In order to make an enclosure or ex-closure, fence wire is stretched between reinforced posts at the ends, corners, and in the middle of long segments. Smaller posts will be used in between to keep the fence wires spread and erect.
Depending on the purpose of the fence and the animal being controlled, you can use a variety of fence wires. Steel or aluminum wire can be used as fence wire for a permanent perimeter fence.
You can electrify fence wire if desired by using a fence charger. The electric charge from the fence charger is carried around the length of the fence using fence wire.
There are other wire types available as well. Your choice, as well as the amount of wire and spacing, will be determined by the type of fence, the type of animal you are enclosing, and the length of time the fence will be in place.
NOTE: When shopping for wire for your electric fence system, keep in mind that the lower the gauge number, the thicker the wire. Most electric fences use 14- or 17-gauge wire, depending on how long the fence is and what kind of animal needs to be kept in or kept out.
Electric Fence Wire Types
1. Weaved Wire
The wire “knots” wrapped around each intersecting wire give woven wire its “woven” appearance. Woven wire is more expensive to buy and install than standard wire, but it is safer and less expensive than wood, pipe, or other types of fencing.
Woven wire is an excellent method of enclosing sheep or goats when paired with one or more strands of barbed wire and/or electric wire at the top and maybe another at the bottom.
Advantages
Many cattle species are safely contained.
Pipe fencing is less expensive than wood fencing.
Ideal Applications
Permanent barbed wire
Fencing around the perimeter
NOTE: Woven wire with huge gaps (also known as sheep fence) can be dangerous to wild animals and horses. In this situation, a woven wire version known as “field fencing” with smaller, narrower gaps at the bottom and larger openings at the top should be employed.
2. Steel Cable
Steel cable Galvanized steel wire is the most often used wire and will last the life of the fence.
Advantages
Steel wire is a basic, low-cost wire.
Charges across long distances with extensions
It is compatible with any type of charger.
Ideal Applications
Fencing that is semi-permanent
Permanent barbed wire
Fencing around the perimeter
3. Steel wire or (Wire Made of Aluminum)
can be used with any sort of charger and, when properly linked to wire extensions, can transport a charge for very long distances.
Aluminum wire is the best conductor of electricity. It conducts electricity four times as well as steel wire. Aluminum wire, while more expensive, does not rust like un-galvanized steel wire.
Advantages
Long-lasting
Permanent barbed wire
Lifetime warranty, non-rusting
Ideal Applications
Carriers charge four times more than steel.
Fencing around the perimeter
4. High-tensile electric fence
Wire is an ideal solution for not only safely enclosing most livestock species, including exotic species, but also for keeping predators away.
High-tensile fence wire can be used as a simple barrier or as an electrified barrier for better effectiveness. Fencing systems composed of high-tensile fencing wire are inexpensive and survive for over 40 years.
Another advantage of high-tensile wire fencing is that it requires little maintenance. High-tensile wire is often 12 or 12.5 gauge galvanised steel with a label indicating that it is for high-tensile systems.
Advantages
Low-cost and low-maintenance
Most cattle species can be safely contained.
Effective in keeping predators at bay
Ideal Applications
Simple or electrified barriers for improved efficiency
Permanent barbed wire
Fencing around the perimeter
5. Barbed wire
is a type of steel fencing that has sharp edges or points spaced at regular intervals along the wire strand.
It is often used to build low-cost fences and was the first wire technology capable of enclosing cattle.
There are several types of barbed wire. Two to five strands are typical strand variations. Even if you’ve never built a fence before, it’s easy and quick to put up barbed wire fencing. All you need are fence posts, wire, and something to attach the wire to the post, like staples.
Advantages
Simple and inexpensive
Quick and simple to construct
Ideal Applications
Fencing for security
Fencing around the perimeter
NOTE: When working with barbed wire fencing, take precautions to avoid harm (due to the barbs). Wear protective clothing, gloves, and boots to avoid bodily harm. Furthermore, barbed wire is not a good choice for cattle fencing. Barbed wire is hazardous and can harm animals that come into contact with it.
