Question about Electric Fence / Hot Wire

[Jill]

[SIZE=12pt]I'm sure there will be lots of you who will know the answer to this question. I think I will be wanting to run a hot wire on some of our fence, to keep the boys away from the girls. [/SIZE]

Our fencing is made up of two different types. We have:

* field fencing stretched on oak posts

* cattle panels on metal t-posts

Can I run a hot wire on these? If so, how? Can the hot wire touch the metal of the field fencing and cattle panels? What I picture as possible is the entire mesh of metal from the field fence of the cattle panel becoming electrified.

ALSO, does the hot wire / electric tape have to loop into a circle, or can it be just one line?

Also, does it matter if I use a unit that plugs into an outlet? Is that too strong and should I instead use a solar one?

We have not ever used any kind of electric fencing and I am clueless about these things.

Thanks!

 

[rabbitsfizz]

Jill the fence will not neccessarily be stronger just because it's mains instead of battery- if you can do mains I would advise you to do so as batteries , I think, are a pain in the rear!!! The mains, some of them, anyway, do allow you to adjust to a higher zap than the battery as they are also for cattle etc, but you can set it more or less wherever you want, so long as you get the right one. Depending on what you are keeping in, there is something to be said for electrifying the whole panel

but you would have to have the panel clear of the ground to do this or it would earth out. You can get "extenders"- plastic arms that nail onto the posts and carry the tape, wire or rope that you are using. I like this the best as they stand the horse back from the fence and negate the possibility of striking stallions hurting themselves by getting caught on the fence.

 

[Marty]

Top of the day to ya Jilly!!!!

I"ve got field fencing on metal tee posts. I run a hot wire along the top, using the yellow toppers so that Sonny won't hang over on it and try to eat a mini.

Then I have a hot wire knee high along it too. Mine stick out a couple of inches. I got that kind on purpose to keep them really off of it.

You will find that there are a million kinds of clip on thingsy that will accomodate any type of posts you have. There's plenty of kinds to use to nail in the wooden posts as well. And ones to go in the corners. Just go shop.

You cannot have any of the wire touching your fencing or cattle panels as it will short it out. You have to keep the wire from touching the fencing and the posts and simply keep it threaded through the insullator thingys.

For a ground, we just took the wire and wrapped it up on some rebar and hammered the rebar into the ground, no problem. Easy. Simple even for little no brains me.

I do keep my charger box inside the tack room and I have an outlet in the tackroom I pulg it into.

As for chargers, I've got quite a collection but I don't use solar. But you would be very surprised that you can use a doggy charger too if you want. They are cheaper by lots and also I can do 5 acres on one of those easily.

Read the instruction on the chargers too. Some have a steady buzz and others have an on and off pulsing. I use both.

Once you go shopping for this stuff, it's going to be really self explanatory once you see it. But do use that hot wire to save your fences!

 

[Jill]

Thanks, Jane & Marty!

I do have outlets it could be plugged into.

Now, I have another question.

Do I have to make the electric in a loop, or can I just electrify one line. I'm not sure if it has to loop back or can it just go in a line and end?

 

[rabbitsfizz]

No, it can go in a straight line and stop, mine does.

 

[FairytailGlennMinis]

I have field fencing with hot wire on the top and about knee high. I use a plug in charger. You can REALLY see the places where the horses were reaching over and pushing the mesh fence down when my power box went down...yikes! I have also used solar boxes and haven't found one yet that holds up or works well enough for my liking.

-Amy