When building an electric fence, an important question to ask that will greatly affect the strength of the fence you are building is if the electric wire can touch itself?
Electric fence wire can touch if multiple lines of the wire are twisted together at the beginning or the end of the fence because it will strengthen the voltage. Electric wire cannot touch if the wires are hanging loose from the fence because it will make the fence weak.
There is a great difference between loose hanging electric wire and twisted wire. It may seem like they should both work the same way, but in reality, they do not treat the electricity running through them the same.
Can Electric Fence Wire Touch?
Electric fence wire can only touch itself in specific circumstances. If an electric wire is touching itself because the wire is not pulled tightly enough for the fence, the electric fence will not work. Electric fence wire can touch itself if the wire is twisted around itself, though.
This may sound odd for the wire to only work in specific circumstances, but it all relates to how a circuit works. An electrical circuit functions through the connection of a wire and a battery. If the connection of the circuit is broken, it cannot work.
Electric fencing uses the power of circuits to work. The only difference is the amount of voltage being sent through the wire.
You can see this happen in a much smaller function if you attach a wire without a covering to protect your fingers. Though the amount of voltage you receive from a small battery is much less than the shock you will receive from an electric fence, the same principle is displayed.
We cannot openly see this principle in action in an electric fence unless someone were to touch the fence. In a circuit, you can often attach a small lightbulb to the circuit and see how powerful the circuit is. If you were to do something similar, that would have to be an extremely large lightbulb. The lightbulb would not be able to handle how much of a charge was being put off.
Loose Hanging Wire Vs. Twisted Wire
The loose hanging wire has a key difference from twisted wire. Loose hanging wire is just that, loose hanging. This means many things can interfere and affect the overall power of the circuit. Twisted wires, however, are the exact opposite. This implies the wire is pulled at least decently tight.
The question that probably follows is probably why loose hanging wires are so much weaker than twisted wires?
Loose hanging wire is much weaker than twisted wire because it hangs loose.
When we speak of the circuit being broken, this does not imply that wires that move have a broken circuit. Rather, this implies that there is interference happening somewhere. It is more common for interference to occur in a loose fence than a tightly wrapped one.
Why Loose Hanging Wire Is Weaker
A loose hanging wire can be detrimental to an electric fence. It is of utmost importance for the wires of an electric fence to be pulled tight, but people often do not explain why. We see seemingly loose wires everywhere, loose meaning that they can move easily. A great example of this is a pair of earbuds.
So why do earbuds work but a loose hanging wire from an electric fence can completely wreck an electric fence? Earbuds function with the use of an insulator, much like any type of circuit. The wire is protected from outside forces by the covering on the earbuds. An electric fence does not work this way, however.
The key reason for this is the common use of an electric fence. When you think of the importance of an electric fence, the thought that comes probably pertains to diverse animals, and this is correct. The wires for the electric fence have to be left uncovered to work properly, or else no shock would occur, destroying the need for an electric fence.
Electric fences are often used to keep out or keep in different types of livestock. If you think about the amount of force that can be put on a fence by livestock before it falls, that may be the beginning to understanding why a loose hanging electric fence is so weak.
When an electric fence hangs loose, livestock is more likely to walk into it, ripping the fence apart even more. Though the fence can still give a shock, it may lessen if not fixed immediately.
We talked earlier about a circuit not working if it is broken. Having loose hanging wires on an electric fence can break the circuit. The wires may be hanging and touching each other so you would think it would strengthen the connection, but the hanging wire can also be touching something else.
Several things can break the connection in a circuit, and the same things will affect an electrical fence. Just some of the various objects that can become obstructions include grass and weeds. Wet grass and weeds are the worst when it comes to breaking the circuit. When we talk about a low hanging fence, weeds and grass often are a big reason as to why the connection no longer works.
Loose hanging electric fence wires can also bump into the stakes, which also breaks the connection. This is very likely with any type of wind since the wires are thin and light. They can be blown easily by the wind and force the stop of the entire fence if one of the wires touches a stake.
You can prevent the circuit of the electric fence from being broken by keeping a steady eye on the grass and weeds growing around the fence and tightening the wires of the fence.
The wires should not be pulled to a point that the wire can rip the stakes from the ground, but they should be pulled tight enough that they do not sag.
Why Twisted Wire Is Stronger
Twisted wire is much stronger than loose hanging wire because it is twisted tightly. This wire is not hanging, which immediately strengthens the connection of the electric fence wires.
Twisted wire is also stronger because the circuit is strengthened when the wires all come together. The wires can come together to make a gate, for example, for you to exit and enter from. Doing this allows the wires to come together and essentially fuel each other.
If you have multiple wires, for the electric fence, that are spaced apart, the connection will increase upon being twisted together. Wires transfer electrical charges easily because they are conductors of electricity. When wires are connected, the connection being made is just a combination of conductors. This will strengthen the power being sent through.
Attaching wires from different height points, if each set of wires is on a different system, can also strengthen the electric fence for the same reason. The conductors will be able to transfer energy to each other and through each other.
When we think of something twisting together, we often think of a rope. Threads are woven together to create a stronger bond than what the individual pieces would be alone. A similar thing happens when wires are twisted together. It becomes so much stronger than before. Adding an electrical current to this only strengthens the power the wires hold.
What Electric Wire Can And Cannot Touch
Electric fence wire can touch certain objects without too much of an effect on them. Some of the most important are insulators. Electric fence wire can go through an insulator without losing too much power. The role that insulators play in an electric fence is quite important. Insulators allow the electrical charge to travel through them without losing energy to the posts being used to hold up the fence.
Types of insulators include glass, plastic, rubber, air, and wood. Insulators are key in any type of electrical circuit. For the electrical current to continue, insulators are necessary.
Electric fences cannot touch things like grass and weeds. Grass and weeds will stop the energy amount going through the wires, being the reason why loose hanging electrical wires are such a considerable issue. If the wires are hanging in the grass, they will no longer work.
Electric fences also cannot touch the ground. Electric fences work through suspension. While the fence can be attached to the ground, the electric fence wires cannot lay on the ground. Though the electric fence could work while lying on the earth, the voltage would be severely impacted because the electric wires are directly touching the ground.
An electric fence works when an animal touches both the electric fence wires and the ground. If the electrical wires were to lay on the soil, the electric fence would stop working.
If you live in an area with snow, you might fear the electrical fence not working like it is supposed to after it snows. Snow, opposed to what you might think, is an insulator.
While it will not affect an electric fence considerably, the snow will lower the voltage a little. It is wise for people living in areas that acquires a great abundance of snow to get higher voltage for their fence.
Remember that when it comes to electric fences, insulators can touch the fence, the wire can touch itself, but if someone touches the ground and the wire, they will get shocked.