Fence Wire Tips and Advise

Electric fence wire conducts the electric current from the fence energiser along the fence. Review the wire options appropriate to the type of fence being installed. The height and spacing of the wires will vary with the animal being contained. Some typical examples of wire spacing options are shown below. Rutland Electric Fencing Company supplies a wide selection of fence wire ranging from high tensile steel, stranded steel and high-density polyethylene strands woven with stainless steel wire, including poly wire, poly tape and poly rope. These combination poly wires provide the lightweight, durable and easy-handling qualities of UV protected polyethylene. Wire Selection Guide Electric Fence Poly Wire Poly wire is a good fencing choice for temporary fences as it tends to be more visible than steel wire. It is lightweight thus making it easy to handle, install and rewind when used as a portable fence. It is less durable than steel but well suited to strip grazing and is easily tensioned if used with one of Rutland’s reels, and it can be repaired quickly and easily. Poly wire is ideal for temporary grazing, strip or rotational grazing and general pasture and pet control. This product should only be used with slow moving animals such as dairy cows and is not advised for horses. Electric Fence Poly Tape Rutland’s electric poly tape provides greater visibility than poly wire and is therefore more suitable for fast moving animals. Reinforced edges help protect the tape from wear and tear. Joining poly tape is easy (Part No. 30-160, 30-161, 30-151, and 30-156). Use a poly tape tensioner to maintain tape tension as needed. As tape is subject to increased wear in windy conditions, always select the narrowest tape appropriate to the application. Generally we do not recommend 40mm wide tape in these areas except on permanent installations using high specification insulators. High wind resistance of wide tape will tend to blow the fence over and the wear rate increases so life expectancy will be lower than alternatives. Electric Fence Poly Rope Poly rope has less visibility than tape but is substantially more durable thus making it a good choice for a fence line particularly in exposed areas. It is stronger than poly wire and has stainless steel strands woven through the rope. The steel strands ensure good electrical energy is carried through the fence line at all times. Use joiner (Part No. 30-125 to maintain a sound connection. High Tensile Steel Wire A high tensile fence system requires many unique components and is ideal for permanent installation particularly for very long farm fences. Although not right for every type of animal or enclosure, a high tensile fence is affordable, attractive, easy to maintain and can last 20 years. High tensile wire (Part No. 23-505) and other components are available from Rutland. See the high tensile tab for more details. NOTE: Barbed wire is not recommended as an electric fence conductor – Remember that an electric fence is a psychological barrier, not a physical one, so it normally requires fewer posts and strands of wire than a conventional fence. Barbed wire and woven wire fences are more likely to be damaged by animals and animals are more likely to be damaged by them. Because animals seldom come into contact with an electric fence more than a few times during the learning process, it can also last longer than a conventional fence.