Electric Fence Designs
The final design of an electric fence depends the purpose of the fence, the specific site, your budget and time, and personal preferences.
Below, you’ll find examples of design elements to incorporate into your fence, from combinations of hot versus ground wires to gate set ups. Many of these designs are featured in our video guides—”Building a Permanent Electric Fence” and “Modifying an Existing Fence with Offset Electric Wires.”
The designs are organized into the following topics:
Electrified wires and grounding
Wire height and spacing designs
Gate designs
Materials and basics
Electrified Wires and Grounding
An all hot (live) wire electric fence works best in areas with moist soil. When a bear touches an electrified wire, the electricity travels through the animal, into the soil, to the ground rod, and back to the energizer, completing the electrical circuit, which delivers the shock.
A fence with alternating hot (live) wires and ground wires in electric fence allows for an electrical circuit to form in areas with drier soil. When a bear touches an electrified and ground wire simultaneously, the electricity passes through the animal, and back to the energizer through the ground earth system.
A grounding system installed near the electric fence and energizer that shows ground rods buried and connected in series, and connected to the ground terminal on the fence energizer. (Graphic is featured in “Modifying Existing Fence with Offset Electric Wires," video 6.)
Wire Height and Spacing Designs
Variations of wire height and spacing for bear deterrence. (Graphic is featured in "Modifying Existing Fence with Offset Electric Wires," video 2.)
A design for a permanent electric fence using high-tensile wire, alternating hot (+) and ground (-) wires, and a combination of wood posts and composite posts. (Graphic is featured in "Building a Permanent Electric Fence," video 3.)
A permanent electric fence design that modifies an existing woven wire fence by adding offset electric hot (+) wires to the outside of the posts. (Graphic is featured in “Modifying Existing Fence with Offset Electric Wires,” Videos 2 and 3.)
Gate Designs
A permanent electric fence (made with high-tensile wire) and gate design using offset 2x4 inch wood boards to insulate the electrified hot (+) wires off the gate. Electric wires are connected under the gate using insulated burial wire, which will carry the electricity from one section of the fence to the other, even when the gate is open. (Graphic featured in "Building a Permanent Electric Fence," videos 4 and 5.)
A permanent electric fence (that adds offset electric wires to an existing woven wire fence) and gate design using offset 2x4 inch wood boards to insulate the electrified hot (+) wires off the gate. Electric wires are connected under the gate using insulated burial wire, which will carry the electricity from one section of the fence to the other, even when the gate is open. Electric wires are connected under the gate using insulated burial wire, which will carry the electricity from one section of the fence to the other, even when the gate is open. (Graphic featured in "Modifying Existing Fence with Offset Electric Wires," videos 2 and 4.)
A permanent electric fence (that adds offset electric wires to an existing woven wire fence) and gate design using offset 2x4 inch wood boards to insulate the electrified hot (+) wires off the gate. Electric wires and ground wires are connected under the gate using insulated burial wire, which will carry the electricity from one section of the fence to the other, even when the gate is open. (Graphic featured in "Modifying Existing Fence with Offset Electric Wires," videos 2 and 5.)
Electric Fence Materials and Basics
A permanent electric fence design example and the supplies and materials used in the design. (Graphic featured in "Building a Permanent Electric Fence," video 1.)
A permanent electric fence design that modifies an existing woven wire fence using offset electrified wires, along with the supplies and materials used in the design. (Graphic featured in "Building a Permanent Electric Fence," video 4.)
An example of how to line up corners when building a fence. (Graphic featured in "Building a Permanent Electric Fence," video 2.)