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

[BoylermanCT]

We are installing 400' of 4' high black chain link fence next week. Once it is installed, I want to add an electric hot wire that is 2 inches directly above the top rail of the chain link fence. I have seen plastic insulators that mount on the top rail with a U shaped bolt.



My questions is when I tension the hot wire, will the plastic holders handle the tension force, especially where the fence turns a 90 degree corner? The wire will start and stop at 2 opposite ends of the house, so I could attach the wire to the house without difficulty. I am thinking I would like to find a ceramic insulator that I can screw into the cap on each fence post. Like this, but with a machine screw so I can screw it to the metal post cap and in black to match the fence.



What has anyone else done with their chain link fence?

 

[gemutlich]

Can't answer your question, but it sure was nice driving through back-woods Barkhamsted this afternoon in the fog and rain heading Home from working all day in Putnam.

 

[bcp]

Use one or two of these at each corner. With two, you can tension each direction separately.



Bruce

 

[BoylermanCT]

If you took Route 179, you passed my house! I was in Plainville today picking up all the chain link fence supplies and 3600lbs of concrete. Thank goodness for forks on the tractor! Lowes loaded 20 sixty pound bags on 3 mini pallets for me, and they forked the pallets into the rental truck and I was able to fork them out when I got home. Had to rent a large U-Haul truck so I could get the fence top rail home - they are 21' long.

 

[gemutlich]

Closer to your area got on 20, 219, 318 over that beautiful dam y'all have, 44 then onto 8 and down to 84

All to avoid Hartford and Waterbury Friday rush hour traffic. Still took me over 3 hours to get from Putnam to Brookfield.

Forks yes, and I'll bet you're sure glad you have power steering!

Sounds like a nice haul for you today. Should clear up good this weekend, keep us posted on your project

 

[Tractor Seabee]

We are installing 400' of 4' high black chain link fence next week. Once it is installed, I want to add an electric hot wire that is 2 inches directly above the top rail of the chain link fence. I have seen plastic insulators that mount on the top rail with a U shaped bolt.

View attachment 551086

My questions is when I tension the hot wire, will the plastic holders handle the tension force, especially where the fence turns a 90 degree corner? The wire will start and stop at 2 opposite ends of the house, so I could attach the wire to the house without difficulty. I am thinking I would like to find a ceramic insulator that I can screw into the cap on each fence post. Like this, but with a machine screw so I can screw it to the metal post cap and in black to match the fence.

View attachment 551089

What has anyone else done with their chain link fence?

At 2" above the post you will need to a tension point about every other post to eliminate sag. What ever you figure out for insulators; just pull and wrap around at each tension point. 400' you would need a separate dead-man post to pull from both ends with multiple tern buckles in series. LOL

Ron

 

[bcp]

I use these and a spring for tension.



Bruce

 

[quicksandfarmer]

Your big issue is going to be the wire sagging and touching the chain link fence and shorting out. I would put the hot wire off to one side so that if it sags (or gets knocked down by a fallen branch or snow or ice) it is less likely to touch the rest of the fence. I would make the poles for the fence stick out a couple inches higher than the chain link, and then use wood post insulators on the side held on with sheet metal screws. Something like this: Pin-Lock Insulator Black-Pack of 25 . I would attach them with sheet metal screws and pre-drill the holes.

Or even these:Gooseneck Ring Insulator Pack of 1 . You can thread a wood screw into a metal post if you pre-drill a hole, the metal of the post is quite soft. If you have trouble getting the insulator started you can use a wood screw with the same diameter to cut the threads.

With electric fence you want it firmly attached at the ends, but the intermediate supports should allow the wire to move side to side and only hold the weight of the wire. So the intermediate supports don't have to be that strong. One end should be fixed and the other should have a tensioner and a spring. The traditional way to do the fixed end is to use a donut and wire (Plastic Donut Insulator Black) . You could also consider screwing in one of these: Heavy-Duty Lag-Corner Insulator Black

I think it looks better to attach to a post with a brace band (Tension Bands - Chain Link Fittings | Chain Link Fittings) but I can't think right now of how to attach an insulator.

If you just look at the Kencove website and the ChainLinkFittings.com website they have lots of ideas.

 

[tcreeley]

We are installing 400' of 4' high black chain link fence next week. Once it is installed, I want to add an electric hot wire that is 2 inches directly above the top rail of the chain link fence. I have seen plastic insulators that mount on the top rail with a U shaped bolt.

View attachment 551086

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



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).

 

[aczlan]

We have some of these insulators on our chain link fence to keep the electric fence off of it. They seem to work well, it hasn't shorted out yet and they've been there about a year.
Amazon.com : Patriot Electric Fencing Chain Link Insulator Yellow 25/pk : Garden & Outdoor

Aaron Z