Electric fence

[Code54]

I been looking at placing an electric fence on our property and have no real idea what I am doing. I been reading a bunch and slowly learning but have a few questions.
My location does not have much sun so I am going with a 110v box. I would like to place the box on the house so I don't need to run 110v across the yard. Do I place the box at the house,then connect it via Undergate cable to the fence? Is there something else I can use?

I was to run 2 strands, both about 300 feet each, going to use to help keep the deer out of the wife's flower garden - what size controller do I need. Also how many ground rods do I need and where should they be placed - all 3 together or 1 every 100 ft?

Thanks

 

[whistlepig]

I been looking at placing an electric fence on our property and have no real idea what I am doing. I been reading a bunch and slowly learning but have a few questions.
My location does not have much sun so I am going with a 110v box. I would like to place the box on the house so I don't need to run 110v across the yard. Do I place the box at the house,then connect it via Undergate cable to the fence? Is there something else I can use?

I was to run 2 strands, both about 300 feet each, going to use to help keep the deer out of the wife's flower garden - what size controller do I need. Also how many ground rods do I need and where should they be placed - all 3 together or 1 every 100 ft?

Thanks

Placing the box on the house and running underground cable would be the best way. The size of the controller really isn't that important. No matter what mega power super size you buy it won't make as big a difference as will good connections and good grounds. I have set them up with one ground rod and that worked OK. The present setup I have now has three 8' long brass ground rods spaced 10 feet apart in series. The three ground rod setup was a huge increase in shocking power. Good connections are important so they don't corrode and degrade with the weather. We use our electric fence to turn horses. You might take a look at RAMM - Horse Fencing, Stalls, and Equipment, Electric Fences, and Equine Products. This is the system I installed. This is high dollar fencing and overpriced for keeping deer out of a flower garden. But their connectors are worth every penny. These connectors will hold up through the harshest winters and need virtually no upkeep.

 

[jimmyj]

Nice avatar (I had the same one for a while).

I'm with Whistlepig, put the charger at the house and buy UG wire to run the power to your fence line. They sell actual double insulated wire for this specific purpose at fence dealers. Your runs are very short so get an average charger, you don't need an elephant shocker for what you are doing. We also use 3x ground rods 10 feet apart and recomment at least 2 but no less (they don't have to be far apart).

Make sure your wires are installed with "ratchet tensioners" at the end of the run so you can easily adjust them if they slack off over time. I would say for deer you should run more than 2 strands, maybe 4 wires each 20" or so apart, and angle them outward to make it harder for deer to jump over. We use both wooden and steel posts, in either case proper insulators work well and last a pretty long time.

The shock comes from the animal touching the hot wire and a ground at the same time. At our place, we run 5 hot wires and rely on the animal touching the ground. Many people run alternating hot and grounded wires so a varmint will get shocked if it goes through the fence. If you do that put a ground rod at the fence for the ground wires in addition to your other rods for the fence charger. And remember to post the little signs on your fence that warn it is electric, they are the law in most areas.

Electric fences are really easy once you understand them. If you buy a good fencer, it will come with decent instructions about what to do. We have a Ghallagher which is a very good brand and it came with a video all about how they work.

Good luck!

 

[s78wingrider]

Good luck, I had 3 strands plus other wire and caution tape above that around garden, DID NOT KEEP DEER OUT!

 

[Ken45101]

I think you will need multiple strands no more than 18" apart and 8 to10' high to keep deer out. They will jump anything lower like it wasn't there.

If you are burying the feedline, it's best if you put it in plastic pipe or hose to protect it. I've used 1/2" water line for that purpose.

 

[heehaw]

the way to keep deer out with an electric fence: take 6-10 inch strips of aluminum foil an wrap it around the hot wire: and smear peanut butter on it: the deer will lick the peanut butter an get a heck of a surprise, an won't come back any more: if you listen at night, when you do this, you will hear the deer snort really loud when they get the shock: this method works really well, but just a fence has not been much of a help: they just jump over it.
heehaw

 

[jimmyj]

the way to keep deer out with an electric fence: take 6-10 inch strips of aluminum foil an wrap it around the hot wire: and smear peanut butter on it: the deer will lick the peanut butter an get a heck of a surprise, an won't come back any more: if you listen at night, when you do this, you will hear the deer snort really loud when they get the shock: this method works really well, but just a fence has not been much of a help: they just jump over it.
heehaw

That is a great tip. Thanks.

 

[randy41]

the way to keep deer out with an electric fence: take 6-10 inch strips of aluminum foil an wrap it around the hot wire: and smear peanut butter on it: the deer will lick the peanut butter an get a heck of a surprise, an won't come back any more: if you listen at night, when you do this, you will hear the deer snort really loud when they get the shock: this method works really well, but just a fence has not been much of a help: they just jump over it.
heehaw

i agree. baiting is very important. deer don't shock easily.

 

[whistlepig]

We have 48" tall fence and 6" above that is a strand of electric fence. I have watched deer "hop" over this fence. They don't take a runny go at it. They walk up to it, stop, calmly look around a bit, and just hop over it. The suggestion with peanut butter is a very good one.

 

[ayelvington]

I have a 8' high-tensile electric fence (alternating hot/ground wires) that has kept deer out of my orchard for two years now. I get my stuff from Kencove (Electric Fence, High Tensile Fencing Supplies) and really like the Stafix X-series chargers. I run mine off of a battery with two HF solar panels to keep it charged.

Training with peanut butter is effective and entertaining if you get to watch...