Electric Fence Information & News

Dry, sandy and non-conductive soil types limit the current flow to the ground rods. If you have soil that is not well suited to grounding, use additional ground rods, choose a better location for the ground system, or use an alternate method of grounding such as ground wire return.Vegetation touching the live fence wires allows current to leak, causing the fence to “short” and voltage to drop. Check the fence regularly to make sure that long grass and overhanging branches are not touching the live fence wire.Using a mixture of metals in the ground system will lead to electrolysis. This...

For an electric fence to give an animal an electric shock, electrical current (produced by the energizer) must complete a circuit. The current from the energizer flows along the wires, through the animal’s body, down through the soil to the ground system, then back up to the energizer. If the ground system isn't working properly, the animal won't get an effective shock.

Plan Your Fence Layout To get started, it helps to sketch a diagram and measure the distance of the area you'd like to fence. Grab a pencil and walk around the area you want to fence, measuring and sketching your layout.     Include in your plan: Location of buildings/ barns enclosed by or sitting adjacent to your fence Location of your fence energizer and electrical source (if required) Trees, hills, low and/or wet areas, or other obstacles. It's also a good idea to have your utility company mark any underground cables or lines that may be in the immediate...

Corner/End braces Corner and end braces are most commonly made of wood posts with a metal pipe between them. (You can also use metal pipe posts instead of wood posts.) The most common braces are made of at least two posts spaced at least 10 feet apart or 2.5 times the height of the finished fence. These H braces serve as the foundation of the fence line and help to maintain the tension, which is very important for high tensile fences. 

Do you already have a good barbed wire or woven wire fence, but want to add an electric component? Note: You should never try to electrify the existing barbed or woven wire as it is too dangerous for your livestock. Patriot Wood Post Extenders and T-post Extenders allow you to maintain your current fence structure while adding high tensile wire, poliwire, politape, or polirope to make it electric. This is a safe and highly effective way to convert a barbed or woven wire fence to electric.    Fence wire The best permanent electric fences are constructed using 12.5 gauge galvanized...