Could you electrify chicken wire when using livestock electric wire?

[U_Stormcrow]

My hot wire is set off and only in contact with insulators.
My chicken wire is thoroughly grounded all around the garden.
I only ran the ground to the ground rod--should I continue the wire from the ground rod to the chicken wire fence?
The charger light is blinking which indicates the system is functioning, so that's a good sign.
Here is a photo of charger and ground

Is it necessary? No. Is it useful?

In my case, yes. I have a "small" amount of fence - about 1/3 mile - and soil which is NOT a good conductor. So connecting the "ground" of my charger directly to the livestock fencing fixes a lot of problems. On good soil, or with a small fenced area (think a couple hundred sq feet, not a handful of acres), its likely completely unnecessary (except that it saves you the cost of a ground rod, of course.

 

[BroK]

Yes, you can use the chicken wire as your ground and set your hot wires off of it (not in contact, separated by plastic or nylon insulators most likely, such that a creature in contact with the hot wire and the chicken wire or the hot wire and the physical ground, will get a shock.

You just need to ensure the chicken wire is in contact with the ground (or is wired to yoru grounding rod), and that your hot wires are properly postioned.

1. Is there a preference for whether the ground wire should run to the chicken wire fence from the ground rod, or just to the ground rod?
2. I don't have a testing mechanism--I think it's working in that the light on the charger is blinking "no error"
3. My chicken wire fence is thoroughly attached to the ground all around the garden.
4. My hot wire only touches plastic insulators on the post.

Photo of charger and ground

 

[U_Stormcrow]

No preference.
I touch my hot wires. Its a good test. (NOT recommended if you have a heart condition, etc!!! I use the back of my thumbnail to make contact).
Good
Good.

 

[BroK]

No preference.
I touch my hot wires. Its a good test. (NOT recommended if you have a heart condition, etc!!! I use the back of my thumbnail to make contact).
Good
Good.

Thank you, very helpful. Maybe I'll delegate to my spouse to use her thumbnails--they're longer than mine. ; )

 

[TOR]

Thank you, very helpful. Maybe I'll delegate to my spouse to use her thumbnails--they're longer than mine. ; )

electric fence testers are reasonably priced. Cheaper ones for 7 to 10 and on up. I like the ones which show voltage. I use higher joule output fencer. I do not like touching them.

Just because it is working does not mean you have the voltage to repel certain types animals.

One on Amazon as example

https://www.amazon.com/12KV-Fence-V...cphy=9019276&hvtargid=pla-1586795348792&psc=1

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I admit, it takes a lot of confidence to use one's finger to test the fence. Something that shows voltage is recommended - enough potential to flash a light is not necessarily enough potential to deter the larger critters.

 

[McChooky]

I tried something similar when installing my fence but didn't have a tester so I used a weed.Touching the hot wire with it I could feel it tingle so I know it was getting power. (I've ordered a fence tester that will give a digital reading ) Temporarily I disconnected my ground wire from my fencing after hearing popping sounds coming from the trees.
An electrician I called said its possible my hot wires were too close to the fence.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

I tried something similar when installing my fence but didn't have a tester so I used a weed.Touching the hot wire with it I could feel it tingle so I know it was getting power. (I've ordered a fence tester that will give a digital reading ) Temporarily I disconnected my ground wire from my fencing after hearing popping sounds coming from the trees.
An electrician I called said its possible my hot wires were too close to the fence.

When you push a lot of charge, and have a very good ground - as I do with a 30 mi fence charger powering roughly 1 mi in wire, right after it rains, with extra ground rods wired to the main spaced every 200'; or so, yes, you can arc to very close trees, and hear a clicking or popping noise if your wires are (in my case) about 3/8" distance or closer. Its pissible it might ark a little further when the bark is throughly soaked.

I had to replace a number of insulators for just that reason, earlier in the year.

When my soil is dry?? I could probablb double the number of ground rods and still not be happy.

 

[McChooky]

When you push a lot of charge, and have a very good ground - as I do with a 30 mi fence charger powering roughly 1 mi in wire, right after it rains, with extra ground rods wired to the main spaced every 200'; or so, yes, you can arc to very close trees, and hear a clicking or popping noise if your wires are (in my case) about 3/8" distance or closer. Its pissible it might ark a little further when the bark is throughly soaked.

I had to replace a number of insulators for just that reason, earlier in the year.

When my soil is dry?? I could probablb double the number of ground rods and still not be happy.

Soon as I get my tester I'll mess around with it some more to see if I can make it quit arcing. lol

 

[McChooky]

When you push a lot of charge, and have a very good ground - as I do with a 30 mi fence charger powering roughly 1 mi in wire, right after it rains, with extra ground rods wired to the main spaced every 200'; or so, yes, you can arc to very close trees, and hear a clicking or popping noise if your wires are (in my case) about 3/8" distance or closer. Its pissible it might ark a little further when the bark is throughly soaked.

I had to replace a number of insulators for just that reason, earlier in the year.

When my soil is dry?? I could probablb double the number of ground rods and still not be happy.

Thanks for letting me know how you handled the problem!