Patent ID: 7944669

Claim:
A lightning protection circuit for an electric fence energizer circuit of an electrical fencing system comprising: a step-up transformer having a primary winding and a secondary winding, the secondary winding operatively connected to a fence wire of the fencing system; a storage capacitor on one end sharing an operative connection to the primary winding of the transformer and an input of the electric fence energizer circuit that is operatively connected to a power source; a switch operatively connected to the primary winding of the transformer, the switch when open facilitating the storage capacitor to charge via its operative connection to the power source, the switch when closed facilitating the storage capacitor to discharge its stored voltage across the primary winding; and a protective combination comprised of at least two electrical components connected in series, the protective combination sharing with the switch the operative connection to the primary winding of the transformer, a first of the electrical components configured to draw a majority of current therethrough and away from the switch when voltage on the primary winding of the transformer is induced from a lightning strike on the fence wire, a second of the electrical components configured to share the induced voltage with the switch, thereby reducing peak levels of the current drawn by the first electrical component, said induced voltage being one of a positive or negative polarity; and said protective combination including at least two protective combinations that are operatively connected in parallel with each other and with one of the primary winding of the transformer or the switch for protecting the circuit from the one polarity of the induced voltage.