More voltage in practice: the Gallagher pulse explained

The specifications for energisers often feature impressive figures: 8,000 volts, 10,000 volts or sometimes even more. Many people automatically assume that the higher the voltage, the more powerful the device. Unfortunately, this is not the case. The voltage that is most often shown is only a theoretical value, the highest point of the pulse when no fence is connected. In practice, that number says virtually nothing about the real power of the device.

What does matter: the pulse itself

An electric fence energiser does not work with a constant voltage, but emits short pulses. Each pulse is a small surge of voltage that passes through the wire. And that is the difference between Gallagher electric fence energisers and other electric fence energisers: not in how many volts the device produces on paper, but in how the pulse is constructed.

Some focus primarily on the peak voltage: a short, sharp pulse with a high number. This looks impressive on paper, but in reality it is only relevant for short fences with little load. However, a fence is never perfect because it is an open electric system. Grass grows against the wires, there is moisture in the air, there are various connections and the fence is sometimes kilometres long. All these factors cause the voltage on the wire to drop. Where many other devices lose power more quickly, a Gallagher device continues to perform stably for longer. A comparison test with the new Gallagher S120li shows, for example, that the device with lower specifications performs up to 70% better in practice!

This is because Gallagher opts for a longer, more stable pulse. The output voltage is often even lower than other devices. This means that the voltage lasts slightly longer, transferring more energy to the wire and ultimately to the animal that touches the wire. For this reason, Gallagher always communicates the voltage at a load of 100 ohm for each device. This is a value that gives a good indication of how well the device continues to perform when the fence is heavily loaded, for example by heavy vegetation or a long fence.

How is this possible?

Every Gallagher energiser is developed and manufactured entirely in-house. Not standard parts, but instead carefully tuned components that work together perfectly. For example, Gallagher uses special capacitors that can store more energy and transformers that reduce energy loss. This means more effective energy on the wire.

And what about joules?

In addition to voltage, you will often see a value in joules on the packaging. This number indicates how much energy the device can deliver per pulse. You can think of it as the power of the “shock” that the device delivers. A higher number of joules means that more energy is available to keep voltage on the wire, especially if there is a lot of vegetation or long distances. But here too, how that energy is delivered makes all the difference. A Gallagher device converts its stored energy much more efficiently into a powerful, stable pulse on the wire. As a result, a Gallagher with, for example, 5 joules often delivers a stronger shock in practice than devices from competing brands with the same value.

Reliability you notice every day

A Gallagher device is designed to work trouble-free for years. Each device undergoes testing under extreme conditions: from freezing cold to tropical heat, from driving rain to bright sunlight. In addition, vibrations, dust and moisture are simulated to ensure that each model can withstand farm life. Thanks to these extensive quality controls, the global failure rate of Gallagher devices is less than 1%, which is extremely low.