Need help--how to wire electric fence

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I've built a large pen with cattle panels for our two 5 month old Great Pyrenee/Akbash dogs. They dig like no animal I've ever seen, so I'm putting a strand of electric fencing about 9" up inside the panels. I have the insulators in place but don't know how to run the wire. I've borrowed my father-in-laws ancient Sears charger and have a roll of the wire. All I have to do is wire it and plug it in and put my dogs in--I really want to do this now, so they don't have to be chained any more. Father-in-law is not home! Help! I know there's supposed to be a ground rod, and the wire has to go full circle from the charger and back to it, but I need someone to walk me through this. Anyone with an old Sears charger? Thanks in advance, Elizabeth

-- Elizabeth in e tx (kimprice@peoplescom.net), May 09, 2001

Answers

The model number on this electric fencer is 436.77720, and it says "for indoor installation only" --does this mean the charger has to be indoors? Or just covered outside? On the bottom are two places to attach wire: one says "ground." Do I run a wire from that one to the ground rod, and then a separate wire from the other place on teh charger all around my insulators and back to the same place? I hereby declare that I will hold noone responsible for any damage caused by my following any advice I receive here:O) I've done some electrical wiring in our house when we built it, so I do know a little.

-- Elizabeth in e tx (kimprice@peoplescom.net), May 09, 2001.

The charger does have to be indoors as long has it is VERY well covered so it can't get wet, including when windy. The connection marked ground is for attaching a wire to your ground rod. You then run your wire from one pole to another, on the insulators. Then run a wire from the other connection on the charger to that wire. That's all there is too it.

-- David in NH (grayfoxfarm@mcttelecom.com), May 09, 2001.

Elizabeth,you have it just about right.Ground of course goes to the ground rod.Rod should be about 6 feet long and the wire going to it should be fairly heavy copper.The hot wire then goes wherever you want it but does NOT come back to the charger.In very dry weather you may have to wet the dirt around the ground rod.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), May 09, 2001.

Oh,and "covered" outside will be fine.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), May 09, 2001.

Thanks so much! One last question--so the wire does not have to go full circle? I can run it from the charger to my fence; around the fence from insulator to insulator, and stop at the gate? It doesn't have to be spliced together to go all the way around?

-- Elizabeth in e tx (kimprice@peoplescom.net), May 09, 2001.


Nope.It must not re-connect to the charger.Stop it wherever you wish. Circuit is completed when the dog(standing on the ground)touches the hotwire.

-- JT (gone2seed@hotmail.com), May 09, 2001.

thanks a lot! I finished the job and it works great, thanks to you guys. It's pitch black now so I'm gonna wait til morning to put the doggies in.

-- Elizabeth in e tx (kimprice@peoplescom.net), May 09, 2001.

Elizabeth, This may sound cruel but put a little peanut butter on the wire so the dogs learn about the shock right away with you there.

-- Dee (gdgtur@goes.com), May 09, 2001.

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