a short. The odd thing is that it worked before you ... | |
| Circuit Breaker Won't Reset | 9/28/2010 |
| Q: Kevin, I see this is not your preferred area for troubleshooting, however considering your ... A: If the breakers are tripping, you have a short somewhere. If they are not tripping, you just dont ... | |
| transmitter malfunction | 9/13/2010 |
| Q: I have had a petsafe electric fence for about 10 years. lately i have had issues where it suddenly, ... A: What can happen is that the range knob (potentiometer) can become dirty and corroded over time. ... | |
| petsafe rf-105-d | 9/12/2010 |
| Q: I've owned an rf-105-d petsafe in-ground dog fence system for over 8 years now and its served its ... A: I had to look up that model number (it is a very old unit). The best way to check it is to check the ... | |
| partial break | 8/31/2010 |
| Q: we have a break in our invisible fence system. We have dug and checked but we have about 1500 ft of ... A: There are 7 strands in 18 gauge stranded wire. A partial break means that most of these are severed, ... | |
| ohm meters | 8/30/2010 |
| Q: we have a break in our invisible fence system. We have dug and checked but we have about 1500 ft of ... A: I feel your pain. It can be very frustrating when there is a break in the wire. I suggest you call ... | |
| Electrical wiring | 7/20/2010 |
| Q: how many receptacles can be installed on on 15 or 20 amp circuit? A: That is a tricky question. The number of outlets is not really as important as the what you are ... | |
| doorbell | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: i put the two wires together when i changed the doorbell on my house and the bell does not ring. i ... A: Check the door bell for any fuses that might be blown. If that doesn't work, get a new doorbell but ... | |
| doorbell | 6/29/2010 |
| Q: i put the two wires together when i changed the doorbell on my house and the bell does not ring. i ... A: Touch the two wires together for just a second and see if the doorbell rings. All a doorbell is is a ... | |
| replacing a circuit breaker | 5/31/2010 |
| Q: I tested out which outlets were associated with certain circuits and plugged in an energy zapping ... A: Elaine, It sounds like you drew so much current,you damaged the breaker. The fact that it ... | |
| Baseboard heaters | 5/30/2010 |
| Q: We have baseboards heaters in our home. We live in a duplex. (Walkout Basement apartment of a ranch ... A: Lisa, The baseboard heaters have to be the main cause, unless you are being charged for someone ... | |
| Plug ins | 5/6/2010 |
| Q: Can I add a plug-in by going off an existing plug-in? ANSWER: Yes, but you cannot exceed the ... A: This is hard to explain, but a plug does not draw any current unless something is plugged into it. ... | |
| plug problems | 4/29/2010 |
| Q: I am living in a rented house. I have lived here for 7 months and in the time I have been here ... A: Buy a digital multi-meter and test the voltage that comes out of the wall. IF you see dramatic ... | |
| pull chain light fixture | 4/24/2010 |
| Q: I have a 3 speed ceiling fan with a light fixture. The fan and light use a pull chain(separate) to ... A: All lights operate on two wires (and maybe a ground; bare or green wire). Fine the two wires going ... | |
| warm bathroom switch plate | 4/6/2010 |
| Q: I just noticed that the plate is warm. It does not have a dimmer on this circuit only another ... A: The switch could be about to fail, letting enough voltage and current through to warm it up, but not ... | |
| Invisible fencing | 3/29/2010 |
| Q: we had a bad storm last night and now our outside control panel for our invisible fence keeps ... A: Your fence has been hit by lightning or the wire has been broken. Get an ohm meter to test your wire ... | |
| double energy consumption | 3/7/2010 |
| Q: All my neighbors are paying half of the electric bill than I do. I use about 11 kWh/day, when all of ... A: Anna, Ok, now we are on to something. You did not include the resistance information in you ... | |
| double energy consumption | 3/6/2010 |
| Q: All my neighbors are paying half of the electric bill than I do. I use about 11 kWh/day, when all of ... A: The wiring itself would not cause this. It is possible that your appliances are less energy ... | |
| Power Outlets | 2/21/2010 |
| Q: Can an outlet suddenly lose power. I mean it was running a computer a few hours ago and now it ... A: Steve, An outlet is most likely not the problem. An outlet is just the extension of the "juice" ... | |
| Electrical receptacles in series | 2/8/2010 |
| Q: When wiring several receptacles "in a row" there is on the receptacle a terminal for the hot (line) ... A: It depends on how your outlet is set up. If it is in a metal box, then it can be grounded to the ... | |
