Electric slug fence
Andrew Gabriel
autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434696&l=5dda5a2c17&id=1619546457
http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434697&l=1c3f634c2f&id=1619546457
No slug damage this morning!
--
Andrew Gabriel
[email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]
Colin Wilson
> autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
Hehehehe how are you powering it, can't quite tell from the pics
Andrew Gabriel
PP3 (9V) battery, in series with a 470 ohm resistor and a high
efficiency LED (plus the earth rod resistance). The LED lights
to tell you there's some leakage current (high efficiency one
means you can see even fraction of a milliamp leakage at night).
It flashes quite brightly when a slug touches the contact.
Given the dramatic effect on a couple of slugs and a snail
which I saw approch it last night, I suspect a much lower
voltage would work fine too. It's probably not safe to use
such a scheme if you have livestock nearby, due to their
vulnerability to very low earth leakages.
Construction is 25mm PVC conduit with 12mm galvamised capping
screwed to the top. The profile of the capping is perfect for
rain water shedding from the top. I tried a deluge from a
watering can rose, and even that didn't cause the LED to light.
Just touching the rail whilst kneeling on the ground generates
enough current to light the LED though. Water droplets bead on
the surface of the PVC, so it won't conduct. It might be that
it needs lifting and wiping clean occasionally to maintain this,
but I haven't had it deployed for long enough to know yet.
Ground needs to be very level. I filled in a couple of dips
under the fence with some old building sand. A couple of tiny
slugs appeared inside the area, presumably sleeping inside the
fence when it was positioned. After removal, no more were seen
inside. I'll keep an eye out over the next few nights. Can
easily test the battery just by touching the rail and ground
with a hand. Operation probably requires that the area stays
damp, but a) that's needed for the plants anyway, and b) slugs
don't tend come out when the ground is very dry.
The Medway Handyman
> Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
> autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>
> http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434696&l=5dda5a2c17&id=1619546457
> http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434697&l=1c3f634c2f&id=1619546457
>
> No slug damage this morning!
Brilliant!
Until the animal rights activists (mollusc protection section) get to know
about it.
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
Tim W
wibbled on Sunday 27 September 2009 11:03
Wow - I was looking at the jar trying to see the 10kV inverter circuit you
made...
But I suppose slimy slugs have a pretty low resistance so I can see how 9V
really gives them a spike (cf: anyone else, try licking the terminals of a
PP3).
You should market that - it's simple and, powered by a pp3 at 9V, pretty
idiot proof.
--
Tim Watts
This space intentionally left blank...
martin_p...@hotmail.com
> In article <MPG.25293fa59733e0b3989...@news.eternal-september.org>,
> Colin Wilson <REMOVEEVERYTHINGBUTnewsgr...@phoenixbbsZEROSPAM.co.uk> writes:
>
> >> Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
> >> autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>
> >>http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434696&l=5dda5a2c17&id=1619546457
> >>http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434697&l=1c3f634c2f&id=1619546457
>
> >> No slug damage this morning!
>
> Andrew Gabriel
> [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]
Fantsastic! I've taken the liberty of cross-posting from uk.d-i-y to
uk.rec.gardening where I'm a long-term lurker, they'll be interested.
NT
wrote:
> Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
> autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>
>
> No slug damage this morning!
This looks like a good one for the wiki. Would you mind the pic being
posted there?
NT
Andy Burns
> On Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:21:26 +0100, Tim W<t...@dionic.net> wrote:
>
>> You should market that - it's simple and, powered by a pp3 at 9V, pretty
>> idiot proof.
>
Or that adapt their tentacles for burrowing.
gummy...@madeup.com
news:205bce05-cb09-41c8...@q14g2000vbi.googlegroups.com...
you might even be able to do this without a battery! remember the earth
clock that uses a copper tic and a zinc covered steel nail. Each copper nail
and tack make a cell of about 1 volt of Lecky.
Dave Liquorice
> A couple of tiny slugs appeared inside the area, presumably sleeping
> inside the fence when it was positioned.
I wonder if they where small enough to crawl fully up onto the PVC
then across the capping without touching "ground" at the same time? I
guess their slim trail would be conductive enough assuming it was
contiguious.
--
Cheers
Dave.
PeterC
or develop high resistance slime; if the resistance is adjustable they'll
be gastropots.
--
Peter.
The head of a pin will hold more angels if
it's been flattened with an angel-grinder.
