Our new fence charger says to use 18 guage wire. Can you use a thinner wire, will it harm anything?

-- julie britt (jbritt@ceva.net), January 18, 2002

Answers

Response to electric fence

Hi Julie

Yes, it makes a difference. Thinner wire will reduce the charge flowing through the wire. To get the best from the fencer you've purchased, use the guage of wire they recommend. Also important is that your fence is grounded, and that the animal that will be touching the fence will be grounded when he touches it. Electric fence works best if when the first time the animal touches it, it is such an unpleasant experience that they never want to touch it again. Healthy respect. That's why buying a fencer too small for the animal you are trying to contain is a simple waste of money.

-- B. Kerr (bernadette_kerr@hotmail.com), January 18, 2002.

Response to electric fence

Excellent response. Right on target. They must get a definite negative jolt the very first time, or the whole thing is a waste of time and money.

-- HarleyinFL (cruisindog@juno.com), January 18, 2002.

Response to electric fence

True, true! They know when it is turned off too! I wonder if they can smell the electricity?

-- Susan northern MN (nanaboo@paulbunyan.net), January 18, 2002.

i agree with the other posts and also would recomend a book i got from jeffers it is only 40 pages but it really helped be understand electric fencing. i decided not to go with it at this time but would suggest anyone thinking about getting one or already haveing the fence to get this. it is called electric fencing do it right and i think it was either 2 or 3 dollars.

-- gail missouri ozarks (gef@getgoin.net), January 18, 2002.

Don't know what kind of charger you have, but I've had my solar charger for years and use 17 gauge wire. Don't really think you'd want to go to thinner wire than instructed. (The higher the number, the thinner the wire.)

-- ~Rogo (rogo2222@hotmail.com), January 19, 2002.