| adding a plug to a microwave oven cord | 2/6/2010 |
| Q: My husband and I recently purchased a gently used microwave to replace our broken one. We did not ... A: Yes, you can do it yourself easily. Trace down where the old wire went. It should have a black wire, ... | |
| Break in Petsafe Underground Dog Fence | 1/5/2010 |
| Q: We have an underground fence and have conducted all the troubleshooting tips available. We have ... A: If it is going as high as it can go on all settings, then you have a full break. The only 100% sure ... | |
| Tripping Breaker | 12/27/2009 |
| Q: I have my outdoor landscape lights tied in to one 15 amp breaker. Just recently (Last night) after ... A: John, It might solve the problem of the breaker tripping, but the problem is that the wiring for ... | |
| wall outlet | 12/22/2009 |
| Q: I have a problem with two wall outlets. One is outside by the front porch and the other is in the ... A: Check the breaker or fuse box. It you are getting voltage there (or if a fuse blows or a breaker ... | |
| Fridge cutting out | 11/7/2009 |
| Q: After a couple of hours we put it on again, and it repeats the same process. Can you help? A: I am not a fridge expert, please see my qualifications. Most likely, you have a part on the fridge ... | |
| First flip of switch doesn't work | 11/1/2009 |
| Q: Yesterday morning we went to flip on the light in the kitchen. Flipped the switch several times and ... A: Amanda, It sounds like you have a wire coming loose or maybe more likely, a switch going bad. I ... | |
| Installing underground fence near power lines | 10/18/2009 |
| Q: I am planning to install SportDog SPF 100 fence around our existing farm barb wire fencing to ... A: I do not anticipate any problems with your installation. It does happen at times that something ... | |
| Petsafe RF-125 underground fence | 10/11/2009 |
| Q: I have an exceptionally long underground fence, probably using upwards of 4000 ft of wire which has ... A: It sounds like you have taken a hit somewhere in that 4000 foot antenna you have out there. I am ... | |
| Loop Indicator Light on Until Level 3 | 10/9/2009 |
| Q: I have a Sport Dog In Ground Fence and notice that the collar was not working, but the loop ... A: Those are very reliable systems. It sounds like you have a break in your wire. Call Petsafe ... | |
| Troubleshoot invisible fence problem | 10/5/2009 |
| Q: Kevin, The telephone company was installing a new underground line and they broke the twisted pair ... A: That is correct, Petsafe bought IF about 3 years ago. Yes, if your wire is good, you should be able ... | |
| Troubleshoot invisible fence problem | 10/4/2009 |
| Q: Kevin, The telephone company was installing a new underground line and they broke the twisted pair ... A: Try a 10' peice of wire on the transmitter and see if the collars work when near the test wire. If ... | |
| How to ground Petsafe RF-125 transmitter? | 9/12/2009 |
| Q: Kevin You might remember helping me last weekend with my Petsafe rf-1010 transmitter problem. You ... A: I would strongly advise not grounding the unit to an electrical outlet. In order to ground it, you ... | |
| Finding partial break in in-ground fence. | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I found this site and your advice seems excellent. I'm having a problem with a Petsafe stubborn dog ... A: 9 Ohms is good. 500 feet of wire averages about 3.5 ohms depending on the layout, inductance, and a ... | |
| Finding partial break in in-ground fence. | 9/7/2009 |
| Q: I found this site and your advice seems excellent. I'm having a problem with a Petsafe stubborn dog ... A: It sounds to me that you have suffered a lightning strike that has taken out some of the MOV's or ... | |
| Voltage reading at a 110 outlet | 9/1/2009 |
| Q: I live in Houston and my electric bills are over $500 per month and any 110 outlet measures 208 is ... A: 210 Vac out of a 110 is possible, but highly unlikely. I would call my electric company and tell ... | |
| Dimmer Switch | 8/27/2009 |
| Q: We finished our basement and installed 20 can lights on two dimmer switches. The swich plate is hot ... A: Yes, if you can find one. Anything over 600 W is a little hard to find. Also, make sure your wiring ... | |
| Outlet Usage | 8/16/2009 |
| Q: I did not see this one addressed, so I will ask. Each of our bedrooms in our apartment have only ... A: No, it would not have either a positive or negitive effect on the amount of electricity that you ... | |
| Pet-safe RF-125 failure after thunderstorm | 8/11/2009 |
| Q: Within a month of installing our Pet-safe RF-125 Deluxe in-ground pet fence, a thunderstorm rolled ... A: That is definatly defective then. That short look is pretty much a direct short to the transmitter ... | |
| petsafe dogfence transmitter | 8/8/2009 |
