Electric Fence

grainger12002 · Apr 8, 2004

Anybody had any luck with a particular electric fencer ? I seem to go thru one every 6 mos or so,The fence is only a few hundred yrds long,and no branches or rotten,rusty wire-any thoughts?

nobull1 · Apr 8, 2004

I go through a fencer every 5 years or so and have about 5 miles of fencing.Seems strange that you have such a small area and they go bad so fast.A little more info might help like type,amount and depth of ground rods also is there something that always happens to make the fencer go bad,weather etc.I have 3 different types and all last about the same amount of time.

MikePA · Apr 9, 2004

Anybody had any luck with a particular electric fencer ? 
I've had this fencer from Parmak for over 10 years.

grainger12002 · Apr 9, 2004

nothing out of the ordinary,I use 3 ground rods,they are 6 feet long,4 feet in the ground,copper,clean connections,good lead fence wire,it may be more than a few hundred yrds,but less than a miles worth-we have a limited mkt so I wanted to shop the internet and stay under $100 bill-Thoughts?

nobull1 · Apr 9, 2004

I use Parmak also as MikePA does but the 110 volt model mark 6 and mark 5 the earlier model.The biggest problem they claim is poor grounding which will take out the transformer"been there done that".If you read the installation guide on Parmak's site you might be surprised what they require, up to 6 ground rods. parmak mark 6

slowzuki · Apr 13, 2004

We're getting ready to put in some electric and are looking at 5 strand and using the 2 odd strands as the ground and the the top middle bottoms as live.

We've been told this works well for sheep but I'm wondering if it is any good for my sisters horse? I suspect we'll need a ground rod for when the horse is in there as it will only hit the top wire.
Ken

ljh2 · Apr 14, 2004

slowzuki,

Huh??? You've got me confused. /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif

The principle with electric fence is that the fence charging unit is grounded. You only have to run a 'hot' wire as the 'return to ground' is through the recipient (offending livestock). You don't need to run a ground wire on the post. The earth completes the circuit.

Now if your horse was constantly wearing thick rubber boots, now that may be a problem. /forums/images/graemlins/wink.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

nobull1 · Apr 14, 2004

The reason for ground on the post.
If you have dry ground sometimes the animal will not get a good shock or none at all.The only problems with the above setup is you have to run a extra wire or 2 for a ground along your whole fence and use more ground rods.Also they have to touch 2 wires at the same time to get any benefit from this system.I do believe it is a superior system if you want to go to the extra work.Just make sure the top and bottom are live.If you don't have at least 5 wires on your fence there is a chance the animal will not touch 2 at the same time until it is too late /forums/images/graemlins/blush.gif

nobull1 · Apr 14, 2004

My understanding is you use ground rods with this setup just that you can add them every so often along the line.The real asset to this system is you have a good connection to ground by way of a wire connected to the ground rods and fencer. Maybe I am wrong on this and if so enlighten me,been wrong before.

polecat · Apr 14, 2004

IMPEDANCE 
That is the only thing u need 2 know bout fencing....
 
