post for electric fence

[Sigarms]

Looking at putting up at anywhere between 5 to 40 acres of post for an electric fence.

Currently have old 2" or 3" post that are in bad shape with barbed wire. Those post will most likely be coming out of the ground just due to thier shape.

Electric fence will be for keeping dogs on our property, and perhaps some horses later on the road ("temporary" rescue work). Other animals might be an option, never learned to say never.

Ideas? size and length of posts? distance apart? Gauge wire? Is Solar a good option?

Not looking at starting any of this project until spring, just want to get some ideas on how to lay this out and where to begin.

Keep in mind, after two years here, I still have no tractor so looking for ideas on making it as easy as possible (if theres even a chance of that).

Thks

 

[Robert_in_NY]

I can't remember the spacing but the steel T-post were easy to put in for the electric fence I did for the ex's family. Just buy the heavy T-post as they will last longer. I tore out the old barb wire fence by hand and used the tractor for the post that were still secure but the truck would have done that work. On the new fence, I used 4x4's for all the corner and end post as well as the bracing. If you have a lot to do a 3pt post hole auger will help but a hand held will work also. But for all the post in between I just used the T-post and bought the standard T-post driver (just a pipe with a cap on one end and two handles that goes over the end of the T-post to pound it down without slipping off). They drive quite easily.

TSC has a lot of literature there that might help you. If my scanner worked I would scan the papers I have from the county ag department that has their specs and installation techniques. But for the most part, the TSC literature is quite similar.

As for solar vs 110, I have no experience with the solar but the one problem with 110 is if you lose power, you lose your fence :-(

 

[randy41]

one of the problems with an electric fence for dogs is how to charge it near the bottom of the fence without grounding it....i'm talking the digging zone.

 

[k6dyc]

Sig, I agree with Robert, get the heavy posts, you won't regret it, especially if you end up with horses. I fenced and cross-fenced about 15 acres and used a combination of heavy T-posts and 6" round wood posts for corners and gates.

I have used both solar and 110v chargers and will never use solar again. They don't seem to be as dependable and need more maintenance. Once the animals get used to the fence and learn to respect it, they will stop "testing" it, making power outages, etc non-events. I can turn mine off for days and the horses never challenge the fence.

I have a Stafix M6 charger from Kencove that will handle more fence line than I currently have, but it will probably be the only one I will ever need. I use it in combination with inch and a half tape from Horseguard Fence. They have a great new insulator system that works very well with T-posts. I use the wood posts at the corners and run the tape for well over 800' between wood posts (which provide the tension anchor points). My T-posts are set 14' apart and it works fine. You can see some of the fencing on my weather cam if you look up the hill.

If you have good soil (read no rocks!) the T-posts will go in fine with the hand post pounder. Stringing the tape is really easy, and Horseguard has a lot of how-to advice. I just love their product.

Keeping out dogs may indeed be a problem, mainly getting the bottom strand low enough to be effective but high enough to keep it above the ground growth of grass, etc.

Good luck with your project!

 

[Mike120]

I've got around 8K feet of electric fence for horses. I use wooden posts in the corners/gates, t-posts with vinyl sleeves at 25' spacing, and electrobrade from Ramm Fence. Horses don't mess with it because they learn to respect it pretty quickly. With my lowest strand at 12" the dogs only go through it once or twice before they learn to avoid the paddocks. The electrobrade is great for horses, I've had a 17hh TB run right into it and bounce off without getting a scratch. I use a 110V charger and it's usually only turned on at night.

 

[wushaw]

You would have to run several strands close together to hold dogs if you were to just use single strand wire. They will just run through it if there is no kind of seeable obsticle.

 

[k6dyc]

You would have to run several strands close together to hold dogs if you were to just use single strand wire. They will just run through it if there is no kind of seeable obsticle.

This is one of the big advantages to the Horseguard product, the 1½ wide tape is very visible.

 

[MotorSeven]

Geeze, i thought that 10' spacing was alot on T-posts, and y'all are going 14 & 25'......wow! Are there any probs with such long spacing? I have about 20ac that need fencing, so i too am looking at options. I like the plastic t-postcovers that Horseguard sells because they are set up with all the connections for fence tape and electric....but they aren't cheap!
RD

 

[k6dyc]

Geeze, i thought that 10' spacing was alot on T-posts, and y'all are going 14 & 25'......wow! Are there any probs with such long spacing? ... like the plastic t-postcovers that Horseguard sells because they are set up with all the connections for fence tape and electric....but they aren't cheap!

You don't need the plastic covers, they just make the posts look better, and as you said, they are not cheap.

With the 1½ wide tape you can go up to about 16' with no problems at all. If you go more than that the tape begins to vibrate in winds over 30mph or so. I attach the t-post fasteners to the posts with 2 UV-resistant zip ties.(see photo). Remember, the t-posts aren't doing anything but guiding the tape between wood anchor posts at the pasture corners or H-braces. It's just like running smooth wire except it is easier to roll-out the tape and the spacing is wider. Repairs are also much easier. I had to cut mine to dig a water line and it took about 5 minutes to add a 3' new tape at the cut using the splicer buckle (see photo).

 

[Mike120]

I agree with Rick, the covers are for "pretty". I use them because I have a vinyl fence around my horse facility. With the white electric braid, you can barely see the x-fencing in the paddocks. It makes my wife and daughter happy and I don't worry about expensive show horses getting hurt.

Originally, I put some in using 50' spacing on the t-posts. I could get away with it because my longest line is 250' on a 100' X 250' paddock and I use 6" posts (painted white) set in concrete for my corners. They carry all the tension...the t-posts are just spacers. I went to 25' because I was more comfortable with it.

I sure don't do that around my hay fields where the fence keeps out my neighbor's cattle. Those fences are 5 strand barbed wire on plain t-posts at 10' with 8" corners and H's along with a hot wire. I don't put horses out there and I don't worry about the dogs going out there.

There are lots of ways to build fences....what you use depends on what you are trying to keep in or out. I've got a friend that raises buffalo, he has some real serious fences.