| Q: we have an rf-125 petsafe transmitter that doesn't work. petsafe refuses to replace it even though ... A: Mindy, I am not sure why Petsafe will not replace it for you. It does sound like your transmitter ... | |
| petsafe dogfence transmitter | 8/7/2009 |
| Q: we have an rf-125 petsafe transmitter that doesn't work. petsafe refuses to replace it even though ... A: It sounds to me like the transmitter is working if it passed the short loop test. This test ... | |
| Dogwatch broken fence | 7/25/2009 |
| Q: I have a Dogwatch 3000 system for my dog. Woke the other morning to the alarm going off for a break ... A: I am not familiar with the dogwatch system, but I suppose they work like the Petsafe system. Has ... | |
| In-ground Wire Dog Fence | 7/18/2009 |
| Q: I installed an in-ground wire dog fence and it has been working well for about 1 year. Recently ... A: Bob, For 350 feet of boundary wire, you should read <6 ohms. If you have a partial break, you may ... | |
| how to detect partial break in Invisible Fence | 7/11/2009 |
| Q: Sir, I believe I have a partial break in my inground IF wire. I have read several articles and have ... A: Bob, You nailed it. With a reading that high, you do have a partial break. Those are the worst ... | |
| electical question | 6/24/2009 |
| Q: how many plugs can should be on a 15 amp circut breaker. somehow in my apartment i have 11 plugs on ... A: It is not the number of plugs, but what you plug into those plugs that determines how many can be in ... | |
| invisible dog fence | 6/18/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a pet safe stubborn dog invisible fence system. The previous owners had left their ... A: I understand your frustration and apologize for the bad advice you have gotten so far. Get an ohm ... | |
| invisible dog fence | 6/17/2009 |
| Q: I purchased a pet safe stubborn dog invisible fence system. The previous owners had left their ... A: In the interest of full disclosure, I work for Petsafe. Your problem does not make sense to me ... | |
| Electric Dog Fence | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: I would like someone to come out for a service call to help me with a problem. I purchased ... A: I am not familiar with Perimeter Fencing in the UK. My suggestion would be to call the place that ... | |
| Invisible Fence | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: The transmitter unit won't stop beeping. I've changed out the battery in the receiver, and it's ... A: IF you can vary the range of the transmitter signal and the collar beep further away from the line ... | |
| Invisible Fence | 6/9/2009 |
| Q: The transmitter unit won't stop beeping. I've changed out the battery in the receiver, and it's ... A: You always have the option of replacing it with a cheaper Petsafe system. Petsafe bought IF about 3 ... | |
| Invisible Fence | 6/6/2009 |
| Q: The transmitter unit won't stop beeping. I've changed out the battery in the receiver, and it's ... A: It sounds like you have a failure in your transmitter. Most likely, the microprocessor is sending a ... | |
| invisible fence alarm | 6/2/2009 |
| Q: We know we have a break in our fence due to construction. We want to turn off the alarm until we ... A: iIt has either an internal capacitor or a battery that keeps the alarm going off. Unplug it and let ... | |
| petsafe underground fence adding wire to extend the area to include another garden | 4/29/2009 |
| Q: Kevin, I have a petsafe professional underground fence. I was told that I could buy low voltage ... A: Eileen, I think what you have done is twisted the new red will together, thus shorting out the ... | |
| Invisible fence wire | 4/10/2009 |
| Q: I have an invisible fence installed. The transmitter is in the basement, with a double twist wire ... A: Any chance you have a defective receiver? Maybe you have a short in the twisted wire? Could you take ... | |
| Invisible fence wire | 4/9/2009 |
| Q: I have an invisible fence installed. The transmitter is in the basement, with a double twist wire ... A: Roger, That makes no sense. If you are reading 1ohm, that is about right as 500 foot of 18 gauge ... | |
| Replacing overhead kitchen light | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: I'm new to doing home improvments and am trying to replace our overhead kitchen light with a new ... A: You simply need a bigger wire nut. I would not tape them off, this is too risky. When you do find a ... | |
| Re-wiring a fuse box? | 4/6/2009 |
| Q: I have a 50 year old house with a fuse box. One of the eight 15amp fuses powers lights and outlets ... A: I am not an expert in this category, but I think I can provide some advice. If the wiring to that ... | |
| dryer plug in cord (amps) | 4/3/2009 |