Here r a few things 2 keep yer$$$ invesment in fencing down...I have 2 horses and a goat..no pasture..BUT I have a 75 year old neighbor with 40 acres of overgrown pasture..37 now... ???? was right bout dry ground...I have a 3 wire system 14",28",and bout 46"s...It varies with the ground slope...First of git a cheater stick..an approximate guide to get all yer wire heights the same ..I have a 2" sapling that is bout 6' long that doubles as a tamp...figger out where u want yer fence 2 b and (i use a light weight 2man gas 3hp post hole digger) dig yer holebout 2.5 to 3' deep...my auger has a 6" bit so the holeis a bit big...put one post at each end of yer run and git some 1/4" rope ..my piece is bout 300' long..tampyer end posts in good tryin to put some 6 or 8" rocks at the top on the inward side ov the run..all i do is save saplings from clearing ..oh yeah the end posts wanna b heavier than the rest of the run..on each corner put the posts not only heavier but a little taller and then dig or drill a hole at a 45 degree anngle about 4" or so to the inside of the run..git a 6' -7' post and cut a matchin angle with the side of the corner post bout 55" or so up on the corner post ..take 2 3" galvanized deck and screw yer corner brace in tight at the top..do the other end of the run...now take yer rope and tie it to each end at the top of the posts drawin it as tight as you kin git it....now remember i'm workin with uncleared pasture ..all the saplings..and brush in my run have bin cut oo flush and FLAT!!! with ground level...now i take my old 16 hp king horse 52' ridin lawnmower and follow in a straight line both sides of the rope ..I go 2 passes on the outside..git a buddy and start diggin holes under the rope...i go every 20 to 24 '...put yer plastic black inline insulators on as u go i use 2" ungalvanized sheetrock screws...use yer guide/cheatstick
ive built 3 wire holders to hold my wijre rolls...or u can use a piece of rebar or small pipe that'll fit in the center holes of the reels... git 2 Y sticks and pushem in the ground..jist make sure their level and start ;;pullin out yer wire ...after all yer insulators r up ...Now .........remember to think bout yer whole run...how many corners r u gonna have...gates at each corner ???? gates in the middle ???? r there sweeping corners ??? inside or outside corneres????Now i kin say that i'm lucky...i've got a phd in wire pullin!!! serijously...15 yrs runnin power lines from in yer back yard up a pole 2 1500' up in the air swinging on 4 bundle 765,000 volt transmission lines goin from coal mountain top to coal mountain tojp in wv, al,tn,nh, ny il,in,wi, jist bout all over sorry nc ma and sorry if i left any of u other guys jout ...this is a great country with great people everywhere i've bin!!! and i like my wire tight and my poles...oops were talkin posts...thought i was back on the powerline ...sorry dude.. /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gifdidnt mean to git carried away...a couple more tricks...lay out yer whole fence in yer mind and then git it on paper ...think bout where u want gates ...they're real easy 2 put in..just need braces on the outside of each one...if u have slight corners put in heavier saplings...now cows r a whole different animal ..u needem real young and trainem bout dat electricity!!!when my 6mos old colts got into their first electric fence they had no clue....teachem!!!! git a carrot and cut a notch and set it out on the wire ...in the WETTEST AREA YOUVE GOT!!!!! if its dry then spray the ground round the ground rod area.....or wait for a good soaker...then do the carrot trick...Remember impedance??? they sell a rig that'll tell u if yer gittin juice...but i'm used to gittin belted..ever bin hit by yer chainsaw or lawnmower spark plug wire...r u still alive ...DO NOT DO THIS IF U HAVE A PACEMAKER OR HEART PROBLEMS!!! we used 2 run up and touch my gfather's woodchuck fence when we werer kids so its not goin 2 kill ya...put yer sneakers on and touch it ..if theyre dry youll barely feel it ....NOW take a sneaker off and while standin on yer right foot ...hold on 2 a post and touch yer knee f2 d wire /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
I jist take my thumb and pinkee and (with sneakers on) touch one of my sheet rock screws and the wire at the same time.... yip thats right and believe it or not i kin type pretty well still /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
if u have more than one corner 2 go round in one stretch...git some screw eyes ...ive got 12, and some of those little pulleys that u see in d hardware store (youve got 2 b able 2 take d wire out of the pulley afterwards so git d type that has the open face or git d cheapo's and grind between the eye and above d pulley...when u start pullin wire..and git 2 a corner put in yer screw eyes attach yer pulleys and keep on goin ...ground away side down when under tension...ive used trees ...maple oak ash bijrch..when not real thick bark 2" -21/2"screws ....pine and thick bark ...3" screws ..all common ....I only use the galvies on heavy corners and corner braces...the trick 2 keepin yer fencin cheap ...IS TO UTILIZ YER MATERIALS THAT R D CHEAPEST AND THE ....FREEEST!!!! my other neijghbor went out and bought 150 cedar posts and every 15' for electric!!! took him almost 2 weeks for bout 3/4 acre!!!!! /forums/images/graemlins/confused.gif
he came up and helped me wit 2.5 acres ...bout 40 saplings(green r best) dats 40 holes...one day....bout 30 trees on 2 sides and a barn ...he laffed at me when he saw d saplins in d back of my tk.......needless 2 say he got an education real quick...the pulleys r d key 2 long pulls wit corners!@!!!!!
now almost done ..d extra wire and ground system..or runnin ground ....u may not have enuff grounding...i use old scrap 3/8 copper pipe bout 3-4' long..putem on series if u have 2 jjist make theyre not where yer animals kin step onem..i dig a 6"hole drive my pipe go 3'with a 2" trench 6" hole pipe and do it 4x..connect the pipes with #6 solid copper and what us lineman call weavers...now if u still have a problem...run yer 4th wire id use the 3rd ond up from the top as the hot one on top'll git the horses and th bottom 2'll git d sheep so lets say 1,2, and 4' hot and 3' ground ..go every couple hundred and put a ground at a post and staple a piece of yer scrap fencin wire to the outside of d fence ...to yer ground..use a weaver to attach to the ground and git some small streetlight kearneys(split bolt type) connectors...b careful not to damage the mainline ground wire as it'll rust n break there...socket and a pair of channel locks.. i have 2 types of chargers ...one solar..and one 12 battery run weed burner...where the majjority of the pasture is noot on my property i don wanna use her juice..they both work great...once a month i bring my spare 12 v battery that is fully charged up and switch it out.. but remember I check my juice...the pinky thumb trick works up back away from the charger ..bout 1000' from it by wire ...touch the screw wit yer thumb at a tree preferably...and the wire with yer pinky /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

remember 2 train yer animals while its wet!!!!! blv me they know after 2x /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif

WELL THAT'S BOUT ALL I HAVE 2 SAY BOUT DAT!!!!
ANY ??????,S DROP ME A LINE /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif /forums/images/graemlins/grin.gif
YER FENCIN FOOL & FRIEND
TODD HALL