A guide to equine and agricultural electric fencing
Get ready for spring turn out with Hotlines full range of electric fence products that are manufactured here in the UK. Hotline products are ideal for temporary or more permanent fencing systems with a full range suitable for horse, cattle, sheep, pigs and smaller wild animals like rabbits and badgers. Understanding how electric fences work and should be set up is essential to its effective running to keep your animal safe and secure.
How does electric fencing works?
A live current is passed from the energizer in the form of high voltage pulses, passing down the fence wires/tape. When an animal touches the fence, the pulse passes through them and into the ground giving the animal a shock. Animals quickly associate the fence with the electric shock and stay away from touching them. For your electric fence to emit a strong voltage a 1m (min) earth stake must be used to ground the current and complete the circuit when the animal touches the fence creating the electric shock.
Electric fence energizers – What are my options?
Mains energizers for electric fencing are ideal for permanent fencing, simply turn on and leave them to do the work.
- Ideal for longer distances where high-power level is needed
- Suitable for use when close to main 230-volt power supply
- Mains power can be provided to the energizer via underground lead out cable
- Low running cost (approx. £10 a year)
- Higher joules output so the voltage will be pushed further with a greater load
- Must be installed with minimum 1m earth stake
Battery energizers are ideal for temporary fencing or where there is no access to mains power.
- Powered by rechargeable 12v batteries
- Portable so can be moved around with grazing paddocks
- Compatible with solar panels extending battery life in sunny conditions
- Lower joules output than mains
- Must be installed with minim 1m earth stake
Dual power energizers are a hybrid that can be swapped between mains or batteries depending on your requirements.
- Run from 12V Battery or 220v mains supply with underground lead out cable
- Flexibility to move from temporary fencing to permanent mains fencing
- Compatible with solar panels extending battery life in sunny conditions
- Must be installed with minim 1m earth stake
Earthing electric fencing
Earth stakes are essential to make your fence work, without one the fence will not emit an electric shock when touched. The fence and the ground form an open circuit, when the electric current runs from the fence through the animals into the ground and returns to the earth stake it completes the circuit causing the electric shock for the animal.
- Earth stakes should be a minimum off 1 meter in the ground
- Multiple earth stakes may be required on long runs of fencing
- In dry weather the ground conducts poorly, keep the soil around the earth stake damp
Rope, Tape or Wire for equine and agricultural electric fencing
Polytapes, wires and ropes work by conducting power through steel and copper strips within the product, the more metal within the fence line the better it will perform. When selecting which to go for pay attention to the number of conductors, visibility, and resistance (ohms). Hotline offer the paddock range, ideal for shorter more temporary fencing and the turbocharger range which has better conductivity and lower resistance (ohms) ideal for longer more permanent fencing.
Tape – is available in 20mm and 40mm thickness and is an ideal electric fence for horses providing good visibility and braking strain. Hotline offers a budget paddock range with stainless steel conductors and a premium turbocharge range with both copper and steel conductors for a more effective fence line.
Rope – is available in 6mm thickness and suitable for sheep, cows and horses. Hotlines Turbocharge rope is less visible than tape for animals but just as conducive with both copper and steel components.
Wire – is available in 1.2mm thickness and a suitable option for cows, sheep and pigs. Hotlines 6 strand supercharge contains 6 steel conductors while the 9 strand contains 3 copper and 6 steel conductors ideal for longer distances
Contact the experts
If you can’t find what your looking for or need advice on what would be most suable for your animals contact us for assistance.
Please note we do not keep all energizers in stock but can get then in within 3-5 days of order.
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