Bill Wright
"PeterC" <giraffe...@homecall.co.uk> wrote in message
news:n58fdqcw96ac$.1ttxznbgv76od$.dlg@40tude.net...
> On Sun, 27 Sep 2009 13:51:50 +0100, Andy Burns wrote:
>
>> On 27/09/09 12:00, Anthony R. Gold wrote:
>>> On Sun, 27 Sep 2009 11:21:26 +0100, Tim W<t...@dionic.net> wrote:
>>>
>>>> You should market that - it's simple and, powered by a pp3 at 9V,
>>>> pretty
>>>> idiot proof.
>>>
>>> Darwin says to wait for the evolution of slugs with jumper leads.
>>
>> Or that adapt their tentacles for burrowing.
>
> or develop high resistance slime; if the resistance is adjustable they'll
> be gastropots.
I'm aghast.
Bill
Jules
> No slug damage this morning!
Are there lots of electric slugs in your area? :-)
Can slugs swim? Wondering if a moat around the garden would achieve the
same end but maybe have less maintenance requirements (given need for
watering plants anyway)?
Matty F
wrote:
> Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
> autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>
>
> No slug damage this morning!
I was going to make a slug/snail electric fence for my new garden.
I already have a 12 volt DC supply nearby so I was intending to run
two bare copper wires about a quarter of an inch apart on the timber
around the garden. After reading this I will put a resistor in the
supply line!
Dave Starling
> I'm plauged with cats, crapping on the lawn. Any designs for electric cat
> fences? Prolly need 25v or more to give enough across the cojones to warn
> them off.
The orange DIY shed(warehouse variety) sells a device that is PIR
mounted below a sprinkler. Leave connected to the hose and when an
animal walks in front of the sensor it gives a 5 second burst of water
as well as making a clicking sound. There is an adjustment for the
range of the PIR. Costs around £25. It does work well and if you keep
moving the device around the garden they will avoid the entire place.
You can also buy a device called ssscat which works well(search on
youtube to see examples). Shame the refills are only good for 150
sprays unless someone can recommend a safe way of repressurising an
air duster can.
Dave
Stuart Noble
Just occurred to me that I never see slugs on the fence, and potted
plants stood on a length of wooden gravel board don't seem to be
attacked. It's either the preservative or the surface texture they don't
like. Maybe a case for decking after all.
jim
wrote:
an excellent idea! IMHO tis indeed the littlest b*ggers that do the
most eating - anychance AG can do some controlled testing with
assorted sized slugs with a tasty hosta/petunia/dahlia/delphinium
salad as bait?
cheers
JimK
dennis@home
You do all know that slugs won't cross a copper wire even if it is not
connected to a PSU.
larkim
> On Sep 27, 9:20 pm, and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk (Andrew Gabriel)
> wrote:
>
> > Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
> > autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>
>
> > No slug damage this morning!
>
> I was going to make a slug/snail electric fence for my new garden.
> I already have a 12 volt DC supply nearby so I was intending to run
> two bare copper wires about a quarter of an inch apart on the timber
> around the garden. After reading this I will put a resistor in the
> supply line!
My wife will be interested in this. But please explain to me what the
resistor is for? I'm sure my physics GCSE (grade B, 1988) will
stretch to me actually understanding it, but I can't bring enough pre-
existing knowledge to understand it on my own!! Also, why the LED?
Perhaps a full "how to build an electric slug fence" guide is
required?
THanks
Matt
jim
maybe the design could be "tweaked" to kill the b*ggers rather than
merely put them off? or am i being dangerously over optimistic.....
JimK
Andrew Gabriel
That's fine, but I suggest to wait a bit - one night alone doesn't
mean much yet.
Yesterday in the bright sun, the lengths of PVC and steel bowed in the
heat a bit, like large bi-metal strips, so I really need slotted holes
drilled in the steel. By evening when the slugs appear, it was all laying
flat again.
Last night, there was a tiny leakage, just visible as a faint glow in
the LED if I switched off all the lights. Only a fraction of a milliamp,
but it will reduce battery life. I notice some soil has been splashed up
the PVC by my watering (it hasn't rained here). I'm going to try some wax
polish on the PVC if I get a chance before tonight, to enhance the water
repellent effect.
Roger Mills
dennis@home <den...@killspam.kicks-ass.net> wrote:
> You do all know that slugs won't cross a copper wire even if it is not
> connected to a PSU.
Yes indeed. Any thoughts on how well a copper frame would work - made out of
4 lengths of 15mm copper pipe with elbows at the corners?
