Electrical fence guys, i need your help. :-)

[Ken45101]

Thanks so much guys. It seems like there is pros and cons for both galvanized and rope and people that swear by one or the other.

I have both and I've put up new of both types in the past year. Partly economics (galvanized), and partly ease of installation (electrified rope).

You might check
Electric Fencing, Ear Tags, Sheep Supplies, Clippers and Shearers, Netting, and more! - Premier1Supplies
that's where I get my rope from but they also have electrified netting for poultry protection, etc.

Ken

 

[patrick_g]

Thanks so much guys. It seems like there is pros and cons for both galvanized and rope and people that swear by one or the other.
I don't have any animals. The only problem is coons although there is many skunks and rabbits here. The only concern I have about galvanized is that it requires much more tension.
Just in case you guys didn't know, I grow giant pumpkins. So the way the patch is set up (a big rectangle) come harvest time I have to take down the fence on one side to back my trailer in to get my half ton out. With a bit of much this year I'll have a 3/4 ton.
I only grow 5 plants. 5 fruit. Last year 3 were destroyed by coons. I spend up to 10 hours a week per plant caring for these.

Chris

Single strand hot wire does not require much tension. It worls fine just taught enough to not droop intpo a bad place.

Good luck with your pumpkins and Cinderella. Do you feed them milk?

Pat

 

[pickeringchris]

Single strand hot wire does not require much tension. It worls fine just taught enough to not droop intpo a bad place.

Good luck with your pumpkins and Cinderella. Do you feed them milk?

Pat

Hahahaha. The is the most common question people ask. That is a myth. Some people do use a milk water mixture applied to the leaves as a organic preventative for powdery mildew. It may help a little but we have better stuff than that.

 

[patrick_g]

Hahahaha. The is the most common question people ask. That is a myth. Some people do use a milk water mixture applied to the leaves as a organic preventative for powdery mildew. It may help a little but we have better stuff than that.

I have never touched a huge pumpkin before but sat next to a 68 lb cabbage.

Pat

 

[cmyoung2]

Actually, with all the info, you might want to look at the electric netting. The Premier1Supplies site has several different types. I use it around our garden, fruit trees, does a good job keeping deer and groundhogs out. Also use it to contain our goats and sheep. Love it, easy to put up-if you don't get it tangled- portable, and really not too expensive. Talk to the people at Premier, they know their stuff and can guide you in the right direction. I have used their products for more than 20 years.

 

[pickeringchris]

Hey guys. I was in the AG store the other day and was playing with the wire. I am worried about galvanized because it is very stiff. I have 9 outside corners and 1 inside corner to go around. The aluminum on the other hand is very flexible. Not as flexible as poly rope but the next best thing.
There was a comment on aluminum and how it breaks. No big animals here. Only coons, skunks and rabbits. Would it be safe to say aluminum is not gonna get broken by those animals?
Also. How do I do an outside corner? I see there is some poly tubing to feed the hot wire thru so it's doesn't contact the outside post but I am worried the coins will use this area to climb over.


Thanks.

 

[jobguy]

I made a four strand electric aluminum pasture fence for my horses as well as a one strand day pasture extension for the horses. Both kept horses in. Deer walked right through and broke the four wire fence until they learned the fence would hurt. The deer also constantly broke the one wire fence and I finally took it down. Next week I will be using the aluminum wire plus poly 7ft high netting for a large garden. My most problematic animals are Coon, Deer, birds and squirrels. Thicker steel wire is better. Since reading the above posts I will also look into the electric poly netting.

 

[Ted Summey]

One of the draw backs to high tensile wire is the need for corner bracing posts (h posts is what i used) with brace wire so that the wire can be stretched at least enough to eliminate the sag. I just installed a 6 foot fence using 12 ga high tensile wire. The garden is about 60 feet wide and 150 feet long. The fence has 8 strands with alternating hot and ground. The bottom 2 strands are about 4" apart the third strand is about 10" above the 2nd. I cut the posts from cedars here on the farm. Materials for the fence including the spinning jenny were just over $400. You have to have a spinning jenny or reel to handle the 12 ga. high tensile wire. One can be built fairly easily.

The lighter wire fencing (14 and 17 ga) can be stretched enough not to sag if the posts are placed correctly without the heavy corner bracing. So if you are buying posts you can save some money here.

I used poly rope previously on a different garden location. The raccoons didn't feel it at all. The deer I believe saw the fence.

My neighbor who is a commercial sweet potato farmer uses a double fence. Do a google search for the Ag Extension "papers" on how to build fencing. The double fence works real well where you have the room. It will exclude deer and smaller garden robbers without too much trouble.

 

[pickeringchris]

Thanks Ted.

Posts are in. They are 5-6" pressure treated pine. Corners are cemented. Line post dirt packed. No room for double fence. I'm 3' to the property line.
The gardens are only 110' x 30 and 70' x 30'. I'm sure the aluminum will do the trick. I just gotta figure out how to do the corners.
I like the idea of alternating hot and ground. Something I never thought of before this thread.

