"I will be very interested in the views of others, but I was 'taught' that
the solar powered gizmos were only effective when used in connection with a
good marine battery."

My experience has been very positive with solar chargers.  After my first bear attack I started out with one powered by a deep-cycle marine battery.  The first time I ever saw bear scat in my yard was the morning after I first put up the fence, and it was exactly one bear length from the fence.  So, it scared the scat out of him/her.  Literally.  After the charger failed without my knowledge several years ago, and I had another bear attack, I went with a little 4-volt FShock solar (SS440).  It worked fine for 4 years.  When the battery finally needed to be replaced last year, I found water and corrosion in the compartment.  So, I replaced it with a 6-volt Parmak DF-SP-LI, which I used on my chicken enclosure.  Relatively expensive, but it is built like a tank and puts out a solid charge under all conditions, even in the drought we've been having.  It also makes a loud click with each pulse, so I can tell from a distance that it is working.  Now, I use a mesh fence (Premier Fencing - http://www.premier1supplies.com/) with no grounding rods; each post serves as a ground, which helps in dry weather.  This fence style has been successful for me for over 10 years, as long as the charger is working.  I am in bear country and regularly find bear scat with 10 meters of my hives (or my dog does, who likes to roll in it), but they are fine.  I do not bait the fence; it's mesh and there's no way the bear could miss touching it in an inspection.  I do leave the fence up year round.  I have leaned over the fence shirtless to adjust something and had a live wire touch me in the armpit.  Had an interesting conversation with the Universe for a few minutes thereafter (not Hereafter, but almost, which is neither here nor there.....after), so I can say from personal experience - it is powerful.  My point is that a solar system can be very effective under the right circumstances with the added advantage of being virtually maintenance free.

As a side note, I discovered AFB a few weeks after each bear attack, which seems to corroborate some of what I read in that the spores/disease are/is always there at some low level that the bees keep under control, until an external stress lets it get a solid foothold.

Finally, bears remember, but they also continually probe and test, so an electric fence is an 'always on' proposition.  My three bear attacks:

#1 - At old home - 2 year newbie with no fence at all.  Bear came back the next night and met the new fence.  No more problems.
#2 - After five years was moving to my current home, was lazy, and decided not to bother setting up the fence.  Bear hit on Memorial Day weekend (end of May, early in the season).
#3 - At current home - five years ago non-solar charger failed, and I did not know.  Within a month the bear did.

That's my bear and solar fence story. So far.

###################################
Bill
Claremont, NH
+43.35687 +43° 21’ 25”
-72.3835   -72° 23’ 01”
CWOP: D5065
Weather Underground: KNHCLARE3
HonetBeeNet: NH001

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