How Does An Electric Fence Work

An electric fence can be either battery or mains powered, using an energiser unit which converts the power into high voltage pulses. If the wire carrying the pulse is touched by an animal, the current passes through the animal to the ground, and this effect gives a shock. As the animal realises that the fence causes pain it quickly learns to stay away and the fence becomes both a physical and psychological boundary. Electric fencing is considered far safer than a lot of conventional fencing methods as the energiser emits the pulse once every 1-2 seconds and it lasts for only a fraction of a second whereas barbed wire has been known to cause injury.

An electric fence is made up of 4 main components:

  1. An energiser which can be either mains, battery powered or both
  2. Conducting line which makes up the actual barrier. This can be electric netting, poly-tape, wire, poly-rope or twine.This carries the current along the fence and is what the animal in the field will touch
  3. Good insulation of the line so the power does not leak to earth
  4. An earth stake that takes the current back to the energiser.

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