Opinions: Electric Fence

[SteppedInIt]

I have convinced myself to go with electric perimeter fence. I would like opinions/advice on this plan. If you saw my 'Will Cattle Cross Ditch post this is property I am talking about. I am already running field fence down the front at road. This will be approx. 45 acres fenced.

Along the two sides and back of the property is where I am thinking electric. This property is in the middle of nothing but other cow pasture or woods. Approx. 3000' fence along drainage ditch and 1900' along tree line all flat ground. We have deer on property often. I will keep cows and their calves here maybe for winter only. No one lives here and I want them as secure as I can.

I am thinking about running three hot wire and earth ground. (Wonder if I should go 5 wire w a couple neutral). Wood H post at each end(front corners already there at field fence). I am planning on using 5" or 6" wood post at each turn with a floating brace and using 5" wood post every 200' to 300' in the runs. I want to use the 6' pasturepro for line post 40' to 50' spacing.

There is no power so solar charger is needed. I am thinking about Two Stafix X3's or 1 Stafix X6. I chose these because they seem to be the most powerful solar chargers.

Thanks for the help.

 

[Jake]

Would work just fine, use fiberglass posts and you don't have to worry about shorting out. Make a nice system.

 

[bball]

I like your plan. If your fence is good and hot, a four strand fence will be plenty, making second from bottom hot and top hot. I do the exact same thing with line posts, solid wood posts every 200-250' and use t posts every 50'(pasture pros are great if you don't burn pasture off). Note, 3000' is a long run, make sure you have springs in place on a run this long (lots expansion/contraction with temp changes) I would use my thickest posts on these corners/ends. A great purchase is a fence meter that actually tells you the output on your fence. Priceless troubleshooting tool. Happy building.

 

[SteppedInIt]

I like your plan. If your fence is good and hot, a four strand fence will be plenty, making second from bottom hot and top hot. I do the exact same thing with line posts, solid wood posts every 200-250' and use t posts every 50'(pasture pros are great if you don't burn pasture off). Note, 3000' is a long run, make sure you have springs in place on a run this long (lots expansion/contraction with temp changes) I would use my thickest posts on these corners/ends. A great purchase is a fence meter that actually tells you the output on your fence. Priceless troubleshooting tool. Happy building.

bball you brought up something I hadn't thought of. How should I run the strands and tension? Make a pull all the way around with tensioners say in the middle of backside, Or should I make say a pull on each side(a section at a time) and tension.

One side is 1320' straight NS run. The back run is 1663' following the gully so it weaves in and out. Will have a 400' run NW to SE and then a 1090 N/S run. So, would I try to run the wire from start to finish all the way around, splicing etc a total of 4848' or would it be best to put up a section at a time with tensioners and maybe jumper each section together :???:

 

[HDRider]

I been looking at these.

http://www.taylorfence.net/solarChargers.php

 

[Kell-inKY]

I like your plan. If your fence is good and hot, a four strand fence will be plenty, making second from bottom hot and top hot.

X2

I use 4 strand electric on T-posts because that is what came with the place. It took a long time to repair it but now when a tree falls on it or a strand breaks it's really easy to fix. I can't imagine needing 5 strands, and I have a section that is only 3 strand with no trouble. Some places only have 1 hot wire in the middle as well with no trouble out of well mannered and well fed cattle, your results may vary.

This will be your cheapest and easiest fencing solution, I rarely see people putting up much else these days, though I would actually rather have field fencing or barb wire myself, don't have the funds or time. I can move an electric fence in nothing flat with my homemade spinning jenny and a simple hand t-post puller.

I would not try to pull through a corner or all the way around, you need to isolate broken sections, I would make each side separate with separate tensioners on each end. On long sides, I would even break it in the middle if needed so you can isolate. I've only got a couple of sections with springs myself, there is a lot of spring in the wire already if a limb goes down, or those idiot deer run through it too many times. Only time I don't break the line for corners is for temporary fences.

 

[SteppedInIt]

Thanks for the responses. Good info.

