Polywire

5live

Just getting the fields ready to let the cows out when i realised i had lost the reel and wire:eek:. So off to the creamery i went and had a choice of about 5 different types and brands. So which do you find best and why? And what distance between pigtail posts as i find 1 or 2 girls have no respect for my old polywire even with 6.0 kv(?) on the voltmeter:mad:

Muckit

To tell you the truth, I've never found polywire/poly tape great unless only using a battery fencer. I personally don't think it's able to take mains voltage (especially over long distances). Sure look at the small strand of wire that's running through it. The hair on your head would be thicker than it! The rest of it is plastic. I find it shorts out. The insulators on my pegtails were nearly burnt through when i used some of it one year!

Yes it's easier to roll out/up and they may spot it easier, but that's about it. You won't beat the mild steel or high tensile wire to carry the 'dart'.

While talking about elec fences....

You'd often see lads using domestic 240V cabling to carry current under gateways, no good. Any copper wire reacts and causes corrosion where it joind to fence wire. Also it won't carry the large voltage of 2000-10000V that a mains fencer can put out.

5live

Muckit wrote: »

To tell you the truth, I've never found polywire/poly tape great unless only using a battery fencer. I personally don't think it's able to take mains voltage (especially over long distances). Sure look at the small strand of wire that's running through it. The hair on your head would be thicker than it! The rest of it is plastic. I find it shorts out. The insulators on my pegtails were nearly burnt through when i used some of it one year!

Yes it's easier to roll out/up and they may spot it easier, but that's about it. You won't beat the mild steel or high tensile wire to carry the 'dart'.

While talking about elec fences....

You'd often see lads using domestic 240V cabling to carry current under gateways, no good. Any copper wire reacts and causes corrosion where it joind to fence wire. Also it won't carry the large voltage of 2000-10000V that a mains fencer can put out.

I agree muckit but i am going into silage fields on monday and will be moving every day(hopefully). I probable need to change the wire anyway but i was wondering if anyone had any handy hints to make things easier and better.
I use pel pi36 underground cable under gateways and run it through old 3/4in plastic pipe as well. If i dont then stones will cut through it and short it out. I spent a day a few years ago trying to figure out where the current had gone where the cable was underground and running in 3 directions after the gap.:o I never thought the cable would cut up after a few days:mad:

funny man

5live wrote: »

Just getting the fields ready to let the cows out when i realised i had lost the reel and wire:eek:. So off to the creamery i went and had a choice of about 5 different types and brands. So which do you find best and why? And what distance between pigtail posts as i find 1 or 2 girls have no respect for my old polywire even with 6.0 kv(?) on the voltmeter:mad:

Have all sorts, bought the dearest and the cheapest and now i only buy the one with the 12 wires in it for splitting up paddocks, i have to disconnect all other fields for maximum power on the silage ground. i think i put the posts roughly about 6 yards apart. 6kv should hold them back, are you getting that at the start and end of the wire?

5live

funny man wrote: »

Have all sorts, bought the dearest and the cheapest and now i only buy the one with the 12 wires in it for splitting up paddocks, i have to disconnect all other fields for maximum power on the silage ground. i think i put the posts roughly about 6 yards apart. 6kv should hold them back, are you getting that at the start and end of the wire?

At the end about 6kv. I only check the end as the threads frey and i lose current. Do you have a brand name for that 12 strand wire? The one i got has only 9 but a breaking strength of 90kgs from mullinahone i think

Muckit

I only check the end as the threads frey and i lose current.

That's what I've found 5live. Now look, I've only a cabbage patch, so I what would I know. But I thought to myself the polywire has to be a good job cos all ye dairy lads seem to use them for breaking up paddocks.

We've always used elec fences on farm and from what I've found (with drystock/cows/calves), if they break through it once, it's very hard stop them no matter what fence you put up. So that's why an elec fence HAS to be nearly 100% right and ON 100% of the time.

Now I've only bought the polywire/tape in the rolls WITHOUT the reel, maybe reesl are better quality??

Apparently, from what I've read and from experience, you don't get good connections if you just knot ends together if it breaks or to connect it to a gate connector. Also if your connecting it to a battery elec fence it's not good enough to just clip connector wire of fencer directly onto polywire, you've to separate out the little wire strains, wind them together and connect to these wires only...

5live

Muckit wrote: »

if your connecting it to a battery elec fence it's not good enough to just clip connector wire of fencer directly onto polywire, you've to separate out the little wire strains, wind them together and connect to these wires only...

I never thought of that:o. I will do that and see will it make a difference. Thanks for the help guys

Muckit

5live wrote: »

I never thought of that:o. I will do that and see will it make a difference. Thanks for the help guys

Now I'm just saying what they recommend. But when you think about it, it's a bit hit and miss if you don't, ALL the strains may not be carrying the current. It's not very practical though is it?:rolleyes: I'm sticking to the mild steel wire altogether. It might be a ho*r to roll up and roll out, but at least you know it's going to work. I used to cut strips off fertiliser bags and tie them off it to improve visibility to the cattle. Not always necessary though

funny man

5live wrote: »

At the end about 6kv. I only check the end as the threads frey and i lose current. Do you have a brand name for that 12 strand wire? The one i got has only 9 but a breaking strength of 90kgs from mullinahone i think

I think its Turbo from Gallaghers

dar31

anything less than the 12 strand wire is a waste of time,
think it is usually yellow and white
stakes from http://www.greggcare.ie/ strong foot (essential in the stoney wicklow soil) and insulated a fair ways down the stake, only down side with they is the pigtail goes the opposite way to all my other stakes.
o breins reels i find the best, gears last well and can be fixed fairly easily

ootbitb

Muckit wrote: »

.

We've always used elec fences on farm and from what I've found (with drystock/cows/calves), if they break through it once, it's very hard stop them no matter what fence you put up. So that's why an elec fence HAS to be nearly 100% right and ON 100% of the time.

from my own experience that is very good advice.