# Electric fence questioning



## EstrellaandJericho (Aug 12, 2017)

We are 99% done with the fence. All that is left is the electric fence. 

Does the grounding wires need to surround the pasture, or just where it needs to go under the gate?

Thank you!


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## elkdog (Nov 28, 2016)

The ground wire goes to a ground rod. I use a piece of rebar about 6 feet long driven all the way down with the wire firmly clamped to it.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

elkdog said:


> The ground wire goes to a ground rod. I use a piece of rebar about 6 feet long driven all the way down with the wire firmly clamped to it.


This. It's a pain, but if you do it right the first time, you'll save yourself a lot of repairs and frustration in the long run. I used a ground rod especially made for this purpose, also 6 feet long and drove it all the way down into the ground. There are lots of videos online showing you how to set up your wires properly. My ground wire is the middle wire of my 3 wire fence and yes, it runs all the way around each pasture and paddock. 

I chose to run my wires under the gates in two locations because I sometimes leave them open (they lead to the pasture) and I still need power running through those lines. Bury them a few inches deep, ideally in a conduit. For my other gates, like those out in the pastures, I just used gate handles. This means that if I unhook them, there is no power flowing, so I make sure I close them up behind me immediately.


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## EstrellaandJericho (Aug 12, 2017)

We are using the electric fence mainly to keep them off of the solid fence.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

EstrellaandJericho said:


> We are using the electric fence mainly to keep them off of the solid fence.


Yes, but for an electric fence to function properly, it should be ground. Maybe I'm not understanding your setup/question.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

This is a very basic explanation of how an electric fence should be set up: https://www.afence.com/Electric_Fence/how_to_elecfence/elecinstall.htm

Three wires is considered the minimum (that's what I have) and would certainly be enough for your setup. Maybe you're just thinking of stringing one hot wire at the top, which is something I see a lot. However, that means the horses will be able to get their heads under the wire so not ideal. 

Again, maybe I'm not understanding your question about the ground wire.


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## EstrellaandJericho (Aug 12, 2017)

Acadianartist said:


> EstrellaandJericho said:
> 
> 
> > We are using the electric fence mainly to keep them off of the solid fence.
> ...


I completely agree with you, I apologize if I am being difficult to read. We have a grounding pole and plan on grounding it I was just curious on placement of the grounding wire. We are planning on running it under ground with the gates and lean to, as our lean to butts up to the fence. I was just unsure if the wire to go underground should be around the whole property or only in the places where the electric fence portion isn't "active" or placed. I hope this makes sense. Thank you so much for trying to make sense of my questions!


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

EstrellaandJericho said:


> I completely agree with you, I apologize if I am being difficult to read. We have a grounding pole and plan on grounding it I was just curious on placement of the grounding wire. We are planning on running it under ground with the gates and lean to, as our lean to butts up to the fence. I was just unsure if the wire to go underground should be around the whole property or only in the places where the electric fence portion isn't "active" or placed. I hope this makes sense. Thank you so much for trying to make sense of my questions!


Still not sure I understand, but thank you for clarifying. In my setup, there is a top and bottom hot wire and the ground wire is the middle one - just like in the recommended setup in the link I gave you. Each of the three wires is run underground under my fences (they are isolated, obviously), so yes, the ground should be run everywhere. But if you're saying that there are breaks in the fence line where you're not running any hot wire, then you don't need to run the ground there either. It's easier to keep the fence continuous though. So I either run all three under my gates, or use gate handles on all three lines, including the ground.


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## EstrellaandJericho (Aug 12, 2017)

So it's best to have 3 instead of one just across the top? Looks like I'll need more electric fencing


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

This is how my electric fence is set up:

I have 3 strands of polyrope, its powered by a solar charger and I have 2 ground rods in the ground. The ground rods are tied together then ran to the charger. I do NOT have a ground line all the way around my fence perimeter. For gates, some gates the power is ran through the actual gates, others I have insulated wire connected to the fence...then I put it in the ground about 6" deep, covered it back over...the length of the gate and connected back to the fence on the other side.

Heres a basic drawing I just did LOL









So only places I have ground wire are from my grounding rods...connecting them together and then to the charger...and then anywhere I need to connect fencing. Like in the example, if using a metal gate you can't connect the two sides of fencing through the gate...so I ran the wire underground.



