How the Portable Electric Fence Works

About Portable Electric Fence

An electric FenceFast works by sending a pulse of high-voltage electrons through conductors on the fence and into a functioning grounding system. If a critter comes too close to those conductors, it gets shocked (think touching an electric doorknob in winter). The shock feels painful, but is not harmful. The system is designed to keep animals away from food, but it does not keep people or dogs from getting shocked.

The heart of the system is the energizer, which takes 110-volt alternating current from an outlet or something in the vicinity of 12-volt direct current (like a battery) and converts it into low amperage bursts of high-voltage electricity that are then delivered to energized conductors on the temporary fence. Portable fence energizers are made for remote areas and run on a lead-acid battery or a smaller one that is kept charged by a solar panel.

Wired for Safety: The Role of Electric Fences in Modern Security Systems

NOLS staff members have tested different configurations of the portable mesh electric fence system with bears in West Glacier for several years, and the system has worked very well, keeping bears out. A few times, bears have contacted the wires at the bottom of the fence when digging, but NOLS staff have been able to deter them from entering the area with flashing LED lights placed on the top of the fence. To check that the fence is working properly, place one of the leads from a fence tester on an energized wire and the other on the ground wire. A meter showing higher than 5,000 volts indicates the fence is delivering an effective charge.