Electric Fence Insulators

Electric Fence Insulators

*Works with 9 Strand Polywire
*Pin Lock Insulator


A tough Pin Lock insulator designed to hold 1/4" diameter ropes, polywire, smooth and high tensile wire to wood or vinyl posts. The pin locks the material securely in the insulator. Available in white, 25 per bag.

Electric Fence Insulators

Electric fences are designed to create an electrical circuit when touched by a person or animal. A component called a power energizer converts power into a brief high voltage pulse. One terminal of the power energizer releases an electrical pulse along a connected bare wire about once per second. Another terminal is connected to a metal rod implanted in the earth, called a ground or earth rod. A person or animal touching the wire and the earth simultaneously will complete an electrical circuit and will conduct the pulse, causing a painful electric shock. The effects of the electrical shock depend upon the voltage, the electrical current used, and the degree of contact between the animal and the fence or ground; it can range from barely noticeable to uncomfortable, painful or even lethal.

Fence energizers
Early alternating current (AC) fence chargers used a transformer and a mechanically-driven switch to generate the electrical pulses. The pulses were wide and the voltage unpredictable, with no-load peaks in excess of 10,000 volts and a rapid drop in voltage as the fence leakage increased. The switch mechanism was prone to failure. Later systems replaced the switch with a solid-state circuit, with an improvement in longevity but no change in pulse width or voltage control.

"Weed burner" fence chargers were popular for a time and featured a longer-duration output pulse that would destroy weeds touching the fence. These were responsible for many grass fires when used during dry weather. Though still available, they have declined in popularity.

Modern "low impedance" fence chargers use a different design. A capacitor is charged by a solid-state circuit – upon contact with a grounded animal or person, the charge is then released using a thyristor or similar solid-state component. Voltage is consistent due to electronic output controls, within the limits of output power. Pulse width is much narrower, often about 10 microseconds. This design works for either battery or mains power sources.

Depending on the area to be fenced and remoteness of its location, fence energizers may be hooked into a permanent electrical circuit, may be run by large lead-acid batteries (such as those used for automobiles or tractors), or may be powered by a small battery kept charged by a solar panel. The power consumption of a fence in good condition is low, and so a lead-acid battery powering several hundred metres of fence may last for several weeks on a single charge. For shorter periods dry cell batteries may be used. Some energizers are capable of being powered by more than one source.

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