Agriculture Reference
In-Depth Information
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Insulators
:Theseletyouattachelectricwirestopostswithoutactuallytouchingtheposts,
so the current does not travel through the post into the ground. Good plastic insulators
work just fine.
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Crimping Sleeves
: These help you join two wires together. You put both lines inside the
sleeve and use a crimping tool to squeeze the two lines together.
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Line tap
:Linetapsconnectlivewirestoexistingwires.Theycomeintwostyles,crimping
and split bolt. Crimping-type line taps make permanent connections by splicing lines.
Splitbolttapsworkforgatesorothersectionswhereyoumaynotwantapermanentcon-
nection.
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Line switches:
These switches allow you to turn off current flowing through sections of
fence instead of the entire line.
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Gates:
Gates have handles that latch onto an anchor connected to a post. When they are
unhooked to allow passage, these cause the wire to godead. Instead ofgates, some farm-
ers with smaller herds carry a PVC pipe with a notch on the end, and they use the pipe to
lift or lower the fence to allow passage.
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Insulated wire
: Bury insulated wires under your gates so you do not have to turn off your
fence every time you use the gate. The USDA recommends 12.5-gauge wire. For added
protection,puttheinsulatedwireinaPVCpipe.Digatrenchatleast12inchesdeepthen
cover up the line.
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Chargers
: Also called energizers, chargers send the current through the system. The
USDA recommends a low-impedance energizer with a minimum 5,000-volt output. Low
impedance means low resistance to electrical current. Another important measurement
is joules, which measure the strength of the shock. The higher the joule, the greater the
shock. Chargers can be powered by alternating current (AC), battery or solar energy, or
dual battery/AC.
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Ground rods
:Theserodscollecttheenergizer'selectriccircuit,providingtheshockwhen
something touches the fence. Ground rods should be installed near the charger, and they
shouldbeatleast6feetlong.Useasmanygroundrodsasrecommendedbytheenergizer
manufacturer.
