Polywire Perimeter Help Needed

[Bodhisan]

My dear smart people, I want to run polywire around the perimeter of our outdoor run, which is about a 50' x 9-10' rectangle. I've scoured many, many tube videos, but can't find an A-Z "here's what you need to do," especially as it pertains to size of the run vs. how many grounds I need, how deep, etc. What I would like to do is have two lines, one at about 6" off the ground, and another around 18". We have bobcats, raccoons, and coyotes (although I don't think we've had a coyote climb our 6' perimeter fencing to get into the backyard - but we've had visits from both raccoons and bobcats.

What would you recommend for: (1) Poles; (2) how many grounds (and can I get away with 3' grounding poles, as our soils is hard and ROCKY) for approximately 240' of line; (3) I'm pretty sure I saw I don't need to complete a circuit with the line, but can just run the two lines together into the positive on the charger, and however many ground wires to the ground on the charger - is this true? And (4) how far away from the run should I have these lines?

If anyone is ambitious and kind and has the time, directing me to a drawing/schematic would really help, as I'm a very visual learner.

Thank you in advance.

 

[azygous]

I've had a hot wire installation around by runs and coops for many years. I have a solar fence charger which is grounded, but no other grounding devices have been employed. I run a continuous wire from the charger directly to the run and it wraps around everything on the two levels you are thinking about. I use screw-in plastic insulators and steal post insulators (yellow) to hold the hot wire away from the sides at about two to four inches. Any closer and wild birds landing on the hot wire could make contact with the metal fencing and get electrocuted.

This set-up has repelled bears, bobcats, and foxes. I've watched in satisfation as a bear samples the peanut butter I bait the wire with and do a graceful leap and mid-air 180 and run off at a speed normally not associated with a quarter-ton animal.

 

[Bodhisan]

Wow - dare I say Fort Knox. Very helpful information, azygous. Is there just the beginning (or end) wire hooked up to the positive on your charger, with another wire coming from your ground pole? How deep is your grounding pole into the ground? What charger do you have?

 

[Bodhisan]

A further question: For 250' or so of poly wire, I'm assuming 0.1 joules is plenty. Also, would that need to have its own circuit breaker if I don't use solar?

 

[azygous]

Yes, the only ground wire I have comes off the negative terminal on the charger and that is clamped to a copper grounding rod that goes a couple feet into the soil. It should be much deeper, but I get around that by dumping coop wash water around the grounding rod each day. Wet soil acts as a superb ground.

I have such an old charger, they don't even make it any more. But it's entire adequate for several miles of wire. I don't know about the circuit breaker. It's not relevant to a solar charger.

This isn't rocket science. Charger, grounded to a copper rod, and hot wire held away from being grounded by insulators, of which there are all sorts of styles for every type surface. If the wire touches a structure at any point, it renders the entire installation non-functioning.

 

[Bodhisan]

Thanks for your input - so much appreciated.