HOW ELECTRIC FENCING WORKS
Electric fencing is a "fear" barrier that uses safe electric shock to deter animals. In order for an animal to feel a shock, the voltage produced by the fence controller must be high enough to penetrate the animal's hair, hide, and hoof. Once the voltage is high enough to deliver a shock, electricity must travel through the fence wire. It then flows through the animal that is touching the fence and into the soil the animal is standing on. The electricity then travels through the moist soil back to the ground rods. From the ground rods the electricity flows through the ground wire that is attached to the fence controller's ground terminal. The circuit is completed and the animal feels the shock instantly.
Â
A good ground system will pick up most of the electricity conducted by the animal and send it to the fence controller. Poor grounding can cause interference on telephone lines, in radios, and on televisions. You may also receive a shock from metal cased fence controller or ground rod when it is not grounded properly.
In very dry climates (dry sandy soil) and cold climates (snow covered or frozen soil) an alternative fence installation must be used.This fence system implements the use of a ground wire running parallel to your hot wire. This ground wire should be grounded every 1,300 ft. with 6 ft. galvanized steel or copper ground rods. This fence installation is no longer dependent on good soil conditions and will carry the electricity back to the fence controller's ground system when livestock contact the hot and ground wires simultaneously.
