Install Electric Fence Correctly For Pets (How To)

With an electric fence system, you ensure that your animals are well protected in the pasture. The animals should not run away and at the same time they must be protected from outside attackers. The harmless electric shocks that the electric fences cause when animals or people touch them. Nevertheless, they cause respect to fear of repeated touching of the fence. Thus, they not only physically keep animals away from the fence, but also serve as a psychological barrier.

In our guide, we explain what you need to think about when installing electric fencing so that it works perfectly for your circumstances.

How does an electric fence work?

An electric fence represents a circuit system in which electricity flows. Electricity that flows from the electric fence device through the wire, through the animal body and through the grass growth into the ground is returned to the device via rods in the ground.

Electric fencing has one or more electrical conductors attached to fence posts via what are called insulators. The electrical conductors may be enclosed in plastic cords, ropes, or bands. The associated electric fence device generates short electrical pulses that are harmless to humans and animals. The device has two poles. One pole connects the device to the electric fence wire via clamps or pincers, while the other is linked to one or more rods driven into the ground (ground rods). When the animal touches the fence wire, it briefly closes the circuit between the wire and the earth. The impulse flows through the animal via the earth back to the device.

If you are building a fence, the following three factors will ensure that your fence performs optimally and keeps your animals safe:

Electric fence equipment:

A powerful electric fence unit provides the foundation for ensuring that your electric fence is adequately powered. The power of the device is expressed in joules.
When choosing the device, you must consider the vegetation load on the fence and the fence length. You must also consider the type of animal to be protected and the power source (9 V/12 V or 230 V) before connecting the fence. See below for more detailed information about the electric fence.

Conductivity:

The fence wires of long electric fences must have the best conductivity to work properly. They are usually attached to the fence posts via insulators. For example, for a conceivable fence length of 120 km, 2.5 mm thick steel wires are needed for 4-wire fences. If for the same wire the fence is single wire, it can only be 30 km long to remain functional. If the fence is overgrown, the possible fence length turns out to be even shorter.

Grounding:

Electricity that enters the ground through the wire, the animal, and over the grass growth is returned to the fence unit through what are called ground rods. Grounding will be discussed in detail later in the text.

Which fence material is suitable for the electric fence?

The conductor material is an especially important component when you connect a fence. It must be durable and stable. The current flows through the conductor material, so it determines whether the effect of the fence is successful or not. You can choose from different conductor materials. The choice of the fence conductor depends, among other things, on the selected fence posts.

You can choose from the following conductor materials when building an electric fence:

fence wire:

Unlike the other ladder materials, pure fence wire for fields is made exclusively of metal and not also of plastic. Conductors made of thick galvanized steel wire are particularly suitable for permanently installed fences, as they are very robust and strong. The steel wire is durable and resistant. However, there are also plastic fence wires, where metal wire is coated with plastic. They are suitable for mobile electric fences. They’re flexible and lightweight, so you can roll them up easily.

fence strand:

Strands are composed of a braid of conductive metal wires (for example, stainless steel and copper) and non-conductive plastic threads. They are suitable for both fixed fencing and mobile fencing. Often, in addition to the number and diameter of conductors and plastic fibers, you can choose from different colors. By combining white and another color, you can easily see the fence.

fence ropes:

Like the strand, the rope is made of plastic threads and metal wires that are intertwined with each other. The fence rope is thicker than the strand and thinner than the fence bands. Their diameter is usually between 3 and 8 millimeters. Ropes are easy to handle, so they are very suitable for flexible fences. The willow fence ropes are also available in different colors.

Wide bands for the fence:

fence tape is one of the most popular conductor materials. In the fence tape, plastic threads run parallel to the metal conductors, with which they are in turn interwoven with plastic threads. This makes it more stretchable than wire. Because of its width, it is more visible especially to animals and in this way promotes the effect of herding.

fence tensioners and fence connectors:

Fence connectors professionally connect strands, wires, ropes or tapes together. In doing so, the flow of electrical energy is not interrupted. You use fence tensioners when you build the fence system or repair the fence. With its help, the conductor materials remain taut. There are special electric fence connectors and electric fence tensioners for each type of conductor material.

What is the perfect grounding?

If you want to connect your electric fence properly, it is essential that you pay attention to proper grounding. As mentioned above, electric fence works as a circuit system. This means that electricity that flows through the wire, animals or grass growth into the ground must be brought back into the system. This function is performed by the earth rods or earth stakes. Ground stakes return the current to the electric fence via the ground wire and the circuit is closed again.

If you are connecting a small electric fence and the ground conditions are good, one ground rod is sufficient for a functional electric fence. You should use several ground stakes if you are setting up a long electric fence and installing a particularly strong electric fence. Also, if the ground is dry, sandy, rocky or heavily overgrown, the grounding must be extended accordingly.

