Electric Fence Post Query

[AngelaWB]

Hi, I use an electric fence constantly on my field to restrict grazing and to protect the boundary fences from being chewed! I'm fed up of the posts bending and the foot plates breaking, I've even had one lot break off at the metal stake. Can someone please recommend a good strong brand? My original posts I bought years ago were amazing and still going, but I can't seem to find them for sale anywhere. Thanks.

 

[The Bouncing Bog Trotter]

Do you move the posts a lot? If not look at using round wooden tree stakes or half round fence posts with screw in insulators. They can be further apart than the plastic posts which we find are no way nearly as robustly made as they used to be.

 

[AngelaWB]

Thanks, the boundary protection won't be moved much when I have more posts, I'm just replacing one wooden fence and intend to use insulators on that one. Then I have a divider that I move daily to allow strip grazing. Thanks.

 

[HashRouge]

Ooh following! The most recent ones I've bought have been noticeably weaker than my older ones. I can't have wooden posts unfortunately as not my land.

 

[Errin Paddywack]

How many lines of wire do you need? If just one use metal pigtail posts otherwise you can get metal posts that you add connectors to. I have some tall ones that have been in use for about 20 yrs and still going strong.

 

[AngelaWB]

I like to use two on the divider fences but can get away with one along the boundaries. Thanks.

 

[Mrs. Jingle]

Plastic fence posts these days are absolute and total ? ! I have 30 year old plastic posts still going strong with constant use and no signs of toe plate snapping, tape holder bit snapping, pointy sharp metal bit snapping etc. etc.

Do be careful when treading in the newer ones in too hard land - a few weeks back I almost impaled the broken half in my stomach as I trod and pushed to get one in and it snapped clean in half and I fell forward almost getting myself neatly impaled and planted into the ground!

 

[AngelaWB]

Plastic fence posts these days are absolute and total ? ! I have 30 year old plastic posts still going strong with constant use and no signs of toe plate snapping, tape holder bit snapping, pointy sharp metal bit tapping etc. etc.

Do be careful when treading in the newer ones in too hard land - a few weeks back I almost impaled the broken half in my stomach as I trod and pushed to get one in and it snapped clean in half and I fell forward almost getting myself neatly impaled and planted into the ground!

That's disgraceful isn't it. I can't believe how bad they have gone.

 

[Nasicus]

I notice you say bending, are you using the plastic posts for corners? Because they're useless for that. Either bang in wooden posts for corners/end strainers, or use these with some screw on insulators:
Metal Corner Post

I LOVE these, I use them on all corners, starts/ends, on the little bit I move each day to strip graze etc. You can get them elsewhere too, that's just one of the links I've used, pretty sure UKCOUNTRYSTORE do them too.

 

[AngelaWB]

I notice you say bending, are you using the plastic posts for corners? Because they're useless for that. Either bang in wooden posts for corners/end strainers, or use these with some screw on insulators:
Metal Corner Post

I LOVE these, I use them on all corners, starts/ends, on the little bit I move each day to strip graze etc. You can get them elsewhere too, that's just one of the links I've used, pretty sure UKCOUNTRYSTORE do them too.

Thanks it was UK Countrystore where I had my original brilliant posts from, but can't see them there any more. I'll look in to these though. Not just the corner posts bending sadly though.

 

[Nasicus]

Thanks it was UK Countrystore where I had my original brilliant posts from, but can't see them there any more. I'll look in to these though. Not just the corner posts bending sadly though.

When you say bending, do you mean the spikes, or the plastic posts themselves? If it's the spikes, man, I hear ya man, the amount of times I've had to sit there and whack the spikes straight again by dropping a sledge hammer on them on a concrete floor, urgh.
If it's the plastic bending, generally that's from excessive constant strain on them, be it from going along a curve, around a corner, naughty bullish ponies leaning over it to reach the other side etc. The metal posts can really help in that regard, using them on corners, ends, or somewhere along a curve to hold it up and stop the rope/tape bending the curve inward. If it's naughty ponies leaning over, chances are the setup isn't giving a good enough zap to discourage them. I have one that will lean into/over/under the fence if the output is running a bit weak, she's a pain

 

[PeterNatt]

I use a large amout of plastic electric fence posts and there is no doubt that with time the plastic does become brittle and discolour due to the efect of ultr-violet light on the plastic. I alternate by 180 degrees the fence posts next to each other and on corners have at least 3 to prevent the corner one having to much tension on it and thus bending. The ones I use are Agrifence Electric Fence Multi Post Tall 10 White 017372 Henderson.

 

[awelshandawarmblood]

I've recently bought some bright orange hotline & they seem a lot stronger than the various ones I've bought over the last year or so - I've even gone & bought more.

On that note - if anyone knows how to straighten out wonky stakes (the metal bottom bit) I'd be over the moon!!

 

[Nudibranch]

Metal posts or pigtails as mentioned earlier. And wooden stakes for corners. Of the plastic I use the Gallagher ones have probably been the best but not by a huge margin. And short posts are definitely stronger than the 5ft ones but it depends whether you need to let sheep under them or not. Sheep are master fence trashers.

 

[rextherobber]

You can straighten the metal bits by putting them in a vice and pulling on the post, or as previously mentioned, a hammer and a concrete floor.

 

[Steerpike]

I've started to use pigtails, I only need one row of tape and hoping they last longer than my old plastic ones as they are metal

 

[Maisie53]

https://www.electric-fence.co.uk/50...TyUyi0l-_OK0RQzV89GcdFLEvv8If_lMaAqxAEALw_wcB

What about something like this and use your existing fence but keep them away from it?

 

[Pearlsasinger]

How many lines of wire do you need? If just one use metal pigtail posts otherwise you can get metal posts that you add connectors to. I have some tall ones that have been in use for about 20 yrs and still going strong.

Unfortunately newer ones are nowhere near as robust, ime! Where do you get your pigtails posts from? I haven't seen any for years but would like some as corner posts.

 

[AngelaWB]

Thanks all, I have a few suggestions to follow here.

 

[Peregrine Falcon]

I've recently bought some bright orange hotline & they seem a lot stronger than the various ones I've bought over the last year or so - I've even gone & bought more.

On that note - if anyone knows how to straighten out wonky stakes (the metal bottom bit) I'd be over the moon!!

The holes in the towbar section of my disco are fab for straightening the spikes!

 

[AngelaWB]

I've recently bought some bright orange hotline & they seem a lot stronger than the various ones I've bought over the last year or so - I've even gone & bought more.

On that note - if anyone knows how to straighten out wonky stakes (the metal bottom bit) I'd be over the moon!!

Hi, what height posts did you get please and where from? The only ones I've found so far that are orange are only 105cm high. Thanks

 

[pixie]

I usually go for the 140cm height ones.

 

[AngelaWB]

I usually go for the 140cm height ones.

That's what I normally go for too, but can't find them in the Hotline posts/orange. Thanks.