Petsafe RFA-590 Product Manual

RFA-590

Wire Break Locator Détecteur de rupture de fil Localizador de rotura de cable

Product Manual

Manuel d’utilisation

Manual del producto

Please read this entire Product Manual before beginning

Veuillez lire ce manuel dʼutilisation dans son intégralité avant de commencer

Por favor, lea detenidamente este manual del producto antes de empezar

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Welcome

You and your pet were made for each other. Our aim is to help you have the best companionship and the most memorable moments together. The Wire Break Locator is designed to easily help you locate any wire breaks in your in-ground containment system.

We know that safe pets make happy owners. Before getting started, take a moment to read through the important safety information. If you have any questions, please do not hesitate to contact us.

Hereinafter Radio Systems Corporation, Radio Systems PetSafe Europe Ltd., Radio Systems Australia Pty Ltd. and any other affiliate or brand of Radio Systems Corporation may be referred to collectively as “We” or “Us.”

Important Safety Information

Explanation of attention words and symbols used in this Product Manual

This is the safety alert symbol. It is used to alert you to potential personal injury hazards. Obey all safety messages that follow this symbol to avoid possible injury or death.

WARNING indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in death or serious injury.

CAUTION, used with the safety alert symbol, indicates a hazardous situation which, if not avoided, could result in minor or moderate injury.

NOTICE is used to address practices not related to personal injury.

• Underground cables can carry high voltage. Have all underground cables marked before you dig to repair or bury your wire. In most areas this is a free service. Avoid these cables when you dig.

• Follow all safety instructions for your power tools. Be sure to always wear your safety goggles.

• Do not install, connect, or remove your system during a lightning storm. If the storm is close enough for you to hear thunder, it is close enough to create hazardous surges.

• Risk of electric shock. Use the transmitter indoors in a dry location only.

• Risk of injury. Wire on top of the ground may be a trip hazard. Use care in how you place your wires.

• Watch where you are walking. Stakes driven into the ground can create obstacles that could cause you to trip.

• Laceration is possible from sharp edges if the telescoping handle becomes broken.

• Connect power to the wire break location transmitter using the supplied 12VAC power adaptor. Damage to the transmitter will occur if an improper adaptor is used.

• It is not recommended to use rechargeable batteries. Battery life would be very short with a rechargeable battery.

• Do not mix old and new batteries.

• Do not mix standard, alkaline or rechargeable batteries.

• Exhausted batteries should be removed immediately. Do not dispose of batteries with household waste.

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In the Box

Required Components (Not Included)

• 2 AAA batteries for the locator

• We do not recommend using rechargeable batteries—the lights may not work

You May Also Need

• Additional boundary wire (Part #RFA-1)

• Pliers

• Tape measure

• Wire stripping pliers

• Shovel or lawn edger

• Hammer

• Additional gel-filled capsules and wire nuts (Part #RFA-366)

For help with setup and training, please visit www.petsafe.com.

What’s Covered

How It Works ....................................................................................................................................................... 4

When to Use the Wire Break Locator ............................................................................................................... 4

Common Locations of Wire Breaks ...................................................................................................................4

Before You Begin .................................................................................................................................................4

Prepare the Transmitter ....................................................................................................................................... 5

Prepare the Stakes ..............................................................................................................................................5

Ground the Stakes .............................................................................................................................................5

Prepare the Locator .............................................................................................................................................6

Using the Locator ................................................................................................................................................6

Find the Wire Break ............................................................................................................................................ 7

Repair the Wire Break ........................................................................................................................................ 8

Reconnect the Wires .......................................................................................................................................... 9

Test the Fence System .........................................................................................................................................9

Terms of Use and Limitation of Liability .......................................................................................................... 10

Compliance .......................................................................................................................................................10

Important Recycling Advice ............................................................................................................................. 11

Warranty ............................................................................................................................................................ 11

Boundary wire – 50 ft. / 15 m

Wire nuts (4)

Grounding

stakes

(2)

Expandable

handle

Locator

Gel-filled

capsules (4)

Wire break

locator transmitter

Power

adaptor

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How It Works

The Wire Break Locator is designed to find complete breaks in your boundary wire. It is not designed to detect partial wire breaks.

The transmitter sends 2 unique signals to the boundary wires that are connected to it. One boundary wire receives a continuous low frequency signal and the other boundary wire receives an intermittent high signal.

A portable locator is used to hear these signals as tones. A break in the wire is detected when the tones change or disappear. The red and green lights on the locator visually assist you with determining which tone you are hearing, even if the environment is noisy. The green light indicates the continuous tone, and the red light indicates the intermittent tone.