6. Poly Fencing
This type of fence is often used as temporary fencing. It is made up of polywire, poly rope (or braid), and poly tape.
Poly fence is made of thin wire strands that act as conductors. It is made of both metal and plastic filaments. Polymer.
This design, woven using polyethylene, yields electric tape, wire, and rope variations. Because of its higher surface area, polytape will have more conductors woven into it than polyrope or polywire.
When deciding which polymer fence material is appropriate for your needs, keep in mind the type of metal used to make the conduit. Aluminum stretches easily and can develop a sloppy appearance over time.
Stainless steel wire is a much better choice for a conductor because it stays tight and lasts a long time.
Copper, after silver and gold, is the third-finest electrical conductor and is 70 times more conductive than stainless steel.
Qualities of Poly Fence
The following are some of the general qualities that distinguish poly fence from wire fencing:
- Excellent visibility
- Weight reduction owing to thinner wire
- The charge is reduced as compared to ordinary wire due to the better resistance ratings.
- OHMs are used to depict resistance. The higher the resistance rating (OHMs), the less wire can carry and the shorter the overall distance it can travel. Resistance levels with low resistance are preferable.
- Conductivity can be improved by adding more wires and copper conductor wires and by putting in a high-power charger.
Poly Fencing Varieties
- Polytape
is easier to see than polywire or polyrope. It is often used to fence in horses. Reinforced, rip-stop edges protect the tape from wear and tear as well. The open weave design allows wind to pass through, which reduces wear and extends the life of the fence line.
Using specifically constructed splicer buckles, splicing poly tape is simple. As needed, use a poly tape tensioner to keep the tape taut. Energize poly tape fence lines with a low-impedance fence charger for the best results. Polytape should never be used in conjunction with a continuous-output charger.
Advantages
- Animals notice it a lot.
- Lightweight
- The wind passes through, yet there is little wear and tear.
- Simple to install and repair
- It will not rust.
Ideal Applications
- Horses will love it.
- Temporary security fencing
- Grazing rotation
- Horse fencing kits
1. Polywire
It is a great material for a fence because it is more visible than regular electrified wire, it is light, and it is easy to put up. Polywire is simple to tighten, splice, mend, and rewind. As needed, use a poly wire tightener to keep the wire tensioned.
It can be used more than once, which makes it great for temporary, strip, or rotational grazing and keeping pets in. A continuous output charger is not intended to be used with polywire.
2. Polyrope (or braid)
is another good high-visibility fence line material. With stainless steel strands braided through the rope, it is stronger than polywire.
The steel strands make sure that there is always enough electricity going through the fence line. To keep a good connection, use a splicer. The majority of polyropes are roughly 1/4 inch in diameter.
Advantages
More noticeable than standard smooth wire
Lightweight and simple to use
It is less difficult to install, repair, and splice than metal wire.
It will not rust, and it is resistant to breaking and stretching.
Ideal Applications
Fencing for horses
Rotational and temporary grazing
Grazing under strict control
To energize poly wire and poly rope fences, use a low-impedance best electric fence charger for the best results. Polyrope should not be used with chargers that have a constant output.
With the numerous varieties of portable electric fencing wires, tapes, and braids, which are sometimes referred to as “which one to go with,” it might be difficult, especially for those who are new to electric fencing.
We’ll walk you through the various types of conductors available to help you make the best decision for your farm:
3. Polyethylene Wire
Polywire is the most commonly used portable or temporary fence “conductor.” Polywire fence is a material composed of plastic strands with integrated thin metal wires that is used to transport electrical current from a fence energizer.
Individual strands of plastic or wire are often tightly wound together to make a single wire.
Polywire fencing does not have the strength of steel wire fencing, but it corrodes more and is more apparent to animals. Wires with a diameter of less than 3 mm are preferred for cattle, sheep, goats, and fence energizers. 5mm-diameter versions are better for horses due to their greater visibility.
Because it comes on a reel, it’s a practical option for temporary fence solutions like strip grazing, as well as a cost-effective option for subdividing pasture 3.
Tape made of polyethylene
Polytape connects various strands of plastic and wire to form what seems to be a brightly colored tape ribbon.
