# High tensile electric fence



## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I am planning building a five wire electric fence. I am not sure how far to space my all my line post. I have searched the internet and it seems that the spacing is all over the place, from 20' to 90'. I am thinking of spacing my post at 30'.

What's your thoughts.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

I space all my hi tensile posts at 30’. It costs more than wider spacing but there is no need for stays that way and allows for more uneven terrain and still keep an even distance between the ground and bottom wire. I’ve planted literally hundreds of posts at 30’ for thousands of feet of fence and never been less than happy with it. Good luck!


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

If you’re realitively flat and want to save a few bucks poly stays work great. I haven’t had cattle in years but deer sometimes break a post for me. I had to replace three posts this spring two of them right next to each other. I keep the fence up to keep the honest crooks out. Most of my fence has been up over thirty years it’s amazing how well it holds up. Pay the extra for quality wire it’s not all created equal.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

My plan is to make the wires from the bottom up at 8", 6", 8" 10", 10" with a total height of 42 " 
I am going to make the second line from the bottom and the second line from the top a ground line, and the other lines hot.


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## Farmerbrown2 (Sep 25, 2018)

I always made the bottom ground second one hot so the cattle would maintain the fence for me . But you have a complete different environment then I do .


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Farmerbrown2 said:


> I always made the bottom ground second one hot so the cattle would maintain the fence for me . But you have a complete different environment then I do .


Actually I typed that wrong, I had planned on making the bottom one the ground, and the next two lines up hot, and the top wire hot.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Some places I got 3 wires, some places 2 wires and a few places 1 wire. They are all hot. I place posts anywhere from 15' (on even terrain) to 50'-70' (level terrain), I let the wire 'tell' me what's needed. Single wire is across marsh areas, so I know cows have a pretty good grounding source. 

Perhaps I'm in a 'wetter' area so I don't run a ground wire at all. But I do have 4 or 5 ground stakes (10' in length) from 4' to 6' apart on both fencers. One fencer's grounding rods are on the drip line of a pole barn. The other one I will run a garden hose on for 6-10 hours once in while, IF I get into drought conditions.

Larry


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

r82230 said:


> Some places I got 3 wires, some places 2 wires and a few places 1 wire. They are all hot. I place posts anywhere from 15' (on even terrain) to 50'-70' (level terrain), I let the wire 'tell' me what's needed. Single wire is across marsh areas, so I know cows have a pretty good grounding source.
> 
> Perhaps I'm in a 'wetter' area so I don't run a ground wire at all. But I do have 4 or 5 ground stakes (10' in length) from 4' to 6' apart on both fencers. One fencer's grounding rods are on the drip line of a pole barn. The other one I will run a garden hose on for 6-10 hours once in while, IF I get into drought conditions.
> 
> Larry


The summers get pretty dry here. Although most years the cows should be out on pasture during the summer; this pasture should only get used in the spring, and fall before I turn the cows out on the alfalfa field. I plan in putting in three eight foot ground rods.


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## stack em up (Mar 7, 2013)

A few things I've learned over the years building hi-tensile.

1. For every joule of output, it's best to have 4 feet of ground rod.

2. Bigger isn't always better in energizers. Size appropriately for the length of fence and what you're trying to keep in. I've run 30 miles of fence on 6 joules for cows but also had a guy that had llamas. We seriously needed 24 joules for about a 4 acre dry lot. Seriously. That sumbitch snaps when you touch it too!

3. Don't be like me and be cheap on spinning jenny's. If you're building a 5 strand fence, buy 5 jennys. It saves lots of headaches and trips across the pasture.

4. Make sure when you add your fin tube insulators, add a couple extra than you have fence posts. You'll be glad you did, cuz somehow they disappear and I'm not sure how. I think it's like socks in the clothes dryer.

5. Don't waste your time with twitch sticks on h-braces. Use a Kiwi strainer and you can snug them up a lot easier from year to year.