When to Use the Wire Break Locator

• Use the Wire Break Locator when there is a wire break indication on the fence transmitter.

Common Locations of Wire Breaks

Please inspect these areas for signs of damage.

Wire breaks are commonly found:

• At the wire exit point of the house

• Where the wire enters the ground from the house, usually caused by string trimmers

• Where the wires cross sidewalks or driveways, usually caused by edging and string trimmers

• Around landscaping and flower beds, usually caused by digging, or working up the soil

• In aerated lawns

• At wire splices where gel-filled capsules have not been installed

• At wire splices without reinforcement knots

Before You Begin

• For proper electrical grounding, the ground must be wet. Several gallons/liters of water may need to be poured around the grounding stakes in order to moisten dry ground.

• It is acceptable to repair solid boundary wire with stranded boundary wire, or to repair stranded boundary wire with solid boundary wire, but the same gauge (wire thickness)—such as 20 gauge wire—must be used with both types of wire.

• Aerated lawns can cut the wire into small sections. It may be easier to replace a long length of wire instead of small sections.

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Prepare the Transmitter

1. Place the wire break locator transmitter in a convenient location near your fence transmitter.

2. Unplug the power adaptor to the fence transmitter.

3. Disconnect the twisted boundary wire and connect it to the wire break locator transmitter. Press the red tabs on the bottom of the transmitter labeled LOOP (1A) and insert the 2 twisted boundary wires into the terminals (1B).

Prepare the Stakes

Note: The system requires 2 separate grounding wires to be connected from the transmitter to individual grounding stakes that are placed in the ground.

1. Using the spool of wire supplied, strip

⁄8 in. (1 cm) of insulation from one end of the spool. Press one of the black tabs on the transmitter labeled GROUND (1A) and insert the stripped end into the terminal (2A).

2. Next, slip your finger through the wire spool and unroll the wire by allowing the spool to rotate on your finger as you walk away from the transmitter.

3. Once you are outside, cut the wire from the spool and strip 2 in. (5 cm) of insulation from the end of the wire in order to connect it to the grounding stake.

Note: It is recommended to keep the ground wire as short as possible by trimming off any excess wire between the transmitter and the outside location of the grounding stake.

4. Place the wire through the small hole in the grounding stake and twist the wire tightly (2B). Securely wrap the wire around the stake so the copper makes a solid connection with the metal (2C).

5. Place the stake on the ground for now and repeat the steps above for the other grounding stake.

Ground the Stakes

Note: For proper electrical grounding, the ground must be wet. You may need to pour several gallons/liters of water around the grounding stakes in order to moisten dry ground.

1. Position the 2 grounding stakes at least 2–3 ft. (0.6–1 m) apart from each other and insert them into the ground about 8 in. deep (20 cm) with about 2 in. (5 cm) remaining out of the ground.

2. Recheck the LOOP and GROUND wire connections at the transmitter and verify that they are securely installed.

3. Connect the power adaptor to the power jack on the side of the transmitter and then plug the power adaptor into a working outlet. The green power light will turn on, indicating that power is supplied.

LOOP/

PÉRIMÈTRE

GROUND/

PRISE TERRE

Twisted

boundary

wire

Ground wire

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Prepare the Locator

• Place 2 AAA Alkaline batteries (not included)

inside the bottom of locator (3A).

• Rechargeable batteries are not

recommended.

• Battery life for the locator is approximately

20 hours.

• A 2-toned alarm on the locator will indicate

when the batteries need to be replaced.

Using the Locator

Power/Volume

Rotate the dial on the side of the locator to turn it on. The lights will flash. To adjust the volume, rotate the dial up or down (4A).

Light Indicator

The red and green lights on the locator are included to visually assist you with determining which tone you are hearing if it is difficult to hear the tones. The green light indicates the continuous tone and the red light indicates the intermittent tone (4A).

Individual Tones

Note: Visit www.petsafe.com to view the Wire Break Locator video. You will see a product demonstration and hear the 2 different tones.

To become familiar with the individual tones, place the locator over one of the single ground wires that is connected to the transmitter and then move the locator over the other ground wire. Each wire will emit a unique tone. Be sure the 2 ground wires are separated by several feet/metres to prevent both tones from being activated together.

Combined Tones

To become familiar with the combined tones, place the locator over the twisted wire that is connected to the transmitter to hear both the low frequency continuous tone and the higher frequency intermittent tone together.

