How to add an electric hot wire to top of chain link fence

[Cat_Driver]

I wouldn't do it. First check with your insurnce company an dlocal laws.
Then you have the liability no matter what they say.
If a person touces that and gets hurt they wil l own your
property and then you won't have to worry about it.
No need to expose yourself to that kind of liability.
There's a reason plastic bag makes put warning signs
that say DON'T PUT OVER HEAD. People are stupid
and will hurt themseleves on your stuff. Then they sue
you. Even "IF" you're in the right you're looking at 100K just to
defend yourself. Yes I get that anyone can get hurt and sue
anyway, but why give them one more opportunity to own
your lans?

 

[aczlan]

I wouldn't do it. First check with your insurnce company an dlocal laws.
Then you have the liability no matter what they say.
If a person touces that and gets hurt they wil l own your
property and then you won't have to worry about it.
No need to expose yourself to that kind of liability.
There's a reason plastic bag makes put warning signs
that say DON'T PUT OVER HEAD. People are stupid
and will hurt themseleves on your stuff. Then they sue
you. Even "IF" you're in the right you're looking at 100K just to
defend yourself. Yes I get that anyone can get hurt and sue
anyway, but why give them one more opportunity to own
your lans?

The OP never stated what they are keeping in or how close it is to the road or someplace where the public is, I would stick "warning, electric fence" signs every 3-4 posts and call it a day. If you are worried, email pictures to your insurance agent and make sure that won't be a problem with them.

Aaron Z

 

[nybirdman]

An electric fence used with a regular fencer is not going to injure or kill any-one/thing.Just a mild shock.I have mine on a dusk/dawn timer;off during the day.I am only interested in keeping four legged predators out of my bird pens.
I used six inch plastic stand-offs on cedar poles and poly-weave wire(much easier to work with).

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Tension your fence first, then add electric. Just turn the insulator in your pic upwards and hold it on with a couple of zip ties or twisted wire. I'd suggest electric tape wire instead of steel wire (personal preference).

Amazon has many insulator types, different lengths.

This one could be pipe clamped, drill the post and screw/nut, twist wired on.

Amazon.com: Field Guardian Chain Link Extension Insulator, 4.5-Inch: Pet Supplies

View attachment 551330

Snow always causes wires to sag- 2 inches may not work well for winter. Steel will sag too because it will pull the insulators out of position with the weight (ice storms).

A general comment about insulators, not to say anything about those particular choices:

You want your electric fence to be reliable. The nature of it is that if it shorts or has a break the whole thing fails. And this usually happens in the middle of a winter storm when either ice builds up on the wire or a branch falls on the fence. In my experience, insulators are the weak link. Pieces that clip on can come unclipped. Anything made of plastic will degrade in the sunlight, get brittle, and crack. I find that black plastics tend to be the most durable outdoors. I've had a lot of failures of yellow plastic insulators after a couple of years. Porcelain is the gold standard for crucial components. I prefer insulators that bolt on, screw on, or nail on to ones that clip on.

Amazon is great for getting a good price and quick shipping if you already know what you want. However, a lot of what they sell is cheap and not durable. I find that a dedicated fence retailer like Kencove is more likely to sell stuff that works. Even at Kencove I've had so-so results shopping their clearance section, I think they discontinue stuff when they get a lot of complaints and then put it on clearance.

For a 400 foot fence you only have about 40 insulators, it's worth spending a little more and doing it once.

 

[BoylermanCT]

I am adding the hot wire to keep the bears out of the dog area. I have a large male that lives in the woods behind my house, and comes to visit on a regular basis.

Took these pics last year. He is climbing over my current fence which is 30" high.The new fence will by 48" high and fence in a much larger area. The new fence is using larger diameter and thicker line posts, terminal posts and top rail to increase the strength.

I have several hundred feet of Premier 1 48" high net fence protecting my chickens and ducks, and I know for a fact the net fence keeps the bear out of the chicken yard. I use a 1 joule charger and the net fence registers 8000V+. I have warnings signs posted all along the fence, and I warn all visitors and guests before we go to see the chickens, ducks or the pond. I wanted something more permanent and nicer looking for the dogs and back yard.

I've been shocked by the fence before, it does no harm, just wakes you up so you won't do that again!

 

[BoylermanCT]

Another question regarding the hot wire. I have 3 gates in the fence. How does the wire cross the gate opening? Do I terminated the hot wire at the gate post, and use insulted wire to go down the post, cross the gate opening underground in plastic conduit and climb back up the other post and hook onto the next section of hot wire? If I were using wood posts it would be easier than the metal posts I am using!

If anyone has pics of how they did it, that would be helpful.

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Another question regarding the hot wire. I have 3 gates in the fence. How does the wire cross the gate opening? Do I terminated the hot wire at the gate post, and use insulted wire to go down the post, cross the gate opening underground in plastic conduit and climb back up the other post and hook onto the next section of hot wire? If I were using wood posts it would be easier than the metal posts I am using!

If anyone has pics of how they did it, that would be helpful.

There are three ways: go under, go over or go through. You can buy insulated wire for burying (going under). You can't use regular insulated wire because the insulation isn't rated for electric fence voltage. Putting it in conduit also is a good idea. You can make the posts on either side of the gate tall enough to walk under and run the wire across the tops of the posts. What I sometimes do is sleeve the gate post with a piece of 10' PVC pipe, it's an easy way of going over the gate and it's insulated. Or you can have a wire that you disconnect when you go through the gate using an insulated handle.

The only handle I like is this one:
ZAMMR Handle White

It has a stainless steel contact. Most handles have a galvanized steel contact. Over time corrosion builds up on the galvanization. Once the resistance starts to build it will start sparking. The sparking will eat through the wire in short order, like an arc welder.

While it's a nuisance to have to disconnect the wire every time you go through the gate, if you don't have a wire over the gate you've left an entry point. Another thing you can do is run the wire over or under the gate to feed the other side, then run another wire along the top of the gate that is attached to the gate and swings with it. I like to use electric rope for that as it holds up better to the movement. A switch by the gate to shut off the wire while you're moving the gate is handy.

 

[tcreeley]

Insulated wire works well - get UF wire for your ground runs. I just lay it down and let the grass cover it up in time, or you can sink it a few inches in a hand dug trench. I use UF wire to connect the charger which is near to the outlet, over to the electric fence.

I am not sure an electric fence wire will stop a bear. The coat may prevent him from getting a good shock. But I read of someone traing a bear by hanging peanut butter on aluminum pie plates hanging on the electric fence.s

Our horses used to tough it out and run through the weakest point for the grass on the other side!

 

[nybirdman]

Electric fence if done correctly will deter a bear.See them all the time at hunting camps in the Adirondacks.

 

[oosik]

Years ago we had a horse. I put a hot wire on top of the fenced off barbed wire enclosure we made for the horse. Kept her from leaning on the barbed wire fence and pushing it down.

It worked.