Electric Fence Question's

[guito13]

HI All,

I am new here and really could use some input.

I am putting in a multi (4) strand fence and going under a couple gates. My main runs are using 14g wire.

1) Do i need to use 12.5G going under the gates? (I will obviously have them in some sort of conduit and bent down on both sides to avoid water seeping in)
2) Do i need to connect the "Jumper" wire to all 4 strands on both sides or to just 1 strand on the "Hot" side and then to all 4 on the other side?
3) What do you do to attach the jumper wire to the main parallel strands? I was thinking split bolts but man, they get expensive really quick.

Thanks!

 

[mosquitomountainman]

HI All,

I am new here and really could use some input.

I am putting in a multi (4) strand fence and going under a couple gates. My main runs are using 14g wire.

1) Do i need to use 12.5G going under the gates? (I will obviously have them in some sort of conduit and bent down on both sides to avoid water seeping in)
2) Do i need to connect the "Jumper" wire to all 4 strands on both sides or to just 1 strand on the "Hot" side and then to all 4 on the other side?
3) What do you do to attach the jumper wire to the main parallel strands? I was thinking split bolts but man, they get expensive really quick.

Thanks!

IME (I'm not an expert!) electric fence chargers use high voltage and low amperage. They don't need heavy wire so 14 gauge should be plenty for going under the gates. 14 g isn't really needed for the main runs either except smaller wire isn't strong enough to stay up (it stretches).

I'm not sure what you mean by "jumper wire." Do you mean the feed wire from the charger? The feed wire will have to make a good connection to all four wires. I run one feed wire then jumper wires to the extra strands. As long as it is a continuous run of wire one connection to all four wires should be sufficient.

If I'm connecting to another wire I just wrap the "jumper wire" tightly around the wire.

I assume that all four of the wires are "hot" and not alternating hot and ground.

One important, often overlooked aspect of electric fencing is that the ground wire needs a good contact with the grounding rod/stake and the stake needs good contact with the ground. Read the fence charger manufacturer's recommendation but a long rod (6 foot minimum) rammed deep is mandatory. There are some differences according to soil types but generally you need to have a fence very well grounded or it will significantly shorten the life of your fence charger.

 

[guito13]

IME (I'm not an expert!) electric fence chargers use high voltage and low amperage. They don't need heavy wire so 14 gauge should be plenty for going under the gates. 14 g isn't really needed for the main runs either except smaller wire isn't strong enough to stay up (it stretches).

I'm not sure what you mean by "jumper wire." Do you mean the feed wire from the charger? The feed wire will have to make a good connection to all four wires. I run one feed wire then jumper wires to the extra strands. As long as it is a continuous run of wire one connection to all four wires should be sufficient.

If I'm connecting to another wire I just wrap the "jumper wire" tightly around the wire.

I assume that all four of the wires are "hot" and not alternating hot and ground.

One important, often overlooked aspect of electric fencing is that the ground wire needs a good contact with the grounding rod/stake and the stake needs good contact with the ground. Read the fence charger manufacturer's recommendation but a long rod (6 foot minimum) rammed deep is mandatory. There are some differences according to soil types but generally you need to have a fence very well grounded or it will significantly shorten the life of your fence charger.

Thank you for the reply!

I just did 14gauge as it was a few bucks extra and i figured why not.

By "Jumper" i mean the wire that will go under the gate. It sounds like i should be able to connect it to just one (Bottom) of the 4 runs on the "hot" side and then wrap it around all 4 runs on the opposite side. I just didn't know if wrapping it would provide a good enough connection.

I have 3 6' copper coated ground rods that will be my ground. That is what was recommended by the manufacturer.

 

[Peanut]

A good ground at the unit is key. During very dry or wet conditions a fence will lose some of it power. The reason is almost always a poor ground. I use 4ft rebar and drive the rods deep, 3ft at least. I have 5 ground rods currently on my charger.