Obviously, it would tarnish over time. Would tarnished copper still repel
slugs?
--
Cheers,
Roger
______
Email address maintained for newsgroup use only, and not regularly
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PLEASE REPLY TO NEWSGROUP!
Jules
> On 27 Sep,
> You need a good expense account for moats.
:-) Not on that scale - was idly thinking some PVC pipe split down the
middle to make the channels, then glued with normal pipe joint stuff to
make them hold water. Disadvantage that it needs to all be level, unlike
the electric version...
> I'm plauged with cats, crapping on the lawn.
Ours do OK in the warmer months. But the garage has a dirt floor, so
you can imagine what happens when the lawns are frozen solid :-(
cheers
Jules
Stuart Noble
>
>
>
> You do all know that slugs won't cross a copper wire even if it is not
> connected to a PSU.
I wouldn't bank on it
Dave Liquorice
> ... was idly thinking some PVC pipe split down the middle to make the
> channels, then glued with normal pipe joint stuff to make them hold
> water.
Seems a lot of work. Why not buy it off the shelf complete with
proper water tight joints? It's called guttering...
--
Cheers
Dave.
oldhe...@googlemail.com
> Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
> autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>
> http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434696&l=5dda5a2c17&id=1619546457http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434697&l=1c3f634c2f&id=1619546457
>
>
> Andrew Gabriel
> [email address is not usable -- followup in the newsgroup]
It might not be permanent - it's only stopping slugs which are outside
the perimeter. If the bed of earth/compost is on earth they might well
come up from underneath - which is where they spend most of their
time.
I'm surprised that you've lost autumn crocus to slugs, mine have given
the best show ever this year and we're certainly not short of slugs.
Mary
Jules
Yes and no - I don't think guttering joints are designed for continual
submersion, plus as the joints expanded and contracted they might pull
dirt in and then fail. I expect it'd work for a few years, then need some
tinkering with.
'course any moat system still needs clearing from debris, possibly much
more frequently than Andrew's electrical system (where stuff will tend to
blow/fall off, rather than collecting in a trough)
Andrew Gabriel
Yes, they can swim, sort of.
I dropped one in the toilet, which had made its way indoors through
a hole in the wall. It managed to wiggle to the side and then climb
up the porcelain. It held on tightly enough to resist flushing.
bof
<and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk> writes
>In article <pan.2009.09.27....@remove.this.gmail.com>,
> Jules <jules.rich...@remove.this.gmail.com> writes:
>> On Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:20:26 +0000, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
>>> No slug damage this morning!
>>
>> Are there lots of electric slugs in your area? :-)
>>
>> Can slugs swim? Wondering if a moat around the garden would achieve the
>> same end but maybe have less maintenance requirements (given need for
>> watering plants anyway)?
>
>Yes, they can swim, sort of.
>I dropped one in the toilet, which had made its way indoors through
>a hole in the wall. It managed to wiggle to the side and then climb
>up the porcelain. It held on tightly enough to resist flushing.
Wrap 'em in toilet paper first, then flush, that sorts the buggers.
--
bof at bof dot me dot uk
Andrew Gabriel
"oldhe...@googlemail.com" <oldhe...@googlemail.com> writes:
> It might not be permanent - it's only stopping slugs which are outside
> the perimeter. If the bed of earth/compost is on earth they might well
> come up from underneath - which is where they spend most of their
> time.
>
> I'm surprised that you've lost autumn crocus to slugs, mine have given
> the best show ever this year and we're certainly not short of slugs.
These are new bulbs. They only arrived and were planted 3 weeks ago.
The same bed is stuffed full of bluebells in spring, and the slugs/
snails never manage to make much of a dent in them, but they're well
established.
Jules
>>> Can slugs swim? Wondering if a moat around the garden would achieve the
>>> same end but maybe have less maintenance requirements (given need for
>>> watering plants anyway)?
>>
>>Yes, they can swim, sort of.
>>I dropped one in the toilet, which had made its way indoors through
>>a hole in the wall. It managed to wiggle to the side and then climb
>>up the porcelain. It held on tightly enough to resist flushing.
>
> Wrap 'em in toilet paper first, then flush, that sorts the buggers.
Yeah, I'll just go and toilet-paper the slugs in my garden moat. My
neighbours would love that. ;-)
The Medway Handyman
Exactly. Wouldn't stop your Ninja Slug would it?