| Q: I bought a new GE electric dryer (20-24 amps). The breaker was insufficient so the electrician ... A: If the dryer is rated for 20 to 24 amps and the guy wired it for 60 amps (including the breaker), ... | |
| invisible fence | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: The invisible fence set up I would like to do is just my back yard. I would like to use the back of ... A: No there is not a way to do it without running double wire. Anything metal can attenuate the signal ... | |
| circuit breaker | 3/21/2009 |
| Q: What causes a circuit breaker to keep tripping? The last time we could not get it to come back on. ... A: Mi Michelle, It could be something dangerous. What is happening is that 20 amp circuit is drawing ... | |
| Wiring and breaker panel | 3/15/2009 |
| Q: I just installed some top kitchen cabinets in my home, and a few hours later my power breaker shut ... A: Patrick, In a word, yes. It sounds like you could have a partial short. Perhaps you have run a ... | |
| dimmer switch | 3/4/2009 |
| Q: Two days ago I replaced the track lighting in my kitchen. The first day that I replaced it one of ... A: Interesting problem. Logically, I can see the dimmer going out or being bad from the start. However, ... | |
| home wiring | 3/1/2009 |
| Q: today my wife was using and upright vacuum while at the same time, I was using an upright steam ... A: I cannot tell you why the circuit breaker did not trip. If you overloaded the circuit, it should ... | |
| Extending the invisible fence | 2/19/2009 |
| Q: Kevin, I would like to extend my invisible fence to an island in my yard. How deep should I bury the ... A: What you want to do is make a section of twisted wire that leads up to the island. If you think of ... | |
| Hot dimmer switch | 2/12/2009 |
| Q: Just had a new ceiling light installed along with an Lutron digital fade dimmer switch. I noticed, ... A: Joseph, I would call the manufacturer of the dimmer switch. If it is rated for 600 watts, you ... | |
| looping invisible fencing | 2/11/2009 |
| Q: First of all? I'm a dummy electrically so don't expect me to understand technical answers. I'm ... A: Bill, The spam guard is that of experts.com. What you have to do is to create a loop. Imagine ... | |
| Finding break in line | 1/13/2009 |
| Q: I am having difficulty finding the break in my underground fence system. I tried the am radio tuned ... A: Petsafe sells a kit similar to what you are using that has always worked for me. You can call them a ... | |
| finding the wire | 1/8/2009 |
| Q: My invisible has not been working for a while and I am looking to buy a tracer to help me find the ... A: Call petsafe and ask for an RFA-50. I think they are about 50.00. Your other alternative is to ... | |
| wire size and capacity | 1/7/2009 |
| Q: Will increasing the wire size from 14 Ga. to 12 Ga. increase the amperage that the circuit can ... A: No. The breaker controls the amount of current that can pass through a circuit. If you pass too much ... | |
| treadmill | 1/5/2009 |
| Q: I have a house that was built in 2008. In one of the bedrooms I have a treadmill. Every time I ... A: Dana, I have the same problem in my reptile room. What is happening is that the circuit is not ... | |
| hallway light | 1/4/2009 |
| Q: I have a hallway alight that blew out. I put a new bulb in and I could smell a burning and the new ... A: It sounds like the fixture was the problem, especially if it was old or made of plastic. Check the ... | |
| invisible fence | 1/3/2009 |
| Q: I have 2 questions. First, I have a 700 model invisbile fence and is wondering what the two ... A: I am not familiar with that specific model. Please call Petsafe at 888-284-6234 and they can help ... | |
| Petsafe Loop Detector | 12/16/2008 |
| Q: I own a Petsafe electric fence, model # RF-105-D. It has worked well for a number of years. Today, ... A: Tim, I agree, it sounds like you have a partial break. In my experience, an old wire nut ... | |
| Petsafe Loop Detector | 12/14/2008 |
| Q: I own a Petsafe electric fence, model # RF-105-D. It has worked well for a number of years. Today, ... A: It seems like one of two things has happened. You could have a partial break or a splice that is ... | |
| Invisible Fence Installation | 11/28/2008 |
| Q: This spring I invested in an Invisible Fence which served its purpose very well. This month I ... A: Mary, This part is nearly impossible to troubleshoot over email or via this forum. First call ... | |
| remove broken light bulb | 11/13/2008 |
| Q: to remove the metal part of a light bulb that is still in the socket when the glass part of the bulb ... A: To be extra safe, do both. The switch will do it, but you need to make sure everyone in the house ... | |
| electrical | 10/17/2008 |
