Electric fence, how far through flex cable?

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
As small pieces hanging off at intervals or along the whole length?

Along the whole length. Cable ties are cheap enough. I take some in my pocket when I go around with the dogs and tie up anywhere that sags and occasionally tighten it up by undoing the end and retying. Once they know where it is, they won't go near it anyway.
 
Don’t bother with the twin and earth cable it’s only good for less than 1000 volts and the joints where you connect to the fence lines will corrode in time Better bite the bullet and use proper lead out cable and bolt every joint too not wrap around. Have 2 miles of 2 strand of ht wire on top of 2 ft sheepwire and there’s the same power at the fencer unit as the far end

@jonny . Where do you get the bolts from? I assume they are specially made with a hole in. What guage wire do you use and what fencer have you got for that distance? We've only completed about a mile of HT wire but will double that within a year I expect.
 
Water pipe definitely breaks down and leaks voltage over time, so not ideal for threading ordinary fencing wire through, especially underground. I would always put lead out wire under a gateway through a pipe, but only for protection.

We used to make post insulators out of 6” lengths of water pipe years ago, stapled onto wooden stakes to fence most of the farm for cows. After a few years (Maybe decades ?) a lot would ‘crack‘ through to the post in a wet time.
They were only cheaper than buying packs of proper insulators if you made good use of cheap child labour (me at the time).

I've had an electric shock off a damp post before, didn't realise what was going on initially.
 

sheepwise

Member
Location
SW Scotland
Don’t bother with the twin and earth cable it’s only good for less than 1000 volts and the joints where you connect to the fence lines will corrode in time Better bite the bullet and use proper lead out cable and bolt every joint too not wrap around. Have 2 miles of 2 strand of ht wire on top of 2 ft sheepwire and there’s the same power at the fencer unit as the far end
Can you explain what you mean by bolting the joints please? I'm sure we are losing power with wrap around wire joins here.
 

Ukjay

Member
Location
Wales!
Can you explain what you mean by bolting the joints please? I'm sure we are losing power with wrap around wire joins here.

Probably referring to these methods which you will find in the above linked page that @Ffermer Bach put up (other suppliers available)

Screen Shot 2020-06-23 at 08.54.09.png


Screen Shot 2020-06-23 at 08.53.11.png





 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
Any good ideas to raise the visibility of steel wire? I've seen people talk about hanging plastic bags on, but I feel they might come off and get eaten, same with tinfoil (although being conductive would be better than bags while on the line).

IKWYM, especially with young stock. I run a 1cm tape alongside the steel or plastic fence to educate them. It makes the annoying little sods that run under (or through) a fence think for a second and often encourages a lick or sniff. Job done then on most cases.

Used it first on lambs coming onto turnips, which improved teh chance of them still being there in the morning...
 

Timbo

Member
Location
Gods County
I would like to put mains electric fence around the farm. The main obstacle are the buildings and yards.

The proper lead out cable is quite expensive but we have loads of flexible cable and twin and earth cable.

I have read somewhere that you should only use the lead out cable but I don't know what the problem would be with the flex.

Does anyone know if you can use the flex and how far it could be used? Have some runs of 100m where we need insulated wire.

Standard mains cable insulation a) is not UV stable so will rot and b) is not rated for 10,000v and will leak - so your fence wont work. Only use the proper thing and if underground put it inside some 20mm MDPE water pipe. You're fencing the perimeter of the farm for say 25yrs so do the job properly.
 

jonny

Member
Location
leitrim
Can you explain what you mean by bolting the joints please? I'm sure we are losing power with wrap around wire joins here.

First picture is what I would normally use but can make them up like 2nd picture using a galvanise bolt and washers bending the sides of the washer in the vice to hold the wires in
IMG_1004.JPG
IMG_1005.JPG
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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