> So it's best to have 3 instead of one just across the top? Looks like I'll need more electric fencing


You can still do same as above but with only 1 stand of hot wire.


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

Sorry @*evilamc* and OP, but I'm not sure you understand the function of a ground wire. It's not the same as a hot wire run underground. Here is an excerpt from the Zareba fencing company: 


"The grounding circuit is a critical component of your electric fence and is essential to its proper functioning. The fence charger, or energizer, is designed to alter the electric charge into a power that is safe for animals and people.
When an animal touches the electrically charged fence wire, the animal feels the electric current as the charge passes through its body. The charge then continues the circuit through the earth to the ground rod and then up the ground wire to the ground terminal of the charger.
*How to Install Ground Rods for your Electric Fence*












If the animal and the ground terminal of the charger are not sufficiently grounded, the path of electric current cannot be completed and the animal will not feel the shock. Since earth provides half of the electric field circuit, it is crucial to have a properly installed ground circuit.
Birds landing on the wire will not be harmed -- since they are not in contact with the ground as they sit upon the wire, they are not completing the circuit, and therefore they will not receive a shock."


In other words, for the electric shock to be felt, there has to be a circuit completed through the ground. The ground wire is not just a wire run underground, it's a separate line that is connected to a ground rod.


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Well thats how I have my fence set up and trust me and packs a punch. I have the wire ran from my ground rods t my charger and thats all they're connected to. Then to carry the electric from one spot to another I bury wire, I used the same insulated wire I use for my grounding rods except its connected to the fence rather then the grounding rods. I shouldnt call it ground wire when its connected to my fence but technically thats what it was called when I bought it. I just don't have it connected to my grounding rods.


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Ground Rod Installation | Grounding Electric Fence | Zareba®









This image is how I have mine set up. No ground wire going around the fence, all hot wire.



> In other words, for the electric shock to be felt, there has to be a circuit completed through the ground. The ground wire is not just a wire run underground, it's a separate line that is connected to a ground rod.


Depends which way you set up your fence. If you do it like I have, the when you touch the fence (or the animal does) and they are in contact with the ground, they get shocked. How I have mine set up I do NOT have to have a ground wire all the way around since the animals complete the circuit by touching the ground. I just have to have the grounding rods connected to my charger. Since she only wants to do 1 line thats how she should do it as well. When she wants to carry the electric to another spot (like skipping a gate) she does so by running the hot wire underground. I use insulated wire and you can put it in a conduit thing.


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## EstrellaandJericho (Aug 12, 2017)

All amazing answers.thank you so much for helping me out! Looks like I got more to read and research before installing. Thank you for all of the sources and amazing information!


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## JCnGrace (Apr 28, 2013)

We do it the way @evilamc does it and it works just fine. It the way I've always been taught and my dad was an electrician so I think he taught me right.


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

EstrellaandJericho said:


> We are 99% done with the fence. All that is left is the electric fence.
> 
> Does the grounding wires need to surround the pasture, or just where it needs to go under the gate?
> 
> Thank you!


 Are you talking of two different things, far as grounding wire, and the special wire , designed to be buried under ground, at places like gates, so you don't need to have something like an electric gate, that you have to un do, each time you go through that gate?
The grounding wire, is like Elkdog mentioned, thus attached from the fencer, to a rod that is driven deep into the ground
That wire run under the gate, just allows that hotwire, to continue uninterrupted by the gate, thus insulated and buried in the gate area. You run it down the fence post on one side of the gate, bury it, and run it up the opposite gate post, then it just continues on, as that top hotwire
We use that insulated wire, from where it goes down the one post, under the gate, up the other post,and then it is just bare again


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## QtrBel (May 31, 2012)

*Both ways are correct. We have both types of fencing - one wire and two wire. The one wire is where there is electric run offset from existing fence to keep horses off. It is one wire that makes a complete circuit and there is a separate ground. On all electric where we have multiple strands we use the Two Wire. For us that is 3 hot and two grounds. They alternate. Can't get it to unbold. The c/p comes from Zareba I think but it was in my electric fence file on my computer and not tagged. 
*

