first timer trying to run electric fence clueless

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

So I have a 2 mile fence charger, plastic step in post, 14 guage electric fence wire, and 1 ground bar like 6 ft shiny metal thing. I need advice on how to set this rig up. I am running it around a 10 x 10 chain link dog kennel.
This is the temporary set up till husband builds better housing in 2 mths. But for now this is where they will be hopefully with the electric fence around it.

Does the charger need to be out of the weather? Like in a little box or something? And when I get that ground pole in the ground will I be able to pull it back up and move to permanent coop site or do I need to put it in the permanent site now and just run the wire over to the temp coop site that is only about 30 ft away. What about water and phone lines?
I am absoutly clueless here.
Thanks for the help!

 

[doubled]

Quote:
call digsafe first i promise you don't want to drive that copper grounding post into an electric or gas line.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Oh digging is not the problem I had all electric, phone and water lines run when we were building I know where they are. I just know that the pole thing should be so far from water and and phone lines due to interference of some kind.
But thanks anyway maybe I should have been more clear in the post.

 

[patandchickens]

Quote:
It depends on the particular charger -- read the instruction booklet that came with it, it'll tell you. IME plug-in chargers ALWAYS have to be housed out of the weather, and battery-operated chargers sometimes.

And when I get that ground pole in the ground will I be able to pull it back up and move to permanent coop site or do I need to put it in the permanent site now and just run the wire over to the temp coop site that is only about 30 ft away.

Well, couple of things here. First, are you going to run anything *except* the coop fence off the charger? If not, honestly you do not need a 6' ground. Just take a 2-3' piece of rebar, jam it in more than halfway, and you're good. Reason being, you don't need a huge deep ground rod if the furthest the electricity ever has to go, to get back to the rod, is like 10-20 feet

If you use a 2-3' of rebar that is only sunk 1-2' into the ground, you can pull that up and move it. If you DO use a proper 6' rod sledged all the way down into the ground, though (e.g. if you are intending to electrify a much longer fence too), you ain't EVER gettin' that puppy back out

so it had better be in a location that is long-term useful.

What about water and phone lines?

Even for a very shallow ground, e.g. the rebar suggestion above, it is best to keep the ground rod at least 50' (preferably further) from buried telephone lines, buried metal water pipes, or the ground rod from a utility pole. You don't want your fence creating noise on the phone line, accidentally electrifying a water line, or risking a massive voltage peak if lightning should be transferred thru a utilities ground.

How are you planning on stringing the wire? Since you mention step-in posts, I am thinking you are planning on running a perimeter fence of wire on step-in posts, some little ways out from the chainlink? Hope so, because that would definitely be your best bet. You may have to tie your corner posts back with string and tent-pegs, or use a t-post for them instead, so the wire stays tight (the lower your bottom wire is set, the more important it is to do everything possible to prevent it sagging and grounding out). If you make the highest wire no more than 3' high, you can easily step over it AFTER TURNING THE FENCE OFF (lol - done it the other way myself more than once

) which is very convenient. I'd suggest having the fence set at least 5' out from the chainlink, ideally even more.

Good luck, have fun,

Pat​

 

[ranchhand]

Hi Letisha, did it not come with directions or at least a diagram? I got mine at TSC and it had some folder diagrams off to the side. I haven't put mine up yet - and I got the stuff last fall!

Wait a sec. let me go look something up.

Okay, mine is a Zareba charger. Here's a link to the how-tos :

http://www.zarebasystems.com/support/installation.aspx

 

[ranchhand]

Pat?

you're my new hero!

 

[mdbokc]

I attached my ground to an established chain link fence. Works very well. By "well established" i mean the bottom 2-3 inches is buried beneath the ground.

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Quote:
I so agree that is exactly what I was looking for! And I will only be using the charger and fence around the coop. I will use the rebarb like you suggested.

It did come with instructions and I do have the zebra 2 mile charge ust like yours. Thanks for the link.
Pat this will be fun only after the chickens are in the thing. This has been a very stressful adventure I have been on.
I will get on running the fence now. You guys are the best!

 

[SimplySplendidSilkies]

Quote:
Do you not have to keep the chain link fence off the ground for that? That was my original idea (you can see some of the 2 x 6's in the back ground) but in doing that the holes left by the unlevel ground were way to obvious. So I backed off that idea and got the fence post.
I came in to take a break and check on some babies hatching today. Not mine someone else's!

 

[mdbokc]

No, the chain link fence having become partially buried over the years is the same as a steel rod driven into the soil. So I simply attached my grounding wire to the upper rail of the fence. Additionally, I have the fence now acting as a direct ground which really makes any simultaneous contact with the chain link and hot wires really powerful, really powerful.