6. Make sure the wire you get is Max 10 from US Steel. Kencove has some stuff that's a bit cheaper that looks appealing but when a branch falls on it it snaps, and in turn pisses you off.

7. Buy a 50' roll of wraparound insulator from Powerflex Fence. Sometimes you need a wraparound that's a bit longer than the standard length of 10"

8. Take your time driving the posts. In 50 years no one is gonna remember how fast you built that fence but they will know you did it right and made it straight.

9. This is a long term investment. The first hi-tensile dad put in 30 years ago is still standing strong. The crap posts he used at the time have long since rotted off but the wire is strong as the day we stretched it. (Without all the cool gadgets like a hydraulic post pounder and spinning Jenny. Just Dad and I and a hand post hole digger)


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

stack em up said:


> A few things I've learned over the years building hi-tensile.
> 
> 1. For every joule of output, it's best to have 4 feet of ground rod.
> 
> ...


I'm going to put in three 8' ground rods. My wire is wire from Oklahoma steel, in fact by the time I figured in the shipping, it was cheaper to buy from my local lumber yard than Kencove. Besides I don't have to worry about trees where this fence is going.

I only going to use a single spinning jenny, I only have about 1800 feet of fence to put in; I guess I will get my exercise.

I plan on using railroad ties for my corner and H braces, and my line post will be t-post.

I bought a bit to put on my hammer drill to drive the the ground rods. Dad thought we could we could use the post ponder to drive the ground rod, but I think we would just bend the rod.

Thanks for the info.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Here water is a lot like grease. Where I plan on driving ground rods, I soak the area first. 55 gallon drum, 5 gal bucket (both with small holes in them or small stiffen hose) or slowly running water hose. With the ground saturated the rod drives much easier. Might have to start a day or so before, but it really seems to help. Unless I'm doing this in a wet spring, then nature has helped me out. 

Larry


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

I use t posts as little as possible with an electric fence, they are a pain to find shorts. I will only use them when I can't get a tractor in there to pound a wood post. I prefer wood posts spaced 30-40'. I have spots where span is 60-80' and no stays and some where I put a stay. Depends on the cow's natural flight, along trees not a problem but next to an open area I like stays just to keep a step through from happening.

All spacings depends on the terrain but I wouldn't be afraid of 30-40 as long as you are using 12 gauge and springs to set tension to allow give when a deer hits. The purpose is to keep the cows in and the wildlife to pass through.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

BWfarms said:


> I use t posts as little as possible with an electric fence, they are a pain to find shorts. I will only use them when I can't get a tractor in there to pound a wood post. I prefer wood posts spaced 30-40'. I have spots where span is 60-80' and no stays and some where I put a stay. Depends on the cow's natural flight, along trees not a problem but next to an open area I like stays just to keep a step through from happening.
> 
> All spacings depends on the terrain but I wouldn't be afraid of 30-40 as long as you are using 12 gauge and springs to set tension to allow give when a deer hits. The purpose is to keep the cows in and the wildlife to pass through.


Do you put springs on every strand?


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

CowboyRam said:


> Do you put springs on every strand?


Yes and I stagger their position on the line so they don't hook should an animal run through. I do sections; imagine a big square, a set for each line if long or 2 lines with a corner if short. If a line has a bunch of turns or elevation changes the more frequent I make a new section. Helps maintain the integrity of the fence.


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## Supa Dexta (May 28, 2014)

8-10 paces, just a good walk pace by a 6 ft man. , not a long stride.

(pick a number and repeat)


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## chevytaHOE5674 (Mar 14, 2015)

Only thing I will add is Gripples. I use the large ones with a cable loop on my H-braces and then one on each strand of fence. Way faster than twitch sticks or ratcheting strainers, and infinitely adjustable.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I got my fence built and it was working, but now I can't get any voltage down the fence line. I tested the voltage at the charger and it is putting out 10,000 volts, but once I hook it up to the fence I get nothing. I have three ground rods in the ground about six foot, and for the last couple days I have been irrigating that pasture and have had water running on or near the ground rods, so the ground should be wet enough. I can't see where anything is grounded out along the line of fence. I am at a loss as what to do, I need help.

