How to Find a Wire Break Using the Divide Method

This method of locating wire breaks is a process of elimination and requires additional boundary wire from the roll. You will be working directly with the wire in the yard and the wall transmitter.

Before You Begin

We recommend visually inspecting the boundary wire for exposed wire, and obvious ground disturbance that may contain the break before beginning the divide method.

The Divide Method to locate wire breaks is a process of elimination and requires you to make multiple cuts to the boundary wire. You will need additional boundary wire, wire cutters, and multiple splice kits.

If your system is set up using one of the PetSafe® brand surge protectors for pet fences, you will need to disconnect it and bypass it to perform the divide method.

Unplug the wall unit from the outlet.

Plug both ends of the twisted wire into one boundary terminal.

Identify and cut the center point of your wire or as close to it as possible.

Temporarily splice the end of the wire from a spool of wire to one end of the boundary wires. For more information on splicing, visit How to Splice a Wire.

Run the temporary wire back to the wall transmitter. Cut the wire from the roll and strip 3/8 inch of insulation from the end.

Plug the new length of wire into the second boundary terminal and power the wall transmitter back on.

Test the boundary.

  • For testing full breaks: if there is no arrow above the wire break indicator with the new length of wire plugged in, this half of your wire is good. The break is in the other half of the wire.
  • For testing partial breaks: test the collar at the boundary. This half of the wire is good if the collar activates as it should. The break is in the other half of the wire.

Locate the final location of the break and repair the wire by removing the damaged section of wire and replacing with new wire.

  • If the collar is still not functioning as it should, or the loop light has not come on when section B is connected- replace section.
  • If the collar is functioning as it should, or the loop light comes on and had not previously when section B is connected- replace section A.

Contact Customer Care

If you need further assistance, please contact our customer care team.

We’d love your feedback on the page you just read!

Related Articles