This will also gives a place for lighting strikes to go. Instead of hitting the voltage source... (house or barn)

I use 17ga steel wire, it's strong and fine for cattle/horses or smaller critters (galvanized). I despise the aluminum wire which is prone to bad connections and breakage. Dad bought some about 20yrs ago. I'm still trying to get rid of it.

I only run one, sometimes two stands. I attach it in addition to a regular barbwire fence for extra deterrence. I sometimes run a couple strands for a temporary fence.

You didn't mention the type of critters you are trying to control... If your livestock is more than 500lbs, a fence is nothing more than a suggestion. Even a barbwire fence is nothing but a suggestion for a 2000lb bull. Big critters go where they want. Best way to keep livestock in a pasture... keep the pasture green with lots of forage. If critters are hungry your fencing becomes irrelevant. If they have plenty of food and water they aren't going very far from it.

 

[Pearl]

A good ground at the unit is key. During very dry or wet conditions a fence will lose some of it power. The reason is almost always a poor ground. I use 4ft rebar and drive the rods deep, 3ft at least. I have 5 ground rods currently on my charger.

This will also gives a place for lighting strikes to go. Instead of hitting the voltage source... (house or barn)

I use 17ga steel wire, it's strong and fine for cattle/horses or smaller critters (galvanized). I despise the aluminum wire which is prone to bad connections and breakage. Dad bought some about 20yrs ago. I'm still trying to get rid of it.

I only run one, sometimes two stands. I attach it in addition to a regular barbwire fence for extra deterrence. I sometimes run a couple strands for a temporary fence.

You didn't mention the type of critters you are trying to control... If your livestock is more than 500lbs, a fence is nothing more than a suggestion. Even a barbwire fence is nothing but a suggestion for a 2000lb bull. Big critters go where they want. Best way to keep livestock in a pasture... keep the pasture green with lots of forage. If critters are hungry your fencing becomes irrelevant. If they have plenty of food and water they aren't going very far from it.



View attachment 92839

I had to run hot fence down one side of my donkey's pasture because of horses in the pasture next to him. My donkey would stand at the fence and touch the hot fence repeatedly! The horses and my hubby could verify it was working! I have a weird donkey! He has never tried to get out, but if he wanted to the hot fence would not matter!

 

[Pearl]

And welcome guito 13, head over to new member introductions and tell us a little about yourself!!

 

[Magus]

The only thing I know about electric fences is don't pee on one.

 

[guito13]

A good ground at the unit is key. During very dry or wet conditions a fence will lose some of it power. The reason is almost always a poor ground. I use 4ft rebar and drive the rods deep, 3ft at least. I have 5 ground rods currently on my charger.

This will also gives a place for lighting strikes to go. Instead of hitting the voltage source... (house or barn)

I use 17ga steel wire, it's strong and fine for cattle/horses or smaller critters (galvanized). I despise the aluminum wire which is prone to bad connections and breakage. Dad bought some about 20yrs ago. I'm still trying to get rid of it.

I only run one, sometimes two stands. I attach it in addition to a regular barbwire fence for extra deterrence. I sometimes run a couple strands for a temporary fence.

You didn't mention the type of critters you are trying to control... If your livestock is more than 500lbs, a fence is nothing more than a suggestion. Even a barbwire fence is nothing but a suggestion for a 2000lb bull. Big critters go where they want. Best way to keep livestock in a pasture... keep the pasture green with lots of forage. If critters are hungry your fencing becomes irrelevant. If they have plenty of food and water they aren't going very far from it.



View attachment 92839

I'm completely new to electric fences. I used to put up fences for a living but never did electric. This fence is our "Main" (1/4 acre max) area for our cows 2) and pigs (2 but will add more) (Hence having 4 runs) but they will eventually lead out to a wooded pasture for the pigs and a larger 2 acre pasture for the cows. Plan is to have lots of food available for all animals as I like to think we spoil any living thing on our small 8 acres.

