Smooth or Barbed ?

[Hondac]

Which do you prefer for an electric fence?..... smooth wire or barbed.

 

[dun]

12 1/2 gauge smooth. After having been caught by barbed it just seems smart to not get hung up AND get the snot knocked out of you at the same time

 

[Limomike]

Smooth for sure

 

[Dave]

My Dad used barbed. I have a scar on the inside of my knee from trying to get away from a fence that lighting me up. If it is hot I only use smooth.

 

[chippie]

We use barbed because it will go thru a winter hair coat to the skin. We do not use Gaucho wire. Hate that stuff.
I am careful about turning the charger off when the fence needs work.

 

[J&D Cattle]

Smooth only.

 

[SRBeef]

I would never electrify a barb wire. For perimeter fences, 5 total wires, 4 Red brand Barb and one smooth hi-tensile on insulators as the middle wire with a 6 joule charger on it. Hot smooth middle wire keeps cows from pushing on the fence and gives you a place all around that you can use with a gate handle to tap juice for interior moveable (or semi permanent) smooth interior divider wires. jmho and experience.

Jim

 

[skyhightree1]

14 gauge smooth wire is what I use on my rented land and my personal property is barb wire 4 strands 12 24 36 48 inches

 

[herefordlover]

if its hot theres no need for barbs the idea of it being hot will stop them if not a stand of hot barbed isnt going to do any more. from what i have seen 12.5 ga hi tencile is stronger than barbed any way

 

[A.J.]

Smooth

 

[Caustic Burno]

12 1/2 gauge smooth. After having been caught by barbed it just seems smart to not get hung up AND get the snot knocked out of you at the same time

Spoken as from the voice of experience.
Rough aint it.

 

[Hondac]

Thanks for the imput. I'm about to replace some old barbed hot wire. Based on the replies, I'm going
with 12 1/2 smooth this time.

 

[dun]

Thanks for the imput. I'm about to replace some old barbed hot wire. Based on the replies, I'm going
with 12 1/2 smooth this time.

Make sure that it's double galvanized so it will last

 

[TN Cattle Man]

Thanks for the imput. I'm about to replace some old barbed hot wire. Based on the replies, I'm going
with 12 1/2 smooth this time.

You wont go wrong with that!!
:cboy:

 

[plumber_greg]

I'd always use smooth. Isn't there some finding that the elec bounces off the point of the barb and you don't have as many amps to shock with? Seems like I read that somewhere. Also, if building a barb wire fence rather than make one wire smooth, make them all barb and use standoffs for the hot wire. If one wire is smooth, that's a weak point in the fence if you get a calf or a wild cow that wants to push through. The barbs seem like more of a barrier to them. Or, if the charger goes off, there's a pretty good hole in the fence with only a smooth wire to turn them. Just my preference, the gallager 12" standoffs are great, as is the pel. Less chance of grounding than the short plastic standoffs, which always end up breaking for me, and letting the wire touch the fence.
I put the standoffs every 5 tposts. Just what works for me. gs

 

[greybeard]

I would "think" that barbed would have more resistance (impedance?) than smooth resulting in a voltage drop--but that's just by the seat of my pants thinking.

Chippie, I use lots of gaucho. I hate it, but with as many national forest trees as I have shedding limbs, the other causes me more headaches in restretching it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

I would "think" that barbed would have more resistance (impedance?) than smooth resulting in a voltage drop--but that's just by the seat of my pants thinking.

Chippie, I use lots of gaucho. I hate it, but with as many national forest trees as I have shedding limbs, the other causes me more headaches in restretching it.

I love the gaucho here in the wood's,tree fall 9 times out of 10 cut it off and the wire will pop right back in place.

 

[ABrauny]

Wire size and resistance are inversely related, bigger wire=less resistance. Wire length and resistance are positively related, longer wire=more resistance and voltage drop.