Electric Fencing Basics

Article Tools

Image Gallery

Print

E-mail

Comments

RSS

Energizers are categorized by how many acres or miles of fence they will charge. For instance, a common fencer might charge 20 to 30 acres of land and cost between $80 and $90. Smaller energizers are available that can charge up to 8 or 10 acres, so you have the flexibility to find a solution that meets your specific needs. One thing to keep in mind is that the number of acres or miles the charger will power is for a single line only, and many animals require a multiline fence. I find the mileage rating to be far more effective when researching fencers.

Since electricity likes to travel in circles, sending a pulse down the fence wire is only part of the story. With a properly working electric fence and nothing connecting the hot wire to earth, the electrical circuit is open … it’s like a switch that’s turned off. That electrical pulse then travels the full length of the fence and dissipates. When an animal (or non-attentive rancher) touches the hot wire, the pulse travels through them and into the ground where it is conducted back to the energizer's ground pole through ground rods driven into the earth. The guttural burst emitted from the unsuspecting beast is evidence of the switch being turned on … the electrical circuit is complete, but usually for only a split second.

Grounding systems

One of the most important things to understand about electric fences is grounding. Your animals will only feel the 8,000-volt shock if the pulse passes through them and returns to the charger. You can facilitate routing the electrical pulse back to the ground terminal on the charger in a couple of ways.

The first, an Earth Return System, uses steel "ground rods" that are pounded into the earth near the fencer and act like a homing beacon once the electricity exits the fence through its unwilling host. The number of ground rods that are required depends on the strength of the energizer and the type and moisture of your soil. Plan on about 3 feet of 5/8-inch or 3/4-inch steel pipe per joule of output (copper ground rods work well also but are more expensive). The benefit of an Earth Return System is that an animal need only touch a single line to receive a jolt. The downside is that the environment plays a large role in your fencer's ability to deliver adequate shocks on a consistent basis.

Since the Earth Return System depends directly on how grounded your animals and fencer are, you will need to monitor your system routinely. Dry or frozen ground has an insulating effect, which prevents the full power of the electrical pulse from making its way back to the charger. Conversely, if you are standing in a puddle and decide to kneel down while working on the electric fence, take care not to let your head come in contact with the hot wire. When you come to, you’ll realize that you experienced an abnormally powerful shock (yes, I speak from experience) because both you and the charger had a good connection to a highly conductive soil.

RSS | Comments | E-mail | Print