The fence consist of five wires. Wires 1 and 4 are ground wires; 2, 3, and 5 are hot.

It has been hot as a popcorn fart here for over a month.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

Can you segregate the wires easily both from one another (2,3 & 5) and possibly in sections (first 1/4 of distance, next 1/4 of distance, etc). That's how I have mine, because sometimes it's a real pain to fine the fault. If you can isolate it, it makes it much easier IMHO. Once you find the problem don't kick yourself because you missed it, when checking more than once. Not that I speaking from experience by any means. 

Larry


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

What are you using for insulators?

How did you tie your anchor points?

Are the wires at the end of the run open and not looped back to the charger?

And the biggie...

Are your live wire and ground wire hooked correctly to the charger?


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

BWfarms said:


> What are you using for insulators?
> 
> How did you tie your anchor points?
> 
> ...


Around the post I used polly tubing. plastic insulators on the T-post.

I looped the wire back on the ends.

I have a ground wire going from charger to the ground rod and then a wire going to the ground fence lines.

The hot wire goes from the charger to the fence.


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## BWfarms (Aug 3, 2015)

Reason I asked if Ground and Live were hooked correctly because I hooked up backwards once.

I'm not sure I follow what you mean by looping at the end but I don't connect the ends back to one another. Take pics of your connections from charger to beginning and the end of the run. I'm thinking you crossed something or don't have a strong enough ground.

Do you have ground rounds periodically down the run? Are your staples pinching the tubing?


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

Yes the ground and live are hooked up correctly. From the charger I attach to the top wire, and then have a wire going down to the two other live wires. It goes down the line for about 300 feet, and then goes past a gate I have one insulated wire going under the gate back up to the fence, it then goes down the line for about another 700 feet. I then turns the corner with another gate at the corner, goes down the line about 700 feet and then turns another corner where it goes about another 700 feet and ends. At the moment I only have one wire hooked up after the first gate, and once I get down to the first corner without the wire connected I can get 10,000 volts, but once I connect to go around the corner I lose all my voltage. Maybe I need to drive another ground at the corner.

I suppose this is about as clear as mud.


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## r82230 (Mar 1, 2016)

You've started to isolate your problem just continue un-hooking parts and checking. Sounds like you are good (no problems to first corner). More grounds will not make a difference IMHO. Sounds like a bad, insulator or some thing.

Larry


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I got it working to the corner; tomorrow I will work out the rest of it. Part of the problem was there was an end of a polywire fence that we had put up last winter as a temporary fence that had blow onto the wire of the new fence. Of course I did not notice that until I had pretty much cut loose everything else, but at least half of it is now working.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

In our soil that insulated fencing wire needs run thru conduit or it will short out.

I place posts where needed to maintain height of the bottom wire.

3 wires, top and bottom hot, middle is the ground. Have no less than five grounds total around the perimeter.


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## CowboyRam (Dec 13, 2015)

I have three 8 foot ground rods drove in about six feet near the charger. I might ad another one up in the corner; it is usually wet up in the corner when we have irrigating water running threw the pipe as it seems to leak just a bit.


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## mlappin (Jun 25, 2009)

CowboyRam said:


> I have three 8 foot ground rods drove in about six feet near the charger. I might ad another one up in the corner; it is usually wet up in the corner when we have irrigating water running threw the pipe as it seems to leak just a bit.


Two reasons for my ground rods placed around the perimeter, it gets dry enough grounds don't work very well. Two are near known seeps or springs. I've also had frozen ground when dry enough not conduct at all, fence might as well had been unplugged for all the good it did.


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