[WI-beek]

I need to buy another electric fencer. Do I need to have 9600 volts to keep bears away? How about wire, steel or aluminum? How about from fencer to fence and gournd, copper?

I bought a new fencer last year and no matter what I did I hardly ever got the light to flash. At first I though the light was bad. I bought a tester and it said it was good. I sanded my grounds and redid them and barely got a flash out of the light. I grew up in a farming family and have plenty of experience building fence and I know nothing is shorting out. I did however never install the fencer it self. Do you need to run copper to grounds and fence.

Anyway, I need to build another fence where I plan on putting a few hives this summer where bears are seen every year and I will not be able to see these from a drive by and wont be able to stop by more then once every two weeks or so. Point being I want to make sure I use enough power, and the right stuff.

Advise Please!!

 

[Ron Mann]

How dry is the ground?

If the ground around your rod is to dry or not deep enough your charger will not work efficiently.

I use a 6 foot grounding rod and have had no problems with any of my fence chargers.

Also as a precaution, during the the dry summer months, I'll pour a 5 gallon bucket of water on the grounding rod to ensure the soil stays moist.

 

[Michael Palmer]

I use steel wire from the farm store. If you don't have power, the Gallagher B-11 or the Speedright AN-90 both work well. Both use either D cell batteries or 12v deep cycle marine battery. Never had a bear go through a fence yet.

 

[JPK]

Patriot Fence Controllers are excellent....I use the P20 and it will run off 12v or 110. Delivers 2 joules of power to Boo Boo Bear.....more than enough for any predator....they make a P30 that will go up to 3j as I recall....just overkill inho.

The ability to go back and forth between 12v/110 comes in handy to be able to go back and forth as needed.

I use 3 strands of tape and avoid wire because critters don't see the wire but DO see the tape....especially if you bait it....

2Joules of power to the tongue of a critter will send them to the moon....had a bear stalking my fence last summer....pacing back and forth in front of it....had obviously taken a shot through the bacon on the fence and didn't want to get within 10 feet of that fence.....a pack of firecrackers tossed at boo boo sent him packing permanently....never came back after that.

 

[runner_114]

All good advice stay away from aluminum wire it breaks if you get akink in it, never used tape but i think it will work great, gallager has solar models ,12 volt and 110 not sure if they have a 110/12 volt.good luck dont have bears in kansas but Ihave to keep 10 bulls away from the cows

 

[Jeffzhear]

"All good advice stay away from aluminum wire it breaks if you get akink in it,..."

Most of my yards have aluminum wire and it works fine. I've backed into it a few times....My butt is scarred!

I have many with galvanized and those fences work fine too.

I have parmak and zareba fencers. I think all are above 4000V and they work fine.

 

[Bear Creek Steve]

WI-Beek,

Here is a copy of one of my previous posts regarding bears. It may provide you with some more info. My bears will be out within the next 10-14 days. Regards, Steve

"I live in bear country and before I got my first colony I built my bear fence. It consists of three 16'X4' cattle panels, one cut in half to make a 8'X16' yard. Four corners consist of heavy steel pipe with fiber optics conduit slid over as an insulator. The cattle panels are secured to the insulation and off the ground. The panels are wired together with bare copper wire and soldered. This is the "hot" side.
I use a Paramak brand Magnum 12 volt solar fence charger which is expensive but of reliable quality to charge the system. (Shop for best $)
CO is very arid so I put an 18" wide "skirt" of sheet metal on the ground 6" outside the cattle panels & spiked to the ground. Chicken wire would also work. The fence charger is grounded to an 8' copper clad ground rod & all of the "skirt" is bare copper wired/soldered together & tied to the ground rod. System has been tested by the bears & it works well. Look at http://www.kencove.com/fence/76_Bear+Fence_resource.php for info. Good luck & be safe. "

 

[runner_114]

Most of my yards have aluminum wire and it works fine. I've backed into it a few times....My butt is scarred!

I have many with galvanized and those fences work fine too.

I have parmak and zareba fencers. I think all are above 4000V and they work fine.

Thanks for not including pics, It does work good, mine just gets beat up after a few years with cattle , on long streaches of 4 or more miles.