Operation

The locator must be parallel to the buried boundary wire for proper signal reception (4B). The tone from the locator will be heard best when it is directly above the buried wire.

Swing the locator from side to side (4C) as you move along the wire. Follow the path of the wire by walking in the direction of the loudest tone volume.

AAA

Boundary wire

Continuous

tone

(green)

Intermittent tone (red)

On/Off

Volume

dial

Boundary

wire

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Find the Wire Break

For Systems with Twisted Boundary Wire

• If a single wire in the twisted wire is broken, you will hear both tones until the locator reaches the break in the wire. Then you will hear only a single tone.

• If both of the wires are broken in the twisted wire, the volume from the locator will decrease as you approach the break. The tone will stop after you have passed the break and the lights will disappear.

1. Begin outside where the twisted boundary wire exits through a window, door or wall (5A).

2. Place the locator directly over the buried wire. The locator will pick up the 2 transmitted tones of the buried twisted boundary wire. As a result you will hear both the low frequency continuous tone and the high frequency intermittent tone together.

3. Adjust the volume so that the tones are loud enough to hear over normal outdoor noise.

4. Walk along the path and swing the locator from side to side, listening for the simultaneous tones (4C). The light that is associated with the strongest signal will be lit.

Check the Boundary Wire Loop

• If there is a single break in the boundary loop, the tone will most likely change from one tone to another (intermittent to continuous or from continuous to intermittent). The lights will also switch from one color to the other. Ideally, if the tone disappears, you have located the break directly below the locator.

• If there are multiple breaks in the boundary loop, the locator tone will decrease and will go silent at the break, and the lights will turn off.

1. If you do not locate a break in the twisted wire, then you will eventually reach the splice where the twisted wire meets the boundary wire loop in your yard (5A). You will only hear a single tone (either intermittent or continuous) from one of the single boundary wires. You will also see only one color on the locator (either red or green).

2. Select a direction and walk the boundary wire loop while listening for a change in tone or color.

Note: It may be difficult to hear the changes between tones due to the loud volume on the locator. When you do hear a change in tone, stop and turn the volume down on the locator until you barely hear the tone when you are directly over the wire. Move the locator towards the area of the wire break. When the tone disappears, you have located the exact location of the break directly below the locator.

We recommend repairing the breaks as you go around the entire loop.

Note: If the lawn was aerated there might be multiple breaks throughout the wire. It may be easier to replace a long section of wire rather than making several small repairs. To do this, go back to where

the twisted wire meets the boundary loop and check the boundary wire loop in the opposite direction this time. Once you find the break in the wire then you can estimate how long of a section of wire you will need to replace.

Things to Keep In Mind

• As you move further from the transmitter, the locator volume will gradually decrease. This is not to be confused with a wire break. You may need to increase the locator volume in order to continue hearing the signal.

• If the twisted wire is greater than 50 ft. (15 m) and there are off-limits areas such as gardens and pools in your boundary layout, you may need to locate the break by listening for a reduction in the tone volume.

• If the twisted wire is greater than 100 ft. (30 m), the intermittent tone and the continuous tone will most likely be combined over the entire boundary wire. If this occurs, you will hear a noticeable reduction in the tones when the locator is over the break, and the colors may not change over the break.

Boundary wire loop

Twisted

boundary

wire

Start here

Splice

Grounding stakes

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Repair the Wire Break

When you find the location of the wire break, you will need to dig down to the wire to make the repairs.

1. Begin digging 4–5 in. (10–12 cm) to

the side of the buried wire (6A). Wire is typically buried 1–3 in. (2.5–7 cm) below the ground. Be certain to dig with the shovel blade parallel to the wire, otherwise you could cause additional damage to the wire.

2. Dig slowly toward the wire until it is

exposed. Strip approximately

⁄8 in.

(1 cm) of insulation from the ends of each damaged boundary wire (6B). If the boundary wire is corroded, cut it off and remove more insulation to expose clean copper wire.

Note: You will need to cut a new piece of wire from the spool provided in order to splice together the 2 broken boundary wires. Make sure to have at least 1 ft. (30 cm) of wire for small repairs. When repairing a large section of wire, make sure that the new wire extends at least 2 ft. (60 cm) longer than the distance between the 2 ends of the exposed boundary wire.

3. Take the end of the boundary wire and

the end from the new wire and twist the 2 stripped ends together (6C).

4. Place the wire nut over the spliced wires

and twist the wire nut around the wires (6D). Make sure there is no copper exposed beyond the end of the wire nut.