 

[mosquitomountainman]

I have electric fencing around some of our outbuildings to keep the bears (grizzly and black) out. They ripped the wall off of one storage shed a few years ago and ripped the door off and tried to dig out our root cellar. They also damaged two vehicles trying to get inside. Ripped the door handle and trim off the back hatch of a Subaru and ripped one of the back windows off of our camper van. an electric fence is the only thing that can keep them out.

 

[Pearl]

I touched my electric fence yesterday........took THREE pulses before I realized it! So hubby said it wasn't working right and grabbed it, IT'S WORKING RIGHT! And I thought my donkey was weird for being able to touch it!!

 

[Peanut]

And thats the weakness of electric fences. If I have them up I check the fence at the charger everyday, every single day to make sure its working. It seems there is always a weed or some plant life shorting it or bleeding off voltage. And then there is rain, quite a bit here in the south. Moisture shorting out fences is constant. I sometimes run electric fences a mile, even longer. Maintenance takes up a lot of time. I'd much rather have a permanent fence in a situation where I have a choice. Year over year they are more secure and require far less maintenance than electric fences. As in 1/10 the maintenance.

 

[mosquitomountainman]

I touched my electric fence yesterday........took THREE pulses before I realized it! So hubby said it wasn't working right and grabbed it, IT'S WORKING RIGHT! And I thought my donkey was weird for being able to touch it!!

A lot depends on what kind of shoes you are wearing. Some shoes and boots insulate you from the ground and you won't get much of a shock. Try it barefoot sometime! A regular fence tester is best or high voltage voltmeter.

 

[Spikedriver]

I had 6.5 acres for 4 horses at one time. Where I live, you can support 4 horses on that much good pasture as long as you don't turn them out on it too early in the year.

I had 3 hot wires around it. I ran a 25 mile fencer on it and a long ground rod, driven deep. I used insulated electric fence gate handles to run the wires across the gates. I also jumpered every strand to the one below it at every corner and jumpered across each corner. I did not use round insulators to run continuous strands at the corners.

That fence was freaking hot! One thing I strongly suggest is that you either plan on getting a weedeater or plan on spending time pulling weeds away from your bottom strand. Weeds will short out a fence in no time flat.

 

[Spikedriver]

A lot depends on what kind of shoes you are wearing. Some shoes and boots insulate you from the ground and you won't get much of a shock. Try it barefoot sometime! A regular fence tester is best or high voltage voltmeter.

I used to check fence with a screwdriver or pliers that had an insulated handle. Hold it just off the wire until the juice jumps across. It should really snap when it jumps. It's not scientific, but it'll do for a quick check...

 

[guito13]

I had 6.5 acres for 4 horses at one time. Where I live, you can support 4 horses on that much good pasture as long as you don't turn them out on it too early in the year.

I had 3 hot wires around it. I ran a 25 mile fencer on it and a long ground rod, driven deep. I used insulated electric fence gate handles to run the wires across the gates. I also jumpered every strand to the one below it at every corner and jumpered across each corner. I did not use round insulators to run continuous strands at the corners.

That fence was freaking hot! One thing I strongly suggest is that you either plan on getting a weedeater or plan on spending time pulling weeds away from your bottom strand. Weeds will short out a fence in no time flat.

Thank you. Doing much smaller area for a couple cows/pigs. Its a "show" area that we want to look nice as its right behind the house. That area will open up to 2 other areas, one for the pigs other for the cows, all done with just 2 posts.

I did just tie the wire around tight each run and then bury 12.5 gage insulated under the gates. Hoping they respect the gates and that i have them cemented in enough!

 

[Spikedriver]

If you've got good solid gate posts and good solid gates, it shouldn't be a problem. If you have chains to secure the gates, buy some carabiners at Walmart or the hardware store to secure the chain to itself. It'll save you some hassle. Animals have a way of working the gate until the chains come out of the little slot on metal gates...

