Ground
System - Moisture is the High-Voltage Burial Wire - It is important
conductor of electricity in the ground field and to select the correct wire to connect to your
is critical for completing the circuit. This is electric fence. Choose wire rated to carry up
the key to a good electric fence and often the to 20,000 volts. DO NOT use insulated wire
most common source of failure. Consider that that is designed for residential use, as this
the grounding system is similar to a television is not rated to carry the voltage emitted for
antenna; the larger the antenna, the greater your fence charger. This burial wire is used
the reception will be. Ground rods serve to to connect the charger to the fence and to the
collect the voltage from the fence and deliver ground system, between individual ground
it back to the charger through the earth. rod. It “jumps” the electricity from the primary
The amount of shock felt by the horse is hot line of the fence to a lower strand.
directly proportional to the amount of power
returned back to the fence from moisture at
the grounding field. Therefore, it is critical
that the field is large enough to collect all
available power.
It is important to keep the type of wire and
couplings consistent with the fence system
used. For example, ElectroBraid™ utilizes
copper threads in the fence braids, therefore,
burial wire and connectors must be copper
We recommend at least 3 ground rods, 5’ long to ensure that the fence performs properly.
and spaced 10’ apart in an area of constant Most other types of electric fence can utilize
ground moisture. Ground beds should be a galvanized and stainless steel hardware.
minimum of 30’ and preferably 50’ from one
another if multiple ground beds are used.
NEVER install ground rods within 50’ of utility
ground, buried water lines, or telephone
poles. In some situations, the grounding field
is less than optimal. This would include very
Lightning Arrestor - Acts as a buffer
between the fence and the charger and helps
to prevent damage to the charger should there
be a lightning strike. The lightning arrestor is
installed between the charger and the fence.
well drained soil, sandy soil, deeply frozen Cut-Off Switch - Acts to interrupt the flow
soil, or very rocky conditions. In all of these of electricity from the charger to the fence. It
cases, there is a lack of moisture in the can be installed between the charger and the
ground field. In these sub-optimal conditions, fence to provide an easy way of disconnecting
multiple ground fields are often required as the power without having to return to the barn
well as a ground rail of electric on the fence. If (generally where the charger is located).
your soil conditions fall into these categories,
please speak with one of our representatives
to determine the best setup for your situation.
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