SUPPLIES
- Fence posts metal or fiberglass (5 to 6 feet in length)
- Tape measure
- Hammer
- Electric fence insulators
- ½-inch diameter metal bar or pipe
- Roll of electric fence wire
- Wire cutters
- Intermittent fence charger (pulse type)
- Ground rod
- Electric fence tester (optional)
Overview
Installing an electric fence is an efficient way of keeping critters either in or out of an area. If you have children, they should be educated concerning the fence's potential for delivering a painful electrical jolt. Although the charge is not deadly, certain fence chargers may cause small hands to become "stuck" on the electric wire. An intermittent type fence charger that "pulses" the current delivers a mild shock with an "on" and "off" cycle. You should also check with any local codes for regulations concerning electric fence installations. With this in mind, installing an electric fence is a quick and easy task for defining an area. And by following a few basic procedures, can be accomplished in a few short hours.
Step 1
Lay out the fence posts around the area. The fence posts can be anywhere from 8 to 12 feet on center from each other. An electric fence is not built for strength like a typical fence; it's the charge of the fence keeps animals away from the wire. The tape measure can be used for the post spacing.
Step 2
Use the hammer and drive the posts into the ground. A depth of 6 to 8 inches will be sufficient for holding the post secure.
Step 3
Install the electric fence insulators on the posts. The most common insulators simply "snap on" to the post and are constructed of a heavy-duty plastic. The spacing between the insulators on the posts is your choice, and depends on the animals you want to control. Large animals may only need 2 wires, evenly spaced, for a 5-foot fence. A general "critter fence" for a garden may take a wire every 6 to 8 inches up the post.
Step 4
Use the ½-inch metal bar or pipe and slide it through the center hole of the roll of wire.
Step 5
Wrap one end of the wire around the end post of the fence, and roll the wire out and around the fenced area from one end to the other.
Step 6
Lay the roll on the ground and place the fence wire into the insulator. At every third post, pull the wire taunt and wrap it once around the plastic insulator. This pull and wrap will keep the wire from sagging. Follow the process until all the insulators are filled with a single strand of wire. Cut the wire with the wire cutters when you reach the last post.
Step 7
Install the fence charger in the location of your choice. Most chargers must be kept from the outdoor elements to protect the electrical circuits in the charger. An outdoor shed or covered back porch is an ideal place for the charger. There must be an electrical power outlet for the 120-volt alternating current plug.
Step 8
Install the ground rod as close as possible to the charger unit. All electric fence chargers need a ground rod to complete the "shocking" circuit. Use the hammer to install the ground rod to a depth of 3 to 4 feet.
Step 9
Run the main power wire for the fence from the charger to the completed enclosure. Tie a connecting wire to each strand of fence wire that runs up the post to complete the electrical circuit.
Step 10
Turn the charger "on" and test the fence with an electric fence tester. Of course, as soon as the animals hit the electric fence, you will be able to tell if it is working or not.
TIPS AND WARNINGS
- TIP : Some manufactures sell a solar-powered fence charger that can be installed anywhere outdoors.
- WARNING : Most animals will become trained to the fence and will never cross the line that is delineated by the wire. This may cause problems when you want to move the animals or the fence's location.
Not all animals may respond well with the jolt of an electric fence. Pigs may just simply run through the thin wire, ignoring the electrical charge.
