Q: What if the kids touch the fence? Will it hurt them?
A: It will be a short, sharp sensation (similar to hitting your funny bone) and it will certainly make them cry, but there is nothing permanent or disfiguring about it. Just about everyone who has worked with electric fence has been “hit”, it’s not fun and it certainly makes you more careful thereafter! That HIT is what protects your animals – flowers – produce, etc. The Gallagher pulse (hit) is always 300 millionths of a second, or less, with a full second between pulses.
Q: How do I keep raccoons, woodchucks and rabbits out of my garden?
A: A garden net would work well, used in conjunction with an appropriate sized fence charger, probably battery. (Main power is usually the best option as it requires less observation and, dollar for dollar, gives the “most bang for your buck.” ) But there are always situations where main power isn’t available, so either battery or solar works well. The net has electrified horizontal strands of polywire with several strands of wire woven in and the garden net has fairly small squares so a critter couldn’t get through without getting a shock. You could also use step-in posts and polywire. Remember – a ground rod is also necessary on this small fence.
Q: How do I keep deer out of my Christmas tree plantation?
A: All of our fences work on the same principle, but they vary hugely in size. Usually a Christmas tree plantation covers quite a bit of ground, so a powerful energizer is necessary along with a high fence. This is where the 6’ Mule corners come in handy, using 7 or 8 strands of aluminum wire and completely encircling the plantation. It’s a good plan to put up the fence before you do the planting (Christmas trees, apple trees, perennials, etc.) in order to train the deer to stay away before the plants are in the ground.
Q: Can I use rebar or a copper ground rod?
A: Not the best ground rod solution. A galvanized rod works well with the aluminum wire. Copper is a great ground, but requires maintenance as electrolysis is more apt to occur at your connections because of mixed metals. Rebar rusts and loses its grounding ability (Caution!). Do not place the energizer grounding system within 60’ of any other grounding system or metal water piping. Ground rods MUST be further apart then they are long – they cannot be too far apart as long as they are all connected.
Q: Do horses have to “see” the fence?
A: We feel that animals sense the fence. We have a blind donkey, now several years old, who was born blind and knows exactly where the fence is located. She’s able to gallop along with the rest of the herd around the field and into the barn with no hesitation. We don’t know how her mother trained her, but assume she led her to the fence to learn where it was (all of our donkey mothers have done that as they train their babies).
ALWAYS WEAR EYE PROTECTION WHEN WORKING WITH HI-TENSILE WIRE – ALUMINUM OR STEEL!