Need a Little help with Grounding My Fence

[Hasbeen]

I've done a search and I know electric fencing has been talked about many times, but I must be having a brain dead moment. I know I should use three ground poles connected at least 10' apart but what I'm not sure of is what to use for the ground wire. Should it be insulated? Also, since it appears that I will have to put the grounding poles inside the perimeter, how do you keep the cows from stepping on or getting tangled in the ground wires running between the poles and the controller? This is a solar unit.

 

[jw]

I used the same wire for my ground wire as I did for my fencing. Drove the 8 ft. poles down to where only about three inches were above ground then buried the wire under the ground a few inches. It only sticks out at the poles and at the fencing where the box is located.

 

[jkwilson]

I use fence wire to the first one, then heavier bare copper to join them together. I put them in the ground until they are several inches under.

 

[Hasbeen]

Thanks everyone. I've re-read the instruction manual several times and I kept getting the impression that it must be insulated, but that didn't make sense to me. Now if I can get the poles that far in ground on my place without hitting a rock, I should be fine.

 

[Anonymous]

#4 ground wire (bare copper) is the best, use cable lug on one end to hook to charger, use ground rod clamps on other end for grounding.

 

[Texas PaPaw]

Thanks everyone. I've re-read the instruction manual several times and I kept getting the impression that it must be insulated, but that didn't make sense to me. Now if I can get the poles that far in ground on my place without hitting a rock, I should be fine.

Hasbeen

If you have problems with rock, you can saw the rods in half & install twice as many shallow ones. Also, if you drive them in at an angle an encounter with a rock may just cause the rod to veer to one side a little.
Putting the ground rods & wire directly under the fence will keep the cows from stepping on it. Insulated wire is usually recommended as it will not cause a short if it comes in contact with a hot wire, but many folks get by very well with bare wire.

Seems I have read you need to use the same type metal for the ground wire & ground rods & clamps. Example-if using galvanized rods also use galvanized wire & clamps. Has something to do with corrosion. BTW-I use all galvanized wire & rods.

Just my 2 cents worth.

Good luck & happy trails

Brock

 

[Anonymous]

Also, you can use the shorter ground rods depending on your soil condition.

 

[jgn]

Go to your local electrical store and tell them what your needing. They should have galvanized or copper rods in an eight foot length. Try to go with rods as long as possible so they can be driven down far enough to reach permanent moisture. Copper wire of 10ga or bigger will work okay, it's when you try to use copper and aluminum together that corrosion occurs.

 

[shutskytj]

The buried bare wire also hellps with the grounding and gives you a better connection

 

[Hasbeen]

Thanks, everyone, some very good advise as usual. I'll let you know how it works out. I have a few more strands of barbed wire to replace and I hope to install the electric fence by this weekend.

 

[CowpokeJ]

I've got a 10mile solar charger. It's grounded to two tposts in the ground. It's running probably mile at the most. Not getting a very good shock. Do I need a third pole or do I need the true grounding poles? Not sure what brand that it is, came from TSC.

 

[dun]

Install a proper ground system. What make and model of solar charger do you have? Our older model Gallagher Solar only puts out a mx of about 6500 volts, but with a proper ground system we had that 6500 volts clear to the end of all of the drops and side drops.

 

[hillrancher]

If you are close to an electric pole use their ground, a tree drive a long nail into a tree root and connect a wire to it. A steel corner drill and put a metal screw into it. Here anything is better than ground rods. I use copper for grounds. There are connectors (split bolt) That are made for different metals when use as conductors. If it is just for short time coat connection with grease this will keep if from oxidizing.
To keep the cattle off the grounds put them under electric fence.

We only us electric fencing for temp. Too hard to keep up deer and other critters tear it up.

 

[dun]

If you are close to an electric pole use their ground, a tree drive a long nail into a tree root and connect a wire to it. A steel corner drill and put a metal screw into it. Here anything is better than ground rods. I use copper for grounds. There are connectors (split bolt) That are made for different metals when use as conductors. If it is just for short time coat connection with grease this will keep if from oxidizing.
To keep the cattle off the grounds put them under electric fence.

We only us electric fencing for temp. Too hard to keep up deer and other critters tear it up.

Do not use the electric company ground! It can and usually will cause problems with other equipment.

 

[dyates]

I use the same wire for ground that I have used for fence. In fact, I run a hot ground system which works better for long stretches. In this system, you run an extra wire in the fence just to use as a ground. Drive an extra ground rod at the furthest points from your charger and attach the ground strand to them. With this system, your fence will be nearly as hot at the end as it is at the beginning.

 

[CowpokeJ]

Install a proper ground system. What make and model of solar charger do you have? Our older model Gallagher Solar only puts out a mx of about 6500 volts, but with a proper ground system we had that 6500 volts clear to the end of all of the drops and side drops.

Zareba SP10, from TSC. Zarebasystems.com