The following points should be fulfilled so that there is no loss of current due to inadequate grounding:

Use at least three earth rods (each 1 to 2 meters long) for permanently installed mains and battery-powered devices!
For portable battery devices, insert at least one ground rod of one meter length into the dampest possible soil – even more rods in dry conditions!
Make sure that all connections are screwed!
Use only hot-dip galvanized parts for grounding, because rust isolates!
Check the grounding of your electric fence regularly!
The standard grounding for electric fencers from 1 to 5 joules should look like this:
Drive three galvanized ground rods, each one meter long, into the ground three meters apart and connect them with screws and high voltage cable.

What does the grounding check look like (test procedure)?
For permanently installed equipment, you should check the grounding system at least once a year. Likewise, you should test it when you have newly installed your device.

If the grounding system is not sufficient, you may measure a voltage between the ground rod and the surrounding ground area, or you may feel an electric shock when you touch the ground.

The test for grounding control is as follows:

Trigger a short circuit by inserting iron stakes into the ground about 100 m from the unit and bringing them into contact with the fence wires. This will drop the fence voltage to about 2,000 volts.
Push the ground rod of a digital voltmeter into the ground about 1 m from the last ground rod of your electric fence unit. Then press the measuring contact of the digital voltmeter onto the last earth rod of the electric fence unit.

If the electric fence unit is switched on, the digital voltmeter shows the voltage on the grounding system:

0 to 200 volts (0.2 kV reading): Your grounding is optimal.

2. 200 to 600 volts (0.2 kV to 0.6 kV) display: Your grounding is acceptable.
3. over 600 volts: you must improve your grounding by adding more and possibly longer ground rods. This will increase the fence voltage and the safety of the fence.
   TIP: By regularly checking your grounding, you will ensure a high level of fence safety – especially in dry soil conditions.

Use at least three ground rods (each 1 to 2 meters long) for permanently installed mains and battery-powered devices!
For portable battery-powered devices, insert at least one ground rod of one meter length into soil that is as moist as possible – even more rods in dry conditions!
Make sure that all connections are screwed!
Use only hot-dip galvanized parts for grounding, because rust isolates!
Check the grounding of your electric fence regularly!
The standard grounding for electric fencers from 1 to 5 joules should look like this:
Drive three galvanized ground rods, each one meter long, into the ground three meters apart and connect them with screws and high voltage cable.

What does the grounding check look like (test procedure)?

For permanently installed equipment, you should check the grounding system at least once a year. Likewise, you should test it when you have newly installed your device.

If the grounding system is not sufficient, you may measure a voltage between the ground rod and the surrounding ground area, or you may feel an electric shock when you touch the ground.

The test for grounding control is as follows:

Trigger a short circuit by inserting iron stakes into the ground about 100 m from the unit and bringing them into contact with the fence wires. This will drop the fence voltage to about 2,000 volts.
Push the ground rod of a digital voltmeter into the ground about 1 m from the last ground rod of your electric fence unit. Then press the measuring contact of the digital voltmeter onto the last earth rod of the electric fence unit.

If the electric fence unit is switched on, the digital voltmeter shows the voltage on the grounding system:

0 to 200 volts (0.2 kV reading): Your grounding is optimal.

2. 200 to 600 volts (0.2 kV to 0.6 kV) display: Your grounding is acceptable.
3. over 600 volts: you must improve your grounding by adding more and possibly longer ground rods. This will increase the fence voltage and the safety of the fence.
   TIP: By regularly checking your grounding, you will ensure a high level of fence safety – especially in dry soil conditions.

What are fence insulators?

The fence insulator is a component made of non-conductive material on the fence. It ensures that the electric conductor of the fence is fixed, held or guided on the fence posts without any remarkable current flow through the fixing part. Accordingly, insulators are characterized by high mechanical strength and insignificant electrical conductivity.

There are different types of insulators. You need to choose them appropriately for the different fence posts. For example, there is a distinction between insulators with thread for wooden posts or fence insulators for metal posts. In addition, insulators with metric thread and insulators for nailing are offered.

Insulators can be differentiated according to their main function:

• Guiding the conductor material
• Deflection in the corners
• Stretching of the conductor material
• Keeping the distance between the post and the conductor material
• Safety in the area of the gate

One of the classic models among the fence insulators is the ring insulator. You can use it for fence strands, fence ropes as well as for narrow fence bands. For wide fence bands you use wide band insulators. Here you can also choose from many designs.

Which fence posts are particularly suitable for an electric fence?

Fence posts are a fundamental part of the electric fence. They contribute significantly to keeping your animals safe. That is why you must pay special attention to their selection when building a fence. Basically, we distinguish between mobile fence posts and fixed fences.