--
Dave - The Medway Handyman
www.medwayhandyman.co.uk
The Medway Handyman
> In article <pan.2009.09.27....@remove.this.gmail.com>,
> Jules <jules.rich...@remove.this.gmail.com> writes:
>> On Sun, 27 Sep 2009 09:20:26 +0000, Andrew Gabriel wrote:
>>> No slug damage this morning!
>>
>> Are there lots of electric slugs in your area? :-)
>>
>> Can slugs swim? Wondering if a moat around the garden would achieve
>> the same end but maybe have less maintenance requirements (given
>> need for watering plants anyway)?
>
> Yes, they can swim, sort of.
> I dropped one in the toilet, which had made its way indoors through
> a hole in the wall. It managed to wiggle to the side and then climb
> up the porcelain. It held on tightly enough to resist flushing.
One of them highly trained Ninja Slugs.
Owain
> Andrew Gabriel wrote:
> > I dropped one in the toilet, which had made its way indoors through
> > a hole in the wall. It managed to wiggle to the side and then climb
> > up the porcelain. It held on tightly enough to resist flushing.
> One of them highly trained Ninja Slugs.
Imagine if you were without your spectacles and thought it was a turd
in the bog. Then the turd started climbing up the pan towards you ...
Owain
geoff
<and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk> writes
>Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
>autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>
>http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434696&l=5dda5a2c17&id=1619546457
>http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434697&l=1c3f634c2f&id=1619546457
>
>
--
geoff
Matty F
The resistor would be just to limit the current in case of a short,
e.g. a whole pile of dead slugs across the wires!. I already have a
fuse but I don't want that to blow or I could lose my garden
overnight. According to the OP, only a very small current is enough to
stop the slugs.
Mark
>On 27 Sep,
> Jules <jules.rich...@remove.this.gmail.com> wrote:
>
>You need a good expense account for moats.
>
>I'm plauged with cats, crapping on the lawn. Any designs for electric cat
>fences? Prolly need 25v or more to give enough across the cojones to warn
>them off.
1000V should do it. Or buy a python.
--
(\__/) M.
(='.'=) Due to the amount of spam posted via googlegroups and
(")_(") their inaction to the problem. I am blocking most articles
posted from there. If you wish your postings to be seen by
everyone you will need use a different method of posting.
[Reply-to address valid until it is spammed.]
Andrew Gabriel
Yes. I didn't want to kill them, because a line of smoldering slugs
around your flower bed doesn't look good, and they are food for things
like hedgehogs.
Also, I have an LED to let me know if there's any current leakage,
and doubles up as a battery test. In the event of a slug arriving
with a crowbar, I need to limit the LED current to 20mA to avoid
damaging the LED. If you want to see if it's working, the LED flashes
when a slug actually gets a belt. I also used it to test the effect
of watering the area.
Also as I mentioned before, I want to limit ground currents, as I
don't know what effect it might have on other wild and domestic
animals which roam around, and I have no wish to harm. I do know
livestock is very seriously affected by leakage currents at levels
you can't even feel, which is why you have to be very careful with
earthing of electricity supplies on farms.
The Medway Handyman
Ninja frogs?
Pete C
martin_p...@hotmail.com wrote:
> On 27 Sep, 11:03, and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
>> In article <MPG.25293fa59733e0b3989...@news.eternal-september.org>,
>> Colin Wilson
>> <REMOVEEVERYTHINGBUTnewsgr...@phoenixbbsZEROSPAM.co.uk> writes:
>>
>>>> Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
>>>> autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>>
>>>> http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434696&l=5dda5a2c17&id=1619546457
>>>> http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434697&l=1c3f634c2f&id=1619546457
>>
>>>> No slug damage this morning!
Martin, any chance of a wiring diag, and source of capping? :)
--
Pete C
London UK
Bob Minchin dangling via a dongle
It is described in the thread in words.
Capping could be made from standard top hat section electrical wiring
protector.
Bob
alan.holmes
"Bob Minchin dangling via a dongle" <nos...@nospamplease.net> wrote in
message news:h9tt4p$7mm$1...@news.albasani.net...
I thought I knew something about electrical bits, but what on earth is
'standard top hat section electrical wiring protector'?
And where do you get it?
Alan
.
>
> Bob
Andy Burns
> I thought I knew something about electrical bits, but what on earth is
> 'standard top hat section electrical wiring protector'?
>
> And where do you get it?
