E fence...2 separate enclosures from 1 charger?

[Tap]

I want to charge 2 plots with 1 one charger (Gallagher solar unit). The main plot is one acre and the 2nd one will be 3/4 acre or less and it's about 100 feet away from the corner of the main plot, so I'll need to run a jump wire from one plot to the other.
I assume that I can run an insulated wire between the 2 plots in order to charge the 2nd one.
I'm not sure what type of wire I need or any other considerations I haven't thought of.
I will need a quick disconnect in the jumper wire to get the tractor through, or I'd have to bury it...not really crazy about digging a shallow trench through roots and rocks, though.
Any opinions?
Thanks.

 

[NWWI]

I have heard of people doing it. I bought a Parmak solar charger and they recommended using solid aluminum wire for fence hook ups. As long as you don't exceed the distance of the fence it should work good.

 

[Catscratch]

You can do it easy enough. You don't need an insulated wire to jump from one plot to the next, you can use regular e-wire if you want. Might be cheaper or easier to do it that way.
If you don't want to bury the line for a tractor crossing you can run it higher than your tractor. We sometimes put insulators high up in trees so that we can drive under the jumper instead of always having to get out and open a gate. Tall posts work too.

 

[Tap]

You can do it easy enough. You don't need an insulated wire to jump from one plot to the next, you can use regular e-wire if you want. Might be cheaper or easier to do it that way.
If you don't want to bury the line for a tractor crossing you can run it higher than your tractor. We sometimes put insulators high up in trees so that we can drive under the jumper instead of always having to get out and open a gate. Tall posts work too.

If I don't use insulated wire, I'm thinking that I will have to pay closer attention to foliage and stuff that may make contact (and ground) with the uninsulated wire. Won't an insulated wire require (almost) zero maintenance?

W. Pa.

 

[Catscratch]

You are right in that you would need to keep foliage off bare wire and insulation keeps that in check. It does require less maintenance but; mice chew on insulation, deer walk into it and knock it down, limbs fall on it, etc... so it will still need checked often.

 

[Tap]

You are right in that you would need to keep foliage off bare wire and insulation keeps that in check. It does require less maintenance but; mice chew on insulation, deer walk into it and knock it down, limbs fall on it, etc... so it will still need checked often.

Yeah. Is there such a thing as a zero maintenance, zero labor, zero weed, zero invasive, zero headache wildlife habitat program?
Just kidding. A lot of this habitat stuff is becoming ALMOST as fun as actually hunting. (I said "almost")
(Did I ever mention how much I despise mice?)
Thanks for the advice.

 

[Tap]

So, do I need anything special in insulated wire to make a 100 foot run? Any minimum gage wire? This isn't a bad a** charger like some guys use comparable to the electric chair. It's one of Gallagher's smaller units and made for smaller systems.

 

[Catscratch]

Yeah. Is there such a thing as a zero maintenance, zero labor, zero weed, zero invasive, zero headache wildlife habitat program?
Just kidding. A lot of this habitat stuff is becoming ALMOST as fun as actually hunting. (I said "almost")
(Did I ever mention how much I despise mice?)
Thanks for the advice.

Love the habitat thing too! Like you said; almost as much as hunting.

I hate mice too! I've had an infestation in my daily driver. I've caught 8 in my car in the last week. I was so happy this morning when I checked my "trap line" that I didn't have any mice and my bait was still there. I park away from grass and brush... and the damn things are still getting into it. I'm dreading the day that my electrical system gets all chewed up due to one of them.

 

[don]

So do you have any new information to add to this thread from 2017 Tap ?
I have a Parmak https://www.circlecsupply.com/deluxe-field-solar-pak-6-fence-charger.html and curious in hooking up to two plots as well, any input you or anyone else may have would certainly be appreciated.

 

[Tap]

So do you have any new information to add to this thread from 2017 Tap ?
I have a Parmak https://www.circlecsupply.com/deluxe-field-solar-pak-6-fence-charger.html and curious in hooking up to two plots as well, any input you or anyone else may have would certainly be appreciated.

No I don't. Last summer was not good for me. I had a terrible illness that laid me up...had over 30 fevers as high as 105. I did almost zero plotting...just a little throw and mow. I certainly wasn't up to getting my e fence in order.


Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

 

[yoderjac]

If I don't use insulated wire, I'm thinking that I will have to pay closer attention to foliage and stuff that may make contact (and ground) with the uninsulated wire. Won't an insulated wire require (almost) zero maintenance?

