Electric Fence DIY for electrically impaired

[N80]

First, despite years of education in other matters, I am a total moron when it comes to electricity and I need some help.

I have a 120 x 120 foot plot of sweetcorn. The last two years it has been wiped out by lack of rain and deer. I can't do much about the rain and all the home remedies have failed for the deer.

So I want to try an electric fence. The plot is about 30 yards in front of my cabin so I'll have a place to plug it in.

So, I'll need a charger, some poly-wire, some plastic posts. What else will I need and need to know? Any help would be appreciated.

The chargers don't cost too much. How about the wire and posts?

(By the time I'm done I should be able to get delicious, fresh, sweet corn at about $2 an ear!)

 

[radioman]

:laughing: you want to put up a electric fence to keep deer out?

Its kinda hard to say this nicely into words, but its not gonna happen. deer can jump 7 feet high if they wanted to to get into the area. You are better off witht deer deterants that some people claim that works which is based on smell. human pee, human hair (collected from hair cut place) bar of irish soap. rigging fishing lines to tell deer that there is something there that they can't see and will run off. It works for my dad, but not me for the fishin lines.

 

[N80]

Yep. I know all that, but as mentioned, all the other stuff has failed (utterly) so I might as well try this one. A friend has a diagram showing how to position the wire at two levels to deter crawling under and jumping over. He says it works for him. He's a wildlife biologist for what its worth.

Anyway, I'm just looking for the technical info about what I need to buy and how to wire it all up. This might be a complete failure too but I'm willing to try it.

 

[20 20]

I installed a electric fence to keep bears out of my bee hives and deer away from my apple trees, it has worked great so far. I did have to repair when the bear got tangled in it but he has not tried again since. I used metal post with insulters and steel wire, and a cheaper power unit. I occassionally like to test it and make sure it's working, usually cracks people up that are watching :laughing:. I forget it's on and grab ahold of it

 

[LarryD]

There are plastic stand offs made for T-posts, most farm stores carry these. I would try to make the fence at least 6' tall. Deer can jump that but the deer around here will try to wiggle between the tape we use and usually get a lesson on why this is a bad idea.

Don't forget some type of ground rod or two. A good length of rebar will do.

 

[Chuck52]

I kept deer out of a corn plot a few years ago with an electric fence. Standard t-posts and three strands, I think. I've got lots of deer, but the fence worked for them. I baited it with peanut butter on aluminum foil. I never saw any sign of deer in the lot. However, the coons got in and took all the corn in a 30x60 plot. I don't know if they managed to slide under the low wire or what, but the charger was a battery operated one and may simply have not been strong enough to zap them if it just got their fur.

Chuck

 

[N80]

I've got some ground rods lying around.

Couple of questions:

Does the charger need to be located out of the weather? I can put it under the porch.

Does the charger plug into a basic 110 outlet?

Does the fence have to be a complete loop? In other words, does it have to connect back onto itself?

Thanks.

 

[Chuck52]

If coons are a problem, I'd consider running chicken wire around the bottom and grounding it and having a hot wire just above that. Then when the coons tried to climb in they would get a good zap. That plan also means you don't have to be quite so scrupulous about weeds.

Chuck

 

[valley]

Greetings, An Electric Fence has done the job for us. We have a 6' horse wire fence with 9 strands of charged wire standing off of that and a nice hot charger: 9.3 joules. If you want to add a couple strands above that it's easy.
Our fence has kept out racoon, bear and deer. We put it up to keep out bear two years ago, it was well worth doing.
The wire we used was about 10 guage gal.
Yes! it does need to be kept out of the weather

Richard

 

[nybirdman]

I put a electric fence to keep the coons out of my pheasant pens..works well.
For deer you are better off with a "sight barrier" they won't jump if they can't see the other side.E fence doesn't have to loop,the ground rods complete the circut.Most chargers are 110 volt,should be under cover:there are also solar chargers.I put my 110 volt on a night time sensor;it 's only on at nite for coons,no problem with the dogs or grandkids getting shocked.