Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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Polymer tape
(photo 4). ½- to 2-inch polymer tape or ribbon has high visibility and,
if properly installed and maintained, can be safe. Not as easy to repair as rope or
cord, and it is susceptible to wind damage. Good for temporary fence in pasture or
on trail ride.
For horses and managers, polymer electric fencing has advantages over steel. Due to the
colors of polymer, it is more visible than steel wire. And if a horse gets tangled, polymer
will break more easily, whereas steel will often cut the horse. Polymer fencing can be put
up or repaired with just a pair of scissors and a simple knot. It is light and flexible and does
not need to be stretched tight, as does steel wire. However, polymer wire and tape require
a greater power source to deliver the same jolt as through steel wire. Check the power with
a voltmeter.
If your power unit is inside a building, as most plug-in types will be, you can install a
tube insulator through the wall so you can run the “hot” wire from the unit outside to your
fence without it being grounded by the wall. A piece of small-diameter plastic pipe or rub-
ber tubing works well.
Grounding
The controller unit itself must be grounded. In order for a horse to feel a shock, the current
must travel from the controller to the wire to the horse to the ground (earth) and back to
the controller. (That's why a bird can sit on an electric fence and not be shocked; it hasn't
completed the circuit by touching the ground.)
Improper grounding causes many fence problems. The ground rods or tubes should be
a solid copper rod and should be driven 6 to 8 feet into the ground, where they reach per-
manently moist earth. If you are in a very dry climate, you may need three or more ground
rods driven deeper than 8 feet. This will help the controller work steadily and efficiently.
Connect a copper ground rod to the controller using 14-gauge copper wire. A hose clamp
works well to attach the wire to the rod. You can solder the attachment for a positive con-
nection.
Using the Fence
You will be able to power from 3 to 25 miles of electric fence with your controller, depend-
ing on the rating of the model and the type of fencing you are charging. The rating indicates
capacity for a single strand of steel wire and is based on using quality insulators and having
no weeds touching the wire. If your model is rated for 20 miles and you run two strands