W. Pa.

As long as the charger is rated for your total linear footage you will be fine. I would use insulated wire. The heavier gauge, the less resistance and less loss. When I have done things like that, I've just grabbed 12nm. You don't need more expensive UF or anything like that, you just want to make sure the wire is not grounded. If you use insulated wire, you can just lay it on the ground, or if want to mow that area, you can even trench and burry it. The other option is to simply use uninsulated electric fence wire, but you need to support that with insulated posts from field to field so it is not grounded.

If you are using a Gallagher-style design where everything is hot, you're done. If you are using a design with a cold wire, I'd consider using a grounding rod in each field.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I use to have cattle, and had several different areas fenced off so to let the grass grow up without the cattle in. After fighting keeping wires up from deer, mice, tree branches, myself running it over, I just bought a couple used solar chargers and ran one on each area. It ended up being so worth the cost of a couple good used fencers.

 

[don]

No I don't. Last summer was not good for me. I had a terrible illness that laid me up...had over 30 fevers as high as 105. I did almost zero plotting...just a little throw and mow. I certainly wasn't up to getting my e fence in order.


Sent from my SM-G935V using Tapatalk

Sorry Tap, I did not know that. Hope all is well for you now and this season will work out better for you in every regard.

 

[don]

As long as the charger is rated for your total linear footage you will be fine. I would use insulated wire. The heavier gauge, the less resistance and less loss. When I have done things like that, I've just grabbed 12nm. You don't need more expensive UF or anything like that, you just want to make sure the wire is not grounded. If you use insulated wire, you can just lay it on the ground, or if want to mow that area, you can even trench and burry it. The other option is to simply use uninsulated electric fence wire, but you need to support that with insulated posts from field to field so it is not grounded.

If you are using a Gallagher-style design where everything is hot, you're done. If you are using a design with a cold wire, I'd consider using a grounding rod in each field.

Thanks,

Jack

It will be Gallagher style fencing using step in posts and T posts if and where needed. I will use buried insulated wire from one plot to the next, just not sure how far I could run the wire and still not run in to a resistance issue resulting in to low of a voltage to be effective on the more distant plot, maybe 100 yards or so if possible. I will be using polytape and poly rope for each plot with the required insulators.
Thank you for the input so far all......don

 

[yoderjac]

It will be Gallagher style fencing using step in posts and T posts if and where needed. I will use buried insulated wire from one plot to the next, just not sure how far I could run the wire and still not run in to a resistance issue resulting in to low of a voltage to be effective on the more distant plot, maybe 100 yards or so if possible. I will be using polytape and poly rope for each plot with the required insulators.
Thank you for the input so far all......don

100 yards is a pretty long way. The heavier gauge wire you run, the less the resistance. Use a tester to see if you are still effective on the other field. Keep in mind that depending on the length of the run which drives the gauge of the wire you will use, it may be just as cost effective to buy a second charger.

You may want to put the fencer between the two fields.

Thanks,

Jack

 

[don]

Exactly what my thoughts are too now Jack. After checking the price of the heavier gauge wire that would be required it would be smarter to just purchase another charger and eliminate any voltage drop issues. Even placing the solar charger between the two could end up being an expensive experiment that may or may not work for my needs.
Glad I asked, this is the first time using electric fencing for the plots so all of the input received is very much appreciated....don

 

[Tap]

Exactly what my thoughts are too now Jack. After checking the price of the heavier gauge wire that would be required it would be smarter to just purchase another charger and eliminate any voltage drop issues. Even placing the solar charger between the two could end up being an expensive experiment that may or may not work for my needs.
Glad I asked, this is the first time using electric fencing for the plots so all of the input received is very much appreciated....don

Please excuse my shortcomings in understanding electrical stuff, but if a charger can charge, say 1/4 mile or more of fence, then why would we need heavier ga wire for a jumper? Doesn't the jumped section essentially just extend fence? If turbo tape can handle the charge over that distance, then why do we need heavier wire when used as a jumper? Turbo wire and fence wire is fairly fine ga. I'm confused (obviously).

 

[4wanderingeyes]

I think it’s because between the 2 plots, and the transfer wires would bring the voltage pretty low.

 

[Buckly]

Even the smaller chargers seem to go a mile or two. I would just use the same wire. If it’s just a couple hundred feet your not going to lose anything. I wouldn’t waste time or money on insulation either. It’s nothing to make sure the wire is clear. If there are trees just use insulators. The grounding is the big key for higher voltage. I don’t use cheap stuff. I use regular copper clad rods with the proper clamps .

 

[don]

Interesting observations.....my Parmak 6 volt solar charger is rated for 25 miles of total fence wire combined (one outer strand of turbotape and two inner strands of polywire) but I am sure that is under very ideal conditions and with proper grounding. Copper clad ground rods will be used, probably 6 ft each and more than likely 3 of them.