Dave Liquorice
> I thought I knew something about electrical bits, but what on earth is
> 'standard top hat section electrical wiring protector'?
standard = commonly avialable in a range of set sizes.
top hat section = when looked at end on the shape is like that of a
top hat (al beit one without sharp corners).
electrical wiring = er, do I need to explain that? Normmaly mains.
protector = Placed over the wiring before plastering it offers a
little bit of protection to the wiring.
> And where do you get it?
Any electrical wholesaler, I don't recall seeing it in DIY sheds,
only round and oval plastic conduit.
--
Cheers
Dave.
alan.holmes
"Dave Liquorice" <allsortsn...@howhill.com> wrote in message
news:nyyfbegfubjuvyypb...@srv1.howhill.co.uk...
> On Tue, 29 Sep 2009 23:08:13 +0100, alan.holmes wrote:
>
>
>> I thought I knew something about electrical bits, but what on earth is
>> 'standard top hat section electrical wiring protector'?
>
> standard = commonly avialable in a range of set sizes.
> top hat section = when looked at end on the shape is like that of a
> top hat (al beit one without sharp corners).
Thanks, just realised what he was talking about, I would not have thought of
using that description, but I have installed wiring using that stuff.
Andrew Gabriel
martin_p...@hotmail.com writes:
> On 27 Sep, 11:03, and...@cucumber.demon.co.uk (Andrew Gabriel) wrote:
>> In article <MPG.25293fa59733e0b3989...@news.eternal-september.org>,
>> Colin Wilson <REMOVEEVERYTHINGBUTnewsgr...@phoenixbbsZEROSPAM.co.uk> writes:
>>
>> >> Decided to make an electric slug fence yesterday, after my new
>> >> autumn crocus shoots got eaten for the second night in a row.
>>
>> >>http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434696&l=5dda5a2c17&id=1619546457
>> >>http://www.facebook.com/photo.php?pid=434697&l=1c3f634c2f&id=1619546457
>>
>> >> No slug damage this morning!
>>
>>
>> PP3 (9V) battery, in series with a 470 ohm resistor and a high
>> efficiency LED (plus the earth rod resistance). The LED lights
>> to tell you there's some leakage current (high efficiency one
>> means you can see even fraction of a milliamp leakage at night).
>> It flashes quite brightly when a slug touches the contact.
>> Given the dramatic effect on a couple of slugs and a snail
>> which I saw approch it last night, I suspect a much lower
>> voltage would work fine too. It's probably not safe to use
>> such a scheme if you have livestock nearby, due to their
>> vulnerability to very low earth leakages.
>>
>> Construction is 25mm PVC conduit with 12mm galvamised capping
>> screwed to the top. The profile of the capping is perfect for
>> rain water shedding from the top. I tried a deluge from a
>> watering can rose, and even that didn't cause the LED to light.
>> Just touching the rail whilst kneeling on the ground generates
>> enough current to light the LED though. Water droplets bead on
>> the surface of the PVC, so it won't conduct. It might be that
>> it needs lifting and wiping clean occasionally to maintain this,
>> but I haven't had it deployed for long enough to know yet.
>> Ground needs to be very level. I filled in a couple of dips
>> under the fence with some old building sand. A couple of tiny
>> slugs appeared inside the area, presumably sleeping inside the
>> fence when it was positioned. After removal, no more were seen
>> inside. I'll keep an eye out over the next few nights. Can
>> easily test the battery just by touching the rail and ground
>> with a hand. Operation probably requires that the area stays
>> damp, but a) that's needed for the plants anyway, and b) slugs
>> don't tend come out when the ground is very dry.
>>
> Fantsastic! I've taken the liberty of cross-posting from uk.d-i-y to
> uk.rec.gardening where I'm a long-term lurker, they'll be interested.
So after a few days, how's it doing?
Before I made it, every new shoot was eaten back level with the
soil every morning. Since making it, only about 1/6th of the
shoots have been eaten back to the ground, and another 1/6th
have some damage. I've checked a few times during the dark, and
found there were still some small slugs and one tiny snail, which
I have removed. Difficult to tell if they're getting in, or were
in to start with, but I suspect probably some of each. Trying to
search the whole area in the dark even with a bright torch was
not easy. Then I realised that each one I had found had its jaws
on one of the new shoots, and because they're planted in a strict
pattern, they're actually quite easy to find now.
moghouse
obstacle in three day eventing?
Jules
> Do you think it would be possible to make the Electric Slug Fence an
> obstacle in three day eventing?
I suspect the horses could jump it with ease.