How to Install Electric Fencing With Existing Fencing

Adding electric wire to an existing fence is a great solution to many animal control problems. It will protect an old fence that can't hold up if animals push against it. If your pens are close together, adding electric will keep animals from fighting over the top. Electric also prevents horses from putting their necks through your fence and rubbing their manes, and can deter athletic animals from jumping over your fence.

Things You'll Need

  • Electric wire or polytape
  • Fence charger
  • Insulators
  • Tensioners
  • Tubular insulator
  • Nails or screws
  • Hammer or cordless drill
  • Crimping sleeves
  • Fencing pliers
Show More

Instructions

    • 1

      Choose the materials you will use for your fence. Electric polytape is more visible than wire but is also more expensive. If your current fence is visible, but not strong, wire may be fine. If you have sections of fence missing, polytape held up by T-posts can fill in those sections. Polytape does not need to be pulled as tight as wire, so if your posts are not very strong you should consider using polytape.

      Buy insulators that work for your fence. Some insulators allow the wire or tape to hang 9 inches or more from the existing fence. This keeps the electric from grounding out on the fence and keeps animals farther away from an old fence.

      You also need to choose a charger. A solar charger will be worth the extra money if your fence does not pass near an existing electrical outlet.

    • 2

      Connect your polytape or wire to the first post (usually near the gate). Tape and wire will be slightly different to install, but in either case you will need to cover the material with an insulator so the fence does not ground out on the post. For wire, slide on a crimping sleeve and about a foot of tubular insulation. Wrap the insulated wire around the post, slide the end back through the crimping sleeve and use your fencing pliers or crimping tool to smash the sleeve onto the wires, effectively connecting them around the post. For polytape, nail or screw an insulator to the post, slide the tape through an end connector, and hook the end connector over the insulator.

    • 3

      Nail or screw an insulator to each fence post. Hook the wire or polytape onto each insulator. Be sure the wire or polytape does not touch the existing fence or the electric will ground out and the fence will not have a good charge.

    • 4

      Install a tensioner so you can tighten the fence when needed. Each is different so refer to directions on the package.

    • 5

      Connect the wire or polytape to the last post the same way you connected it to the first post.

    • 6

      Connect your fence to the charger. On a polytape fence connect a wire to the end connector. On a wire fence wrap a short piece of wire around the wire fence. In both applications the wire needs a good connection for the electricity to pass through. Connect the other end to your charger. Face solar chargers toward the sun.

    • 7

      Connect at least one grounding rod to your fence charger.