The tape is sturdy, resistant to all weather conditions, and will not rust. White tape stands out more in a brown environment, but brown or green tape stands out more against snow.
Electric poly tape is available in a variety of widths, with each width best suited for a certain use. The thicker tape is recommended for electric dog fence because of its greater visibility and superior strength, but it is not the best solution in places with high winds; in these cases, Poly Braid would be a better choice for perimeter fencing.
If exposed to wind, a thinner tape is preferable because its thinner width provides less resistance to winds and thus is less likely to be damaged by wind.
Polybraid
It has a stronger construction than poly wire and is less susceptible to wind and frost damage than poly tape.
Individual strands of plastic and wire are braided together to make a tight weave, making it more robust and less prone to tangling and overstretching. Polybraid is available in a variety of diameters and thicknesses.
Fencing Made with High Tensile Wire
High-tensile wire polytape is ideal for large-area permanent fencing. However, because wire fences do not yield like polypropylene fencing, ten-wire wire fencing is not suited for fast-moving animals like horses, who could suffer catastrophic injury if they run into the wire at high speeds.
There are two types of high-tensile wire:
- galvanized steel and
- aluminum.
Both are robust, long-lasting, and low-maintenance, making them ideal for building perimeter fences to keep slow animals in.
Galvanized steel is a cost-effective alternative for transporting an electric charge across large distances. Aluminum is four times as good at conducting electricity as galvanized steel, but it costs more than steel wire.
Top 3 Benefits of Using High-Tensile Wire Instead of Conventional Fencing -General Purpose
The turbo wire
Turbo goods have the same wire, tape, and braided structure as Poly products, with one important distinction.
These turbo products have nine strands of conductive metals, including copper.
This makes them up to 48 times more conductive than Poly products, which only have six strands of stainless steel.
This means that Turbo items will keep your voltage strong and carry a “shock” further down your fence line than Poly products.
Long temporary fences (over 200 meters) should always be built with Turbo products to keep livestock under the most control.
Standard Wood Post Nail-on Claw Insulator in North America on a wood fence post with turbo wire
Horse Fencing
Equine fencing is recommended if you own horses. Wire is the most effective and safest electric fence for your horse. To limit the risk of damage, this high-tension fence has a specifically designed wire coating.
Turbo Braid
A low-tension, semi-permanent fence alternative to equine fence wire can be utilized. Braid is easy to install and does not tangle or overstretch.
A semi-permanent tape fence is highly visible, easy to build, and will last for years, making it an affordable and popular choice for horse owners.
How to Put Up an Electric Fence
Electric fences are widely regarded as the most effective method of enclosing livestock. Electric fence installation, whether permanent or temporary, is not difficult. Simply follow these easy steps:
Find the ideal place.
Select the most suitable position for the electric fence. If you are unsure about your decision, consider installing a temporary electric fence work.
Make the space clear.
After deciding on a location, the next step is to clear any bushes or trash from the fence line area. Remember that the electrical charge will be weaker if the wire rests on debris that you did not remove.
Set up the grounding rods
Fill in the hole with dirt again after putting the ground rod in the proper location to keep the posts stable and sturdy. If you intend to utilize T-posts, prepare a post hammer to securely drive the posts into the ground.
Connecting the wire
You can now begin joining the wires to the posts with insulators. Starting at one of the corner posts, feed the wires through the insulators.
Putting the wire together
Connect all of the cables to a charger to create a temporary fence. For a permanent fence, connect each wire to the fence charger and leave the remaining wires grounded.
Verdict
A steel or Aluminium fence is the best fence for your needs is an electric fence that will keep wild predators from coming onto or leaving your property and keep your animals safe. It is now up to you to select the best electric fence wire for your needs. Make sure you have the most effective conductor for your fence to save on extra costs later on.
What does an electric fence insulator do?
The Wood Post Insulator can be used on either wooden or metal posts. The electric fence insulator however, allows electric fence wire to be attached to a post without losing energy and aids in the prevention of a fence “shorting out.”
Related:
Best Solar Lights for Chain Link Fence
