Electrocution death occurs when a high amp current(1-20A) penetrates the heart, even for a few seconds. In comparison, electric fences output a discontinuous & low amperage pulse(in milliamps) that won’t penetrate deep into your body. You’ll receive an awful shock, but death is uncommon.
If we talk about 7000 volts of main power supply, it’s destructive and will blow you away within a second. In contrast, 7000V electric fences are not fatal due to controlled amperage.
Although an electric fence won’t kill you, you’ll receive a memorable shock. The severity of shock depends on the following:
- Electric fence energizer power(joules).
- How long are fence wires touched?
- Your connection with the ground.
This post will discuss whether a 7000 V electric fence can kill you.
Will a 7000-volt electric fence kill you?
Electric fences are meant to hurt temporarily but not to kill. 7000V electric fence won’t kill you because the energizer output very low amps, 10-500 milliamps. Milliamp is the thousand part of an ampere. Also, the pulsed/discontinuous supply allows the living being to move away from the fence.
The home power supply is lethal as it usually carries 30 – 400 Amps. Electric fences must not seriously injure and kill anyone because energizers output the thousandth part of an ampere.
However, children/toddlers, heart patients, and old persons are more likely to be seriously injured. An electric fence can be fatal if a child barefoot holds the fence wires(for long), collides its head with the fence, or gets entangled.
Amperage(current) is the number of electrons. Voltage is the pressure on the current(speed). As amps(number of electrons) increase, the severity of the current increases.
High voltage is required in the electric fence to deliver(push) the current in the entire fence. Due to high voltage, current can quickly jump from the fence to the animal body.
Below we’ll discuss why an electric fence won’t kill you.
Reasons why does an electric fence not kill you:
- Low amperage/current in the pulse:
Electric fence energizers are designed to output very low amperage(current) ranging from 10 mA to 500 mA. Amperage(current) is the volume/number of electrons. As the amps increase, the current will be more severe.
1 amp or higher electric current can kill you easily. Our home power supply is let’s say 15-20 amps, that’s enough to electrocute anyone quickly.
While if we talk about electric fences, energizers output milliamps of current (10mA-500mA) in pulses. It is thousands of times less than the home power supply.
Such low amperage cannot penetrate the sensitive part of the body in .3 milliseconds pulse. Humans/animals will move away after receiving a shock(pulse). That’s why electric fences are not lethal.
However, the animal/human in contact with the fence receives a temporary painful shock enough to memorize the boundary.
- Discontinuous Voltage Pulse:
As you know, an electric fence energizer outputs voltage pulses for .0.3 milliseconds. Due to the pulsed supply, the current will not continuously penetrate your body, so it must not be fatal.
Voltage is the pressure on electrons passing in a circuit. High voltage(pressure) is required to deliver/push the current in the fence and jump to the body. However, the shock won’t be intense/lethal due to low amperage.
A current of as little as 0.007 amps (7mA) across the heart for three seconds is enough to kill. But due to pulsing power, anyone touching the fence won’t hook to the wires, allowing humans/animals to move away.
Tip: Have you heard a clicking/ticking sound from the energizer? The energizer generates pulses. Power is not continuous.
Understand with an Example:
Scenarios where 7KV electric fence can kill someone:
The electric fence could be fatal in a couple of scenarios.
- Electric fence is short-circuited:
If a live main power supply wire is short-circuited with an electric fence. The fence will have 15-20 amps of current that grabs the animal/human toward the current and easily kill someone in a few seconds.
- Someone entangles in the fence:
If an animal/human is stuck in the electric fence, even a low amp current will slowly penetrate the heart and brain, and ultimately, death happens.
Although human clothes and animal wool provide resistance/insulation against the current/pulse, a voltage pulse will electrocute you slowly if not set free.
Frequently Asked Questions
- Will a 10000-volt electric fence kill you?
A finely working fence system must not kill someone at 10000 volts because the low amps and discontinuous/pulsed supply allow you to move away from the fence wires.
- How many volts in an electric fence can kill you?
Volts never kill. It’s the amperage that hurts. Even a 10 kilovolts(10000V) electric fence can’t kill anyone because energizers output very low amps, i.e., 15-500mA. Also, the fence supply is in the form of a pulse so that you won’t get hooked to the wires.
- What does 8,000 volts feel like?
Electric fence energizers usually output 2-12 kilovolts, which is not lethal due to low amps. However, you’ll feel rapid electrical shock, muscle spasms, and temporary pain.
- What Happens if You Pee on an Electric Fence?
If someone pees on an electric fence, it feels like something penetrates or pinches your renal system. The current climbs from the genitalia to the bladder and blood vessels.
Due to the pulsed power supply(voltage) & low amperage current, peeing on an electric fence is not lethal. Charges(current) can’t travel longer in the human body.
The sensitive parts of the body such as the heart or brain stay safe. But the renal system is quite delicate, so it temporarily hurts very badly.
Conclusion:
Electric fences used in residential areas or for livestock must not be severe to kill or seriously hurt someone.
That’s why electric fence energizers available in the market are designed to output very low amps(current). However, the voltage is kept high(5-12kv) to deliver current in the fence.
So a 7000V electric fence will be painful for some time, but it never kills someone in ideal working conditions.
If you still need any guidance, ask us in the comments below.
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