 

[JohnK and Sheri]

Why not ask John when you stop by. He's been keeping bears out of our yards for years under the same conditions you will face. He'd be happy to show you the connections he uses.
Sheri

 

[WI-beek]

Why not ask John when you stop by. He's been keeping bears out of our yards for years under the same conditions you will face. He'd be happy to show you the connections he uses.
Sheri

Im planing on it!! I also know how busy you guys are and I always feel guilty when I take up your time. If you folks were lawyers, Id be broke for life!!

Im really worried about bears now. My main yard had a bear on a deer trail camera about 60 yards away. It must have smelled my hives, huh. My uncle said that fence has to be working. The other yard Ill be using for the basswood flow is not any safer. That yard bing owned by another uncle sees bears every year too. They are less afraid every year. Up north in Barns at my parents cabin, you may have a bear look right in the window at ya and just walk off. They aint scared at all up there. Anyway, I just want to make sure the first time a bear tests my fence, its the last. I looked on the Wisconsin DNR website last year for bear abatement claims which there were hundreds of open claims in the state, and not one had a kill permit, not one.

Thanks, for all the good advice. I like the choice of battery or 110. I dont think I will ever use 110 though. Then I would have to worry about how much juice Im using cause nothings on my land. Thanks again for info. I was really surprised to see so many responses so fast.

 

[markmaster]

DANG!! After reading this thread, I realize that, no matter how many dogs, goats, and stray cattle rattle my hives....... I have NOTHING to complain about! Y'all stay safe up there ---

 

[WI-beek]

I meant to respond earlier to the posts in response to my questions but I have been busy at work and have had a nasty head cold that kept me from dont much of anything that I did not have to like work.

Ron Mann

I dont think the ground is to dry. I used three electric fence posts for my ground and hose clamped the wire to them. I think the first thing I will do is get a 8 foot pipe and pound it 6 feet down and hope I see a good flash then. I have read about the water trick but my tester said the thing was working so I amused my light was bad until I sanded my posts and reground ed my wire but that only worked for a while. My fencer is only one joule and I want to go bigger with my next one.

JPK

I used five strands of wire, one four inches of the ground to make sure skunks stayed out. Only problem with this is I have to weed whack all the time to keep it from contacting the grass. One thing my uncle pointed out is that bears around here have to go through electric fences all the time. You cant hardly find a square mile around here that does not have cattle and electric fence so I assume bears are used to getting zapped a bit. This makes me consider 3 Joules of power. Enough to make the bear think he just got struck by lightning, LOL.

steel versus aluminum - aluminum is supposed to be a better conductor and dont rust but Im a bit worried about it breaking myself. However I might give it a try cause its cheaper and dont rust.

Bear Creek Steve

Do you have any pics of your set up. I would like to see it. I have a bit of a hard time picturing it in my head.

One last thing folks. Is there a good place to get these fencers on line. I used farm and fleet last time. I want the best deal. Oh yeah. Can I just buy the solar panel for charging or do you have to get all the stuff together. Now that I have the time I will search the recommended chargers and see what I find. I got to get this thing moving along fast.

 

[alpha6]

Here are pics of my fence to include a sketch and supplies list.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/[email protected]/sets/72157620927612220/

I use the MAGNUM 12 SOLAR-PAK by Parmak. http://www.parmakusa.com/Fencers/solar2.htm Packs about 9600 volts and averages on my tester at around 8000. Ground is the most important thing so make sure it's grounded correctly and the fence is off the ground.

I had two bears kept out of yards by this set up. It's also the one recommended by the Colorado Div. of Wildlife.

 

[WI-beek]

I have a battery power fencer that has been a lemon since I bought it last year I think. No matter what I did I could not get the light to flash. My tester said I was getting over 3000 volts. I bougt a 8 foot ground rod and put it in over 5 feet and still not flash. Im reading about a thousand volts now. I got a solar fence with a five foot ground rod and the light lite right up and is testing good. So I think the battery fencer has had something wrong with it since I bought it. I need to replace this piece of warranty-less piece of crap fast. I already had one run in with bears and thats enough. Anyway, I cant find voltage output or what the heck a joule is on any fencer in the stores. This one is at Menards on sale for $60 right now.

http://www.fishock.com/store/electric-fence-charger/ss-2000x

Of course it says nothing on the box at store so I had to look it up when I got home. It says 10 KV which converts to 10000 volts. I dont trust this so I want to ask you folks what you think.