Commonly used stakes are the following:

fence post wood:

Wood fence is probably the oldest type of fence. Wood fence stakes are used for permanent fences. The stakes are usually dug into the ground by hand or machine. When choosing your fence stakes, look for high-quality wood. For example, oak is durable and not susceptible to rot or insect infestation. More susceptible wood, such as that from pine, can be refined and impregnated via a boiler pressure process. However, wooden pasture fence posts can only be used as electric fencing if pasture fence insulators for the conductor materials are also installed. Damp wood conducts electricity and the pasture fence loses its function: it is no longer herd-proof. There is a wide range of insulators for wooden posts. You can choose them to match your conductor material.

Pasture fence stake plastic:

Plastic stakes are especially suitable for mobile use. However, you can also use them for a longer-term or permanent fence installation. Stakes made of plastic have developed enormously in recent years in terms of materials and application possibilities. Especially glass fiber reinforced products are characterized by a strong load capacity and a high elasticity. Additional UV stabilizers also make the piles more durable. The biggest advantage of plastic piles, however, is that the insulators are located directly on the pile. Appropriate brackets and recesses can be used directly because of the insulating properties of the plastic. This saves you time and effort when erecting your new electric fence. With appropriate treads, you can drive the posts into the ground. If the ground is more solid, the stakes with double treads are the best choice, the bars of which serve as a support on the ground at the same time. If the soil conditions are normal, a pasture fence with single tread is sufficient. In soft soil, the stake with double tip gives better support. Since there are more tensile forces in the corners, it is best to set fixed fence posts there or reinforce the plastic posts with struts.

Fiberglass fence post:

Fiberglass stakes are great to use for mobile pasture fencing. They are highly weather resistant and can withstand UV rays, cold and wet conditions with ease. The almost infinitely durable stakes are easy to drive into the ground and have only a light weight, making them ideal for repeated erection and dismantling as part of a mobile fence system. With ground spikes usually over 20 cm deep, they will hold in any terrain. As with plastic stakes, it is advisable to place wooden stakes in places where there is a change in direction or to support the fiberglass stakes with braces.

Pasture fence post spring steel:

Spring steel has higher strength compared to other types of steel. Pasture fence posts made of spring steel are consistently stable regardless of the temperature. They are suitable for year-round use as they do not break. Spring steel posts are mainly used for herding cattle. Therefore, the typical spring steel pile has only one insulator at the head of the pile, through which you pass the conductor material. Due to the usually low height of the piles of up to 90 cm and the stiffness of the material, you usually do not need to install wooden piles or struts for strain relief when installing an electric fence with spring steel piles.

Pasture fence post T-posts:

T-posts are made of sturdy rail steel, typically used for railroad tracks. Rail steel is among the most highly stressed types of steel. T-posts are therefore best suited if you want to build a strong horse fence. There are studs every 55 mm along the entire length so that the insulators for wire, strand, rope or tape can be fixed at a certain height. A solid foot plate provides optimum support. The surface is painted for optimum weather protection. With certain corner sets, which, with the help of additional supporting posts, absorb the greater tension in the corners, you achieve stability, even if the fence changes direction. However, you can also achieve the strength of the fence by driving in wooden posts.

What are the different types of fencing and how do they differ?

There is a wide range of electric fence devices, each of which is manufactured for different requirements. They differ, in particular, from the power source for powering the electric fence.

Electric fence 230V:

If a power connection is available, you can use a pasture fence device 230 volt with mains connection It is comparatively low in purchase price, the energy costs are low and you benefit from the convenience in operation.

12V electric fence:

You can use a 12-volt electric fence with a battery connection if there is no power outlet nearby. However, you have to expect a high maintenance effort for recharging the battery. In the summer months you can reduce the effort by using solar panels.

Combination fencers:

Combination electric fence units can be connected to a 12V battery or operated as a mains unit on the 230V mains.

Pasture fence 9V battery devices:

You can also use electric fence devices with non-rechargeable 9 volt batteries This is, however, the most expensive alternative. You have to dispose of the empty batteries as hazardous waste and the power output is relatively low. However, the devices are handy and easy to use.

With two power specifications for the electric fence device you are informed about its performance:

Pulse energy in joules:

In joules, the maximum energy that a device delivers to the fence is specified. The higher this energy, the more powerful the electric shock to the animal and the easier it is to destroy the vegetation.
Devices with low impulse energy (< 0.5 joules): for easily herded animal species and short fences with no or only light growth of grass
Devices with medium impulse energy (1 to 5 joules): for difficult to herd animals and fences with normal grass cover
Devices with high impulse energy (over 5 joules): especially for long fences with heavy grass growth

Voltage at load in volts:

According to VDE (Association of Electrical, Electronic & Information Technologies), a guard-proof fence must have a minimum voltage of 2,000 volts, even under load.
It is important to have a high voltage curve in areas with heavy loads. Even in extreme situations, there must still be a high deterrent effect on the animal.
To choose the right device for you, you must consider the following factors in addition to the power source:

The fouling:

The more vegetation there is on the fence, the less conductive the fence wires will be. So, the vegetation conditions at the fence play a big role in choosing an electric fence unit. High pulse energy electric fencers must maintain high tensile tension despite heavy vegetation.

