Electric fence advice.

[U_Stormcrow]

Copper pipes are so expensive. What are options for grounding rods?

Don't want to use copper anyways. Copper grounding rods are for copper wired homes. If you use copper grounding with galvanized steel electric fencing, you do that science experiment that moves metal from one source to another - galvanic corrosion. It will greatly reduce the lifespan of your fence.

You can use either galvanized rods, or simply drive heavy rebar into your soil. Rebar is cheaper, but in corrosive soils (like clay), it will have a shorter service life. SO use thicker rebar. Its (comparatively) cheap. Like 1/6th the price, last I checked.

 

[Aunt Angus]

Don't want to use copper anyways. Copper grounding rods are for copper wired homes. If you use copper grounding with galvanized steel electric fencing, you do that science experiment that moves metal from one source to another - galvanic corrosion. It will greatly reduce the lifespan of your fence.

You can use either galvanized rods, or simply drive heavy rebar into your soil. Rebar is cheaper, but in corrosive soils (like clay), it will have a shorter service life. SO use thicker rebar. Its (comparatively) cheap. Like 1/6th the price, last I checked.

This! And don't skimp on grounding rods. I learned this the hard way.

 

[U_Stormcrow]

^^^ The difference between a working fence and not is GOOD GROUNDING.
My fence includes a bit less than 5 acres. The individual strands are about 1/3 mile each. When it rains (and it rains here often) you can hear the potential current jumping to wet tree bark, etc in spite of the insulators. When we go weeks w/o rain, as happens occasionally, my sandy clay soils are such poor conductors that you could grab the hot wire (rated at 1.2 joules, 30 miles) and feel nothing but a mild buzz.

I added 8 additional grounding rods - 5/8" steel rebar, 6-8' in length (leftover from building my house). Now, even when the soil is dry, you can't grab the wire. Its stopped hog-hunting dogs, and at least one hog. Cost of that rebar (at the time) was around $35, about the same as the cost of a single copper grounding rod, about half again as much as a single galvanized steel rod.

 

[Aunt Angus]

^^^ The difference between a working fence and not is GOOD GROUNDING.
My fence includes a bit less than 5 acres. The individual strands are about 1/3 mile each. When it rains (and it rains here often) you can hear the potential current jumping to wet tree bark, etc in spite of the insulators. When we go weeks w/o rain, as happens occasionally, my sandy clay soils are such poor conductors that you could grab the hot wire (rated at 1.2 joules, 30 miles) and feel nothing but a mild buzz.

I added 8 additional grounding rods - 5/8" steel rebar, 6-8' in length (leftover from building my house). Now, even when the soil is dry, you can't grab the wire. Its stopped hog-hunting dogs, and at least one hog. Cost of that rebar (at the time) was around $35, about the same as the cost of a single copper grounding rod, about half again as much as a single galvanized steel rod.

Yes! I don't have near as much fencing, but after rain or snow, the fence would be putting out half of what it did dry. I added 2 more rods, and it's not an issue anymore.

 

[dianefbarfield]

They sell grounding rods specifically for fencing. Not very expensive.

The only ones Tractor Supply had were copper. Same with Lowes. $27 each.

 

[Aunt Angus]

The only ones Tractor Supply had were copper. Same with Lowes. $27 each.

Maybe they're out??? You might try a fencing supply place.

And there's rebar, too.