*
*

*One Wire System*

When only charged wires run the perimeter of the fence, this is called a one wire system. If you have a small area, with one or two strands of wire, a one wire system is what you should use.
One wire systems can also be used when adding on to an existing fence. Running a charged strand of wire on the top of a non-electrified fence will keep your livestock from reaching over the fence and damaging it. This method can be used on barbed or woven wire fence as well.
*Two Wire System*

A two wire ground system should be used if there are more than three strands of wire on the fence. The two strand system allows the animal to complete the circuit by touching a charged wire and a ground wire at the same time. The strands on the fence must alternate between a ground wire and a charged wire: one charged, one ground, and then charged, etc.
If you have a large area that needs to be fenced in, this system is ideal. It is also great to contain animals with long hair, or wool, and areas with sandy or rocky soil. Grounding this system is simple. The wire from the ground terminal will connect directly to the ground rods and then connect to the ground wires on the fence line. The charged wires are connected to the 
terminal on the charger


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## Acadianartist (Apr 21, 2015)

QtrBel said:


> *Both ways are correct. We have both types of fencing - one wire and two wire. The one wire is where there is electric run offset from existing fence to keep horses off. It is one wire that makes a complete circuit and there is a separate ground. On all electric where we have multiple strands we use the Two Wire. For us that is 3 hot and two grounds. They alternate. Can't get it to unbold. The c/p comes from Zareba I think but it was in my electric fence file on my computer and not tagged.
> *
> 
> 
> ...


Thanks for clarifying! However, the one-wire system added to an existing non-electrified fence does not prevent them from reaching for grass under the electric wire. That may be just fine for the OP, but it's important to realize that they can still push on the fence from below the single strand wire.


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## evilamc (Sep 22, 2011)

Acadianartist said:


> Thanks for clarifying! However, the one-wire system added to an existing non-electrified fence does not prevent them from reaching for grass under the electric wire. That may be just fine for the OP, but it's important to realize that they can still push on the fence from below the single strand wire.


I was assuming she was doing wooden fence then adding a single wire on top to keep them from chewing. If she is doing a wooden fence then the reaching for grass wouldn't really be an issue because there is still a solid fence there.


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## Hondo (Sep 29, 2014)

@Smilie beat me to it. Yes, the term "ground wire" is being used in place of "direct burial hot wire" and is being confused with the negative grounding wire.

I have a woven cattle fence around my place with metal posts and a hot "rope" running around the top to keep the horses off the woven fence. That way the entire woven fence acts as a ground to the ground rod at the charger. The soil acts as the grounding wire between the grounding rod and the fence.

There's very little electron movement in an electric fence so the soil serves well in most cases as the negative leg of the circuit.

A coyote trying to climb over the fence will be in for a surprise.


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## stevenson (Sep 12, 2011)

You can use one strand to keep the animals off the fence . You need it about butt height. The ground rod is buried and the wire attaches to the rod. The ground needs to be a little damp. There should have been some instructions with your hot wire set up. You need the insulators to stick out at least an inch from the fence. 

You do need the ground for the electric line to work correctly .


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## Smilie (Oct 4, 2010)

Just a top hot wire, works great for horses, and that is all I have, even on my very large pastures. Horses don't crawl through fence, like cattle.
I have wooden posts, with insulators for that top wire, plus a very good fencer (Galliger )Works just fine, and has all the hroses respecting my fences
I also run non permanent fencing, within the perimeters of the permanent fence line, during the summer, to cut down amount of pasture, using portable electric plastic coated posts, and a single white electric tape, tied into that top wire of the main fence You must have a good fencer, use insulators and have a good ground system
All the pastures just have two smooth wires, except the one I had foals in, where I have a third wire, so foals could not go under that fence


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## valley ranch (Oct 12, 2017)

Hi, You know where to put the hot wire/wires One if that's all you feel you need```

Grounding~a proper ground is so important~ I have 4 copper rods 5' long 5' into the earth 10' apart hooked in series and drip lines coming from the sprinkler to keep the earth around the ground rods damp. 

The rods should be as far apart as they are deep into the earth```

I use fence charger that will get your attention is you get zapped~ Parmak 8~I've had chargers fail because of poor or not enough grounding```

Haven't read all the posts~I'll go back and have a look```

Richard


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