5. Tie a knot 3–4 in. (7–10 cm) from the wire

nut (6E). Make sure the wire nut is secure on the wire splice.

6. Open the lid of the gel-filled splice

capsule and insert the wire nut as deeply as possible into the waterproof gel inside the capsule (6F).

4-5 in.

Boundary wire

10-12 cm

³⁄₈ in./1 cm

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7. Snap the lid of the capsule shut (6G). The splice connection must be waterproof for proper system performance.

Note: If your splice pulls loose, the entire system will fail. Make sure your splice is secure. Additional gel-filled splice capsules and wire nuts are available through the Customer Care Center.

8. Repeat for the other end of the buried wire break.

The damaged wire should now be spliced together with the new section of boundary wire (6H).

Reconnect the Wires

After you have repaired the wire break, take the locator and continue walking around the entire boundary to verify that there are no more wire breaks. If there are no more wire breaks, you will hear intermittent and continuous tones all the way around the boundary.

Go back inside your home and disconnect the 2 twisted boundary wires from the loop terminals (7A) and connect them back to your fence transmitter. Check that the loop light is lit on the fence transmitter. If it is not lit, there may be another break in the wire.

Disconnect the 2 ground wires (7B) and store them along with the grounding stakes in case you need to check for wire breaks in the future.

Test the Fence System

Verify that your system is working with the receiver collar. Slowly approach the boundary wire while holding your test light tool firmly on the receiver collar contact points (7C). The test light tool will light up as the receiver collar sends a static correction.

Verify that the receiver collar activates approximately 6–10 ft. (1.8–3 m) from the boundary wire as a warning zone before placing the receiver collar on your pet.

Boundary

wire

6–10 ft.

(1.8–3.0 m)

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1. Terms of Use

The use of this product is subject to your acceptance without modification of the terms, conditions and notices contained with this product. Use of this product implies acceptance of all such terms, conditions, and notices. If you do not wish to accept these terms, conditions, and notices, please return the product, unused, in its original packaging and at your own cost and risk to the relevant Customer Care location together with proof of purchase for a full refund.

2. Proper Use

Proper use includes, without limitation, reviewing the entire Product Manual and any specific safety information statements. The specific temperament or size/weight of your pet may not be suitable for this product. If you are unsure whether this product is appropriate for your pet, please consult your veterinarian or certified trainer prior to use. For products used with pets where training is desired, Radio Systems Corporation recommends that these training products are not used if your pet is aggressive and accepts no liability for determining suitability in individual cases.

3. No Unlawful or Prohibited Use

This product is designed for use with pets only. This product is not intended to harm, injure or provoke. Using this product in a way that is not intended could result in violation of Federal, State or local laws.

4. Limitation of Liability

In no event shall Radio Systems Corporation or any of its associated companies be liable for (i) any direct, indirect, punitive, incidental, special or consequential damage and/or (ii) any loss or damages whatsoever arising out of or connected with the use or misuse of this product. The purchaser assumes all risks and liability from the use of this product to the fullest extent permissible by law.

5. Modification of Terms and Conditions

Radio Systems Corporation reserves the right to change the terms, conditions and notices governing this product from time to time. If such changes have been notified to you prior to your use of this product, they shall be binding on you as if incorporated herein.

Compliance

FCC

This device complies with part 15 of the FCC Rules. Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) This device may not cause harmful interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference received, including interference that may cause undesired operation.

NOTE: This equipment has been tested and found to comply with the limits for a Class B digital device, pursuant to part 15 of the FCC Rules. These limits are designed to provide reasonable protection against harmful interference in a residential installation. This equipment generates, uses, and can radiate radio frequency energy and, if not installed and used in accordance with the instructions, may cause harmful interference to radio communications. However, there is no guarantee that interference will not occur in a specific installation. If interference does occur to radio or television reception, which can be determined by turning the equipment off and on, the user is encouraged to try to correct the interference by one or more of the following measures:

• Relocate the interfered receiving antenna.

• Increase the separation between the equipment and locator.

• Connect the equipment into an outlet on a circuit different to that to which the locator is connected.

• Contact the Customer Care Center at +1 (800) 732-2677.

CAUTION: Modification or changes to this equipment not expressly approved by Radio Systems Corporation may void the user’s authority to operate the equipment.

This device complies with Industry Canada license-exempt RSS standard(s). Operation is subject to the following two conditions: (1) this device may not cause interference, and (2) this device must accept any interference, including interference that may cause undesired operation of the device.

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Petsafe RFA-590 Product Manual

Specifications and Main Features

Frequently Asked Questions

User Manual