Electric fences act as an effective barrier for the containment and protection of cows, sheep, horses, pigs and goats. Whether you're creating a temporary, semi-permanent or permanent electric fence setup, familiarising yourself with the essential electric fence parts and components is absolutely vital before you create your working fence fixture.
Electric fencing serves multiple purposes, from grazing management to keeping animals safe from external predators and preventing livestock from wandering off. They work by creating an electric shock on contact and will therefore act as a method of mental deterrence by quickly and efficiently training your animals to stay away from your electric fence perimeter. A properly assembled and installed electric fence is a humane way to protect and contain your livestock, while also giving them relative freedom within a specified section of your farmland.
At Waterman's Country Supplies, you'll be able to find electric fence starter kits, poultry net kits and paddock kits to deal with simpler requirements. However, for larger and more complex electric fence enclosures, you'll need to get a handle on the must-have installation essentials and accessories to create a complete electric fence system.
So, what parts do I need to install an electric fence?
In our latest blog, we'll guide you through the key supplies you need to create a successful, reliable and fully operational electric fence, along with the crucial accessories you need to make sure your electric fence is functioning properly.
The foundation to any electric fence. An electric fence energiser works by converting electrical power into high voltage pulses, sending these pulses of electrical current along your fence wire to create an electric shock that will repel and deter livestock and predators alike.
A Waterman's Country Supplies, you'll find a wide range of energisers to suit your needs. From mains powered fencing energisers to solar powered solutions, energiser trappers, Combi Fencers and much more.
Electric Fence Batteries & Solar Power
You'll likely require a battery to power your electric fence energiser, so, depending on what you need, we highly recommend the use of a 12V or 9V battery - specifically designed to be used for electric fencing purposes. Car batteries or leisure batteries are not recommended as a suitable substitute for a proper electric fence battery as they won't deliver power effectively enough over a long period of time.
We offer Horizont Combi External Batteries that are ideal for beginners and hobby animal owners using small fence systems for the house, yard and garden. You can also purchase dry batteries and even solar cells that charge batteries using the sun's rays.
Not only is electric fence wire a lot safer than barbed wire or similarly aggressive fencing methods, it's also a much more effective deterrent. The electrical pulses created by the energiser will travel along your electric fence wire, tape or cable, surging all the way around your fence perimeter. Electric fence tape will act as more of an effective visual deterrent whereas electric fence rope or wire is ideal for windy areas and is less likely to be damaged in stormy conditions or exposed landscapes.
Electric fence posts will create the outline shape and perimeter boundaries of your electric fence system. You can choose from a selection of colours, styles and sizes to suit your exact requirements, but at the top of your list should always be quality and durability. When your electric fence wire is arranged around your fence posts you'll need to make sure that they're properly spaced. This is to ensure that nothing comes into contact with your electric fence system that could disturb the electric current passing through it.
Many of our fence posts can be used multiple different ways and are made from an innovative polypropylene design that improves stability and kick resistance.
Our high quality, durable and corrosion resistant insulators are vital if you're using either trees or wooden or metal posts to create an electric fence system. For your electric fence to work, the conductor must not touch the post so that you maintain the highest voltage possible and simultaneously prevent the electric fence wire from earthing out.
Once your electric fence is installed, it's important that you test to make sure your fencing setup is working as it should be and monitor its effectiveness throughout the fencing system's lifespan. Whether you need to check for faults, interruptions or ongoing performance - or simply to make sure that the wire is actually live - you can find all your electric fence add-ons in our previous blog: 5 Crucial Electric Fence Accessories You Need To Own.