| Q: My husband and I have a difference of opinion on electricity. He says it costs more to turn on a ... A: It depends on the type of light and the duration of time; at least that is the scientific fact. ... | |
| Invisible fense | 10/4/2008 |
| Q: main device that is plugged into outlet is constantly beeping with constant green lite on. Is there ... A: In the interest of full disclosure, I am the director of the Petsafe Village in Knoxville. Yes. ... | |
| Invisible fence problems | 9/17/2008 |
| Q: I have recently installed our invisible fence and have a continuous loop, no problems. However, the ... A: Hmmm. This is an odd problem. When you twist the wires, the signals are 180 degrees out of phase and ... | |
| Changing a chandelier wiring to electrical outlet | 8/22/2008 |
| Q: I recently moved and need to change the wiring on a chandelier so it can be plugged into an outlet. ... A: Please note my profile that I am not an expert in this area, but I do have a degree in electronics. ... | |
| wire repair | 8/14/2008 |
| Q: How do you locate the break in the dog fence wire i have 4 acres is there i tool to find it A: Sorry to hear about your fence. Since your yard is so big, I do suggest that you obtain the tool ... | |
| May have partial break in my petsafe wire | 7/26/2008 |
| Q: I just bought an ohm reader, but I have never used one before. which setting do I turn the dial to ... A: Travis, It sounds like you have a partial break. You should be reading under 7 Ohms. Petsafe has ... | |
| May have partial break in my petsafe wire | 7/25/2008 |
| Q: I just bought an ohm reader, but I have never used one before. which setting do I turn the dial to ... A: Travis, How much wire do you have in feet? Generally speaking, the meter hould read about 3.5 ... | |
| Two questions | 7/16/2008 |
| Q: I contacted Invisible Fencing and was told packages start at $799 and they need to come and look at ... A: I am not qualified to answer your house wiring question (please see my profile). I am qualified to ... | |
| Husky Training | 6/13/2008 |
| Q: Can you train a husky to a electric fence? He really likes to run around off the tie outs. A: If by electric fence you mean invisible fence, then yes. Any dog can be trained. Some take a little ... | |
| repair underground fence | 6/5/2008 |
| Q: I just severed my underground fence while doing yard repair. I found the severed point. How to I ... A: Jeff, Good for you that you know where the break is, for that is the hard part! Repair is simple ... | |
| wire tracing | 5/22/2008 |
| Q: What is the name of the tool that can trace underground wiring and detect a problem such as being ... A: Finding a wire break can be a tough job. In the past, I have cut mine many, many times. In the ... | |
| Repair invisible fence | 5/1/2008 |
| Q: I have an invisible fence that appears to have a break in the wire somewhere. I walked off the ... A: In the interest of full disclosure, I am an employee of petsafe. There is no meter to tell you ... | |
| locating a break in an invisabile fence canine system | 4/9/2008 |
| Q: I have aprox 2 acres that I have installed invisible fence. I would like to know how to locate a ... A: In the interest of full disclosure, I am an employee of Petsafe in Knoxville, TN. Yes, that is ... | |
| Out doors front post light problems | 3/18/2008 |
| Q: I am trying to help an older neighbor with her front post light (near the street) that hasn't come ... A: I am no expert in this field ( please see my profile). However, I do have an AAS degree in ... | |
| Electric stimulaton dog training | 3/11/2008 |
| Q: My dog sometimes finds a way to get out of our yard but he used to always stay in the neighborhood ... A: In the interest of full disclosure, I am an employee with Petsafe. I would advise not taking this ... | |
| Your response to my question | 2/19/2008 |
| Q: Les, Your response of "I don't answer homework questions" is a bit uncalled for. My question was ... A: This question was in the question pool, so are you directing this directly at me? Sorry, I am ... | |
Answers by Expert:
Top Expert on this page
I can answer any question regarding the wiring of invisible dog fencing. I am especially skilled in the installation, repair, dog training, and maintenance regarding the system. I am not qualified to answer any questions regarding AC house wiring or installation.
I have been installing and troubleshooting invisible dog fences for the better part of 15 years. I have an Associates degree in electronic engineering, and know the system both inside and out. I personally use the fence and training products & can answer most questions regarding pet training with electronic stimulation.
Education/Credentials
AAS in Electronic Engineering,
The Logistics Institute (Georgia Tech)

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