 

[bball]

Agree with Kell. I would not pull through corners. Break into sections. I put my strainers and springs in the middle of run for each section. Read somewhere that you get a more even pull this way. On the long run through the gulley, you may want to break it halfway with an H brace and pull from opposite corners, especially if lots of drops and rises.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I have convinced myself to go with electric perimeter fence. I would like opinions/advice on this plan. If you saw my 'Will Cattle Cross Ditch post this is property I am talking about. I am already running field fence down the front at road. This will be approx. 45 acres fenced.

Along the two sides and back of the property is where I am thinking electric. This property is in the middle of nothing but other cow pasture or woods. Approx. 3000' fence along drainage ditch and 1900' along tree line all flat ground. We have deer on property often. I will keep cows and their calves here maybe for winter only. No one lives here and I want them as secure as I can.

I am thinking about running three hot wire and earth ground. (Wonder if I should go 5 wire w a couple neutral). Wood H post at each end(front corners already there at field fence). I am planning on using 5" or 6" wood post at each turn with a floating brace and using 5" wood post every 200' to 300' in the runs. I want to use the 6' pasturepro for line post 40' to 50' spacing.

There is no power so solar charger is needed. I am thinking about Two Stafix X3's or 1 Stafix X6. I chose these because they seem to be the most powerful solar chargers.


If you are only running electric you wont have contained cattle long.
One sounder of rooters come through or until deer learn it is hot.
They can tear down more fence in seconds that will take hours to repair.
I run 5 strands of barb wire with two hot.
Run four solar Parmaks they are not cheap.
And you will have Piney Wood Rooters come through.

 

[M-5]

I been looking at these.

http://www.taylorfence.net/solarChargers.php

got one and love it

 

[Caustic Burno]

I don't think 13,800 volts from a high voltage power line would prevent hogs from tearing down electric fence.
Now hogs are smart and learn quick the problem seems to be you have to teach everyone in the sounder.
All is well until a new sounder moves in and get ready to fix fence.
Hogs don't back away they charge through until educated.

 

[bball]

I don't think 13,800 volts from a high voltage power line would prevent hogs from tearing down electric fence.
Now hogs are smart and learn quick the problem seems to be you have to teach everyone in the sounder.
All is well until a new sounder moves in and get ready to fix fence.
Hogs don't back away they charge through until educated.

Excellent point that I do not have the misfortune of dealing with up here. Probably wise to consider CBS advice. I only suffer deer, occasionally pop of an insulator when going over the fence.

 

[wbvs58]

Seeing you don't live there I would be looking at upgrading the power supply to a couple of large truck batteries in parallel and charged with 2x 250 watt solar panels via a solar charge controller. Don't fret the panels and controller are not that expensive if you shop on ebay for them but this sort of setup would give you a lot of reserve especially in winter with short days and a lot of overcast weather but the small gel cell batteries that come with the energizers can be a bit short of stamina with a lot of overcast days.
Ken

 

[Supa Dexta]

Not all wire is created equal - I've used gallagher high tensile for years, its some of the best. I was a dealer for them, and used to install custom fencing, but got out of it as I no longer had the time. Still use their product though.

Heres how to tie off

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=iCcwqEWWSeY

Once you do your tight wraps, if you've left enough extra, you use it to span to the next wire, wrap with a few gentle turns, incase you ever need to unhook strands to test voltage. This is how you energise each strand.

And I use these twist splices

http://s7d9.scene7.com/is/image/murdoch ... list-item$

Hard to see them, but they are just a multi standed twisted wire, you pinch your fence wire end in the middle and wrap it around the wire, and then the new end gets the same, its a heck of a strong, clean splice with great power transfer.

Also use a spin jenny for running your wire!

When you come to a corner, terminate the wire with corner insulators and re start. same thing on the tail of wire left from tying off you can reach the incoming side wire with a little pigtail to transfer power. This is what a corner should look like, and it can be done without pliers once you have the hang of it

http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livest ... 10s01a.jpg

If its a gentle corner, you can get away with putting a claw insulator on the back side of the post, so that the strain is pulling in against the post. You don't want it only pulling on the insulator on an inside corner.

bunch of info here as well http://www.gov.mb.ca/agriculture/livest ... ncing.html

 

[HDRider]

Here is another one made in America with a good guarantee.

http://fencemasteramerica.com/battery-s ... rs/2898029

 

[SteppedInIt]

I don't think 13,800 volts from a high voltage power line would prevent hogs from tearing down electric fence.
Now hogs are smart and learn quick the problem seems to be you have to teach everyone in the sounder.
All is well until a new sounder moves in and get ready to fix fence.
Hogs don't back away they charge through until educated.