Fence length:

Fence length in this case is not the sum of the total length of the fence wires, but only the single length. For the same fence length, multi-wire fences carry the current better than single-wire fences. At the same time, they must be interconnected at regular intervals.

Animal species:

You should opt for a powerful unit if you need to herd hard-to-hold animals such as wildlife, sheep, goats and feathered game. For easy to keep animals such as cattle, horses, pigs or other domestic animals, you can choose devices with lower power for the same fence lengths.

If you want to learn even more about pasture fencing equipment, get comprehensive information by reading our article “Pasture fencing equipment – What you need to know before you buy!”.

Which fence for which animal species?

Electric fences are suitable to fence or repel almost all animal species. But before you build your electric fence, you need to find out exactly which fence is suitable for your type of animal. For example, you will need different equipment and materials for a dog fence than for wild boar defense. The fences differ in the number of wires, in the height and sometimes in the fence material. Also, it is important whether it is an outdoor or intermediate fence.

Below you will find important information about the number and height of outdoor fences. For indoor fences, you can lower the fence heights by 10 to 15 cm and you can use one less fence wire if necessary.

Fencing:

• Electric fence cows: 0.85 m to 1.05 m high, 1 to 2 wires
• Electric fence cattle and suckler cows: 0.85 m to 1.05 m high, 2 to 3 wires
• Electric fence small horses and ponies: 1.05 to 1.30 m high, 2 to 3 wires
• Electric fence (large) horses: 1.3 to 1.6 m high, 2 to 3 live wires
• Electric fence sheep: 0.9 m to 1.05 m high, 4 to 5 wires
• Electric fence goats: 1.05 to 1.2 m high, 4 to 6 wires
• Electric fence pigs: 0.5 to 0.75 m high, 2 to 3 wires (second game-proof fence important!)
• Electric fence chickens and other poultry (poultry fence): 0.6 to 1.2 m high (depending on flight ability), 5 to 7 wires
• Electric fence small dog and electric fence cat (for or against): 0.55 to 0.75 m high, 3 to 4 wires
• Electric fence big dog (for or against): 0,85 to 1,05 m, 2 to 4 wires

Fencing:

• Electric fence against wolves: up to 1.20 m, 4 to 5 wires
• Electric fence against martens and raccoons: at least 2 wires in small distance, connected alternately with + and – pole of the device
• Electric fence against roe deer: up to 1,40 m, 5 to 6 wires
• Electric fence against otter: 0,40 m high, 4 wires
• Electric fence against rabbits: about 0.55 m high, 3 wires, if necessary grounded wire under the fence directly on the ground, fence slightly inclined to the animal side
• Electric fence against wild boars: 0.55 m to 0.75 m, 2 to 3 wires
• Electric fence against red deer: 1.5 m, 5 wires
• Electric fence against herons: about 0.75 m, 2 to 3 wires
• Electric fence against pigeons: on building facades made of 1 to 3 wires over conductive grounded base
• Electric fence against brown bears: about 1.20 m high, 5 wires

Fenced animals usually quickly become accustomed to the electric fence and respect its boundary line. Animals that are to be fenced out and have not yet had experience with the fence are more difficult to deter. Therefore, animals that are to be fenced out must receive a strong and memorable electric shock when they touch the fence. This way you will effectively scare them away. Therefore, use only high-impact electric fencing devices with defensive fences.

Manufacturers like Patura make it possible to quickly find the right device. With Patura’s fence calculator, you can quickly determine the Patura electric fence unit that is specifically tailored to your needs. Use the arrow keys to enter the parameters power source, animal type, length and vegetation. You will immediately receive a recommendation for a device that best suits your conditions.

What does an electric fence cost?

What an electric fence costs, can not be said without more details. The cost of your electric fence and its accessories depends on many factors. These include, as described above, for example, the type of animal to be herded, fence length, fixed fence or mobile fence system, choice of post material and conductor material, vegetation conditions on the fence and much more.

To get a realistic price idea of the fence that meets your needs, you should have a dealer of your choice quote materials and costs.

Check Fencing Equipment – What You Need To Know Before Buying!

We hope that we could help you with our information about the electric pasture fence and wish you much success and fun with the installation.