 

[Hardcalibres]

I had 6.5 acres for 4 horses at one time. Where I live, you can support 4 horses on that much good pasture as long as you don't turn them out on it too early in the year.

I had 3 hot wires around it. I ran a 25 mile fencer on it and a long ground rod, driven deep. I used insulated electric fence gate handles to run the wires across the gates. I also jumpered every strand to the one below it at every corner and jumpered across each corner. I did not use round insulators to run continuous strands at the corners.

That fence was freaking hot! One thing I strongly suggest is that you either plan on getting a weedeater or plan on spending time pulling weeds away from your bottom strand. Weeds will short out a fence in no time flat.

Around here, most farmers spray glyphosate directly under their electric fence using a spot spray gun. Most do it just before the spring flush of pasture growth.

I have several miles of boundary fence - all of it electrified. We did have some barbed boundary fences when we first moved here - but they were always subject to more escapes than the electrified parts so we electrified everything. Electric fences that are well designed and made, that use big enough energizers, are very effective at keeping cattle inside.

We haven't had an escape through an electrified fence for more than a decade.

 

[Spikedriver]

@Hardcalibres I have used Roundup or a Roundup/2,4D mix on fencelines too, but I prefer not to. For the horses, I had the bottom wire high enough that they could eat under it if they were careful. That didn't help with weeds though.

 

[txcatlady]

W

@Hardcalibres I have used Roundup or a Roundup/2,4D mix on fencelines too, but I prefer not to. For the horses, I had the bottom wire high enough that they could eat under it if they were careful. That didn't help with weeds though.

We have electric fences around the garden. Also part of dog pen. Husband and son in laws built dog pen enclosing 9/10 of an acre with a pond. Dogs dug out put cattle panels on ground 1/2 way around. Dug out on other sides so he put up solar electric. Dogs stay in. However we did spray that part with weed killer. At this point grass is on wire again. My battery operated weed eater can only do so much. He won’t do it and my time is limited. The pen is built of hog wire and barb wire top and bottom. Has 3 gates in it to put tractor in to mow. 4 labs and 2 big shelters. Runs heat lights in winter. Rotten dogs have no manners.

 

[Hardcalibres]

@Hardcalibres I have used Roundup or a Roundup/2,4D mix on fencelines too, but I prefer not to. For the horses, I had the bottom wire high enough that they could eat under it if they were careful. That didn't help with weeds though.

Yep - I avoid 2,4D also. When I want something for broad leaf weeds I use MCPA. Roundup is a non-selective so it controls the grass too.

I find that the fences that need the weed spray treatment are those that only get grazing on one side or neither side. The fences that get adequate grazing on both sides tend to stay clear enough. So it ends up being a minority of my fences.

Safety wise with sprays, you can do a lot by picking a day with light steady breeze and always placing yourself on the upwind side of the spray outlet. That beats using PPE, as you avoid all exposure.

Fence spraying is pretty fast when you have a spray unit strapped to the back rack of a quad. I spray at about 5 mph.

 

[Pearl]

W

We have electric fences around the garden. Also part of dog pen. Husband and son in laws built dog pen enclosing 9/10 of an acre with a pond. Dogs dug out put cattle panels on ground 1/2 way around. Dug out on other sides so he put up solar electric. Dogs stay in. However we did spray that part with weed killer. At this point grass is on wire again. My battery operated weed eater can only do so much. He won’t do it and my time is limited. The pen is built of hog wire and barb wire top and bottom. Has 3 gates in it to put tractor in to mow. 4 labs and 2 big shelters. Runs heat lights in winter. Rotten dogs have no manners.

Hi Lady, good to see you!!

 

[Pearl]

I LOVE liquid weedeating!!

 

[Magus]

Grandpa had this propane powered "fire stick" that did a decent job if you walked slow.