Hey CB I am somewhat experienced with hogs and their destruction (hunting), but not pertaining to livestock fencing. I know the only thing that will keep hogs in or out is livestock panels. I am not gonna say we don't have any hogs at this location because I am sure they are around, but haven't seen any sign of em. I would rather have a fence that will allow them to pass in and out vs trying to keep them out. I was hoping the flexible line post would eliminate tearing down the wire/fence from deer and hogs if they come through. Would it be your opinion if a hog were able to pass through the bottom wire without breaking anything and deer can jump over the fence without breaking anything (at least often)all will be well? Perhaps bottom wire being barbed, second wire from bottom being hot, Third wire from bottom being smooth/neutral and a hot top wire? Or recommend another combination... I can put cattle panel around chargers, and running a second charger in case one failed.

Thoughts?

 

[fenceman]

My opinion on electric fence as a permanent fence is known.

As far as hogs go it's becoming common practice around here to put bottom wire of barbwire fence about 16 to 18 inches of ground to keep them from tearing up the fence.

 

[SteppedInIt]

I could probably run a 4 wire this way:
46" top barb
36" hot
26" hot
16" bottom barb

thoughts?

 

[highgrit]

I like high tensile wire myself. The deer and hogs don't faze it. I put a spring and tensioner on each end of every run. I do not run my wire around a corner post. You want the wire to be able to move. I use 3 wires spaced 14" inches apart all of them hot. The fawns and turkey's go under the wire and the does and bucks jump the top wire. I've had plenty of trees fall across the wires and drag them to the ground. All I do is cut the tree off the wire and it's good to go. I doubt I've replaced 20 broken insulators in 9 years, and I haven't had a broken wire yet.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I don't think 13,800 volts from a high voltage power line would prevent hogs from tearing down electric fence.
Now hogs are smart and learn quick the problem seems to be you have to teach everyone in the sounder.
All is well until a new sounder moves in and get ready to fix fence.
Hogs don't back away they charge through until educated.

Hey CB I am somewhat experienced with hogs and their destruction (hunting), but not pertaining to livestock fencing. I know the only thing that will keep hogs in or out is livestock panels. I am not gonna say we don't have any hogs at this location because I am sure they are around, but haven't seen any sign of em. I would rather have a fence that will allow them to pass in and out vs trying to keep them out. I was hoping the flexible line post would eliminate tearing down the wire/fence from deer and hogs if they come through. Would it be your opinion if a hog were able to pass through the bottom wire without breaking anything and deer can jump over the fence without breaking anything (at least often)all will be well? Perhaps bottom wire being barbed, second wire from bottom being hot, Third wire from bottom being smooth/neutral and a hot top wire? Or recommend another combination... I can put cattle panel around chargers, and running a second charger in case one failed.

Thoughts?

Electric fence for the perimeter does not meet the requires under Texas livestock laws.


Sec. 143.028. FENCES. (a) A person is not required to fence against animals that are not permitted to run at large. Except as otherwise provided by this section, a fence is sufficient for purposes of this chapter if it is sufficient to keep out ordinary livestock permitted to run at large.
(b) In order to be sufficient, a fence must be at least four feet high and comply with the following requirements:
(1) a barbed wire fence must consist of three wires on posts no more than 30 feet apart, with one or more stays between every two posts;
(2) a picket fence must consist of pickets that are not more than six inches apart;
(3) a board fence must consist of three boards not less than five inches wide and one inch thick; and
(4) a rail fence must consist of four rails.
(c) The freeholders of the county or area may petition the commissioners court for an election to determine whether three barbed wires without a board are to constitute a sufficient fence in the county or area. The election shall be conducted in the same manner and is governed by the same provisions of this subchapter provided for elections on the adoption of this subchapter.

IMO you are putting a target on yourself