 

[Ted Summey]

Since you are using the lighter wire, it would make sense the run the wire on the outside of the corner posts through insulating tubing. This is an effective and economical way to do your corners. You can use a staple over the tubing but not driven too tight. That way the wire can slide through the tubing and you can pull it as tight as you need. Of course the ground lines don't necessarily need the insulation tubing.

Some use a ceramic or plastic doughnut insulator tied to the the corner posts but of course the fence wire is on the inside of the post. I have had trouble with mine in the past because the insulator has a tendency to twist then the wire grounds out.

I'll try to post a picture of my fence in a little while.

Ted

 

[pickeringchris]

Ya, this is exactly what I'm worried about. Those outside corners will be a great place for coons to climb up. I gotta get something other than the tubing. Might have to make something if there is nothing commercially available. :-(

 

[svcguy]

Thought I would throw a couple of thoughts out there on predator fences. We fence here to keep out elk, bear, deer and dogs. We never use tape or polywound, but have found either 12 gauge steel or 14 gauge high tensile to be a minimum. Have never used any of the aluminum coated steel, but have heard good things about it. We can't use aluminum because of snow load, it just weighs it down and wrecks it. The biggest error made around our area with predator fences is the vertical distance between wires. Wires every 12" is not enough, but seems to be what everyone puts up (the first time). When animals are shocked, there is a golden rule. From the eyes forward, they are out of there, behind the eyes and back - they are through the fence. When they take a jolt, it's about fight or flight reactions and nothing else. If they go through the fence, they realize they can get through it if needed. If they don't, they probably won't try again. We use 6" between wires, alternating pos / neg / pos / neg all the way to the top. That way, nothing touches the fence without regret. I also use a manifold for the positive wires and have a single lead to each fence wire. That way during the winter, I can de-energize each positive wire as it's covered in snow. Wet and heavy snow tends to draw down the fence energy, so we just take them off line as the snow builds. I also use 1x2 cedar strips between posts to space the wires and give a better visual.

 

[Maxify55]

Here's what we had installed.

Centaur HTP:
Only the top and bottom are fired to 10Kv.
2nd line down is grounded.

Overkill?
Perhaps but for a commercial boarding facility it shouts
"Horse Friendly" to prospective customers while keeping
predators at bay.

 

[vjcoppola]

I hope it works better for you than it did for me. The deer jump over and the coons go under, even when the bottom wire is only 4" off the ground. Back when I had bees I had good luck keeping bears our with 4 strands of poly wire and solar chargers but keeping the racoons out of the garden seems more difficult.

I'm thinking of trying the gadgets that flash red lights this year:

Night Predator Control & Protection | Protect Against Coyote, Wolf, Owls, Deer | Original Nite Guard Solar

Has anyone had luck with these? It would be alot less work than fencing.

 

[texasjohn]

I use high tensile 12.5 gauge wire.

There are some tools that make it usable....a small pipe to wrap wire back on itself, fence tester, most importantly, an inline RATCHET...these cost about $3.50 each at Tractor Supply, and a ratchet handle. Leave it in the fence line, use one on each straight segment of wire, both hot and ground wires.

There is a special knot that is used to make a splice... rather easy to learn how to tie it...but for ANY SUCCESS using this wire, you MUST learn how to tie this knot.

If you go with other single strand wire, still use the inline ratchet.... makes it a dream to tighten in future...and you WILL need to tighten in the future.

 

[sam5570]

i have used electric fence for over 20 years high tensil the biggest problem i had was consistency after about 8 years of playing with it i got it i had lighting problems along with connection trouble remember when you hook it up if you bury 3 groud rods 8 ft long run 1 groud wire conect to all rods then to charger when i did this i have never had any more problem and thats been alot of years ago :thumbsup:

 

[pickeringchris]

Hey guys. Its time to get this electric fence in so I just went back and read the whole thread. Also, he is a pic of my gardens. One on left and one on right.

The fence will not be permanate. I will have to remove portions when it comes time to harvest so I don't think I want high tensile. Also, my posts don't have corner braces (this is on purpose, another story) so I don't want high tensile anyways because it would pull my posts in and be more work to remove.
I am thinking I will go with aluminum. There is no animals that can break it like farm animals. Also, it's very easy to work with and requires less tension.
I found a wire layout online specifically for raccoons. It says 3 hot wires. 4", 8" and 13" from the ground. I'm also gonna put one at 4' for vandals. .

Chris

 

[pickeringchris]

Fyi, Here is some data on my existing charger. I will be running about 2000' of wire.

 

[patrick_g]

Charger may work but is not very powerful. As Tim the "Toolman" Taylor would say.... "MORE POWER!!" More jules would be better if you are serious about deterring furry creatures. So close to AC I'd get a 120VAC operated unit unless you have lots of long power outages.

Also be aware that some municipalities require notices be posted warning of electric fence. I'd think getting your hair curled by the hot wire would give most folks a hint but apparently some need a written explanation.

Pat

 

[pickeringchris]

My charger is AC. Time the tool man stole that motto from me. I am mr overkill on everything. My testing with this charger has been 100% successful. It's rated for 6 miles and I have 1/2 mile of wire. If have to get a bigger one I will but don't think it's necessary.