If you haven't had any problems then no need for the wire, I just wanted to be safe cause I don't live at my pond, I'm 95 miles away.
The wire is dead center of the plate, with just a tiny bend at the top and no problems after 2 years.

Native outdoors has the Aquapro adf-25dx with battery and solar panel for $89.95, thinking of getting it cause I'll need the old feeder for the fish cage I'm building. I don't think they had a problem with that model.