Otherwise, what the heck is a joule in volts. I looked on the internet and get all different kinds of answers like 1 volt.

 

[beegee]

A big old boar bear just got one of my hives. I brought my hives home from the pollination site and built a fence and plan to return the bees tonight. I bought a zereba solar/battery charger, aluminum wire and steel t-posts, 6' ground rod. I used 3 wires 10" apart starting 10" off the ground. The top and bottom wire are hot and the middle wire is grounded to the ground stake. I used copper wire to connect the charger to the fence and the ground wire to the stake. I didn't need a wire closer to the ground because we have no skunks in eastern NC except for some politicians.

I made the enclosure 10 x 20 to accommodate 4-6 hives. I added an additional T-post inside the fence to mount the charger. I drilled a hole in the post and threaded a hardened steel cable/lock through and threaded the cable through the mounting holes in the charger housing and then through the hole in the post. I have visions of someone stealing my high-$ charger. I drove the post 3' deep to dissuade someone stealing post and charger and having it inside the fence may help because of all the bees flying.

 

[WI-beek]

Well I bought the fencer. Hooked it up to same ground and fence lead an pow, over 3000 volts on fence and light is flashing. Wont buy Zareba junk again. I wanted to return it last year but Farm and Fleet does not give you a replacement, you have to wait who knows how long for a replacement which will force you to buy another one. Of course the warranty is out now. Anyway Im Happy with the $55.00 Fi-Shock™ 10 Mile Battery-Operated Medium Duty Fence Charger model #: SS-2000X at Menards which is on sale right now. Thank God a bear did not hit this yard before I realized the fence would just tickled the bear for a good laugh.

 

[WI-beek]

I figured out a great way to test my new battery powered electric fencer. I have always questioned whether my fences would keep a hungry bear out or not. I know there are bears around the yard where I put this fencer because I always hear about them when someone sees them. I alway wonder if my fence has kept a bear out or if I have just been lucky and a bear has not crossed paths with it. So I had a brainstorm the other day and a big light when off over my head

"WHY NOT JUST PUT ONE COLONY OUTSIDE THE FENCE SO WHEN I COME TO THE YARD AND SEE THAT IT HAS BEEN COMPLETELY DESTROYED AND FRAMES ARE SCATTERED ALL OVER AND EVERYTHING HAS OBVIOUSLY BEEN EATEN BY A BEAR, I WILL KNOW THAT MY FENCE WORKS WHEN THE REST OF MY COLONIES ARE STILL ATTACHED TO THERE BOTTOM BOARDS AND THERE FRAMES ARE STILL IN THE BOXES AND STANDING WHERE I LEFT THEM"

Well I have to tell you this worked great. Today, well yesterday morning now I guess, I pulled up to my yard and the colony that I left outside the electric fence was scattered all over the place and angry bees were buzzing around looking for the idiot who left them susceptible to the bears. The rest of the colonies were right where I left them, just how I left them. Apparently my five wire bear fence and fencer work great so far. And now thanks to my fascinating new way of being assured my fencers work, I know that this new fencer will keep a bear out of my bee hives, at least the first visit.

Now if you think Im dumb enough to do this to see if my fence works your wrong, but if you think Im dumb enough to leave a swarm that I shook into a hive right where I shook it until it was mated and then decided to sell it and that it should be ok for another week you hit the nail right on the head.

But my fencer works.

 

[afss]

either that or the bear came to that hive first and was happy with its spoils at that point and will be back for the other hives later

 

[Grizbee]

After doing battle with the bear population here in NW Michigan for many years while working for a large commercial beek, the best fencer we found was the 20B charger with 3 smooth 14 gauge wires on the hot, 10"-15" apart, with a grounded barbed wire on the ground, with a good ground rod will stop MOST bears. I buy the 9V recyclable alkaline battery once a year for $44 or buy the solar charger and it lasts 2 yrs. This company is top notch with a good tech support for any questions. Contact them you won't be sorry
www.premier1supplies.com 1-800-282-6631

 

[hogueybear]

I'm thinking you taught the bear that hives are a good food source!

I would put a trail camera inside the fence and see if you get any bear pics. They are a little pricey, but not when you consider a hive.

See if you can borrow one, I find that most of the time they sit in someones closet and they are happy to loan them out.