As some of you know I have problems with monkeys and I'm thinking of installing an electric fence around the perimeter of my garden. Just yesterday a monkey was in my garden and I tried to chase it away. It showed me it's teeth and wanted to fight back. I was scared for a moment and luckily there was a broom near by which I quickly grabbed it and swung at it. It retreated and left. Whew! It was a scary experience. It cost a bomb to install one here so I was thinking of a DIY. Anyone have any experience with DIY electric fence?
We don't have any electric fencing, but a rancher down the road just installed some to keep his goats in. I called him and he said it was pretty easy. His is solar powered, and the most difficult part was installing the solar collectors (they look like smart phones without the touch pad) and getting them hooked to the wiring. He has two strands 12" apart, and said that stringing the electric wire was easy. You should have seen his face when I told him I was asking because a friend wanted to keep monkeys out of his garden!
I have a fencer for the chickens which is a 110v electric and a solar fencer for the corn, which I would say isn't worth much compared to a plug in one. It just doesn't have the voltage I was expecting. It isn't nearly as snappy as they advertised. I was using it to keep deer, skunks and raccoon out of the corn and it seemed the 'coons and skunks could tell when it was "weak"... they would decimate the center of the patch. SO, if you have an option I would say use a plug in type fence. the other fencing I haven't used is the "sheep/poultry" fencing. It is a 6"x6" mesh the has wire in every cross strand of the mesh making anything trying to go through it step back. You could literally cover your food crop with the mesh to keep them off of it. OR the bird netting that is made to keep birds out of berries. You would need to build a frame and cover the frame with the mesh and install a door with a monkey proof latch. The plastic is nearly impossible to tear, but I am sure about if the monkeys could destroy it with their teeth. My cousin used this method to protect his blueberries from the raccoons and it works very well. The 'coons haven't been able to get through to the berries and he has been using this for years. What do you need to know? btw? how to install or what materials to use? You need a ground rod 4-6 foot long pounded into the ground as far as you can get it. This isn't real movable so make sure you put it in someplace where you have nothing you might be pounding through, like other wires, pipes or gas/electric lines that are buried, but if it is really dry there you need to keep the ground rod "watered" to keep it conductive. The ground rod attaches to the ground screw on the fencer via an insulated wire that you have stripped both ends so they have good contact. The wire for the fencing is a separate wire that is what you use to protect your crop, it is installed on posts with plastic snap on insulators on a metal post like a "t' stake or a wooden post with a nail on insulators. Is this what you are asking? This is the basic method for installing whether it is a solar or plug in fencer.
How DIY do you want to go? This is a good circuit if the parts are available. http://www.pocketmagic.net/electric-fence-20kv/#.UzB7lPmSyO4 You can google "build your own fence charger" for more ideas.
I have seen electric fence in use in Europe to keep animal in and also out. The animals that were kept in would stay away from the fencing once it zap a few times and it is also very effective in keeping animals out. I had no idea I can make use of it to keep the monkeys away at that time so I did not study it or look for a small unit to carry back home. I surf the net and come across quite a lot of it and due to our now very weak currency, the cost does not justify the benefit. Moreover most of the online company do not want to deliver to Malaysia. There is also some ridiculous government regulation for installing electric fence. Thanks Marlingardener, those you described sounds ideal for my use but it is like impossible to get one of those here. My intention is only to put the electric fencing up when the plants are fruiting other than that I would not need it. Thanks Carolyn, I did thought of building a green house like thing and making use of wire mesh instead of glass panels. Having a thing like this makes it difficult for me to work and not all the plants need protection. Building one to cover the whole garden is not cost effective. So the electric fence still sounds like a good idea if I can do a DIY. What I like to know is had anyone built the fence charger unit from DIY instructions on the internet and also about installation. I was also thinking is it necessary to use a ground rod. Can I use a negative wire and a positive wire or the earth wire connected to wire mesh laid on the floor? My ground here is very hard and dry so I think it might not be effective, moreover I want it to be portable. No I cannot use a plug in type because of some stupid sort of stupid permit and I have to pay a yearly meaningless fee. Thanks Evil Roy, that is exactly what I was looking for. I want to know if anyone had done it before and how well it worked. I think I can get all the parts here but not the pcb board. So without the pcb board is it possible to jut fix up the units with wire? I had been looking at the link and asking myself whether I could do it over again and again.
I worry when any critter shows teeth and starts to come at you....I am sure monkeys are smart enough to get through any type of trap you set. We just got a new puppy from a shelter and we are taking her to obedience class. I was surprised by the number of larger dogs showing their teeth at people and other animals, we try to stay clear of them. Are monkeys smart enough to take nets off of plants? I think they are but I have never been around them. Good luck.
Thanks Sherry 8, yes I think they are smart enough to take nets off of plants. The monkeys here are also able to open the lid of trash bins to get at the trash. Hmm ... if only there is a obedience school here for monkeys! Tooty2shoes thanks for the thought. The site that Evil Roy posted is a contraption that make use of a car battery and an ignition coil. I am now studying some of the drawings available from the internet to see if I can understand them and build one myself. Err ... I have no knowledge about electronics so I'm doing a googled crash course.
Right now I feel so lucky. Our Farmer's Shop sells plastic poles, polyester web wire and batteries. All we have to do is stick the poles in the ground, roll out the polywire in two or three heights, attach battery and the horses are fenced in. We can also buy rolls of netting with poles already in place. Roll out, raise and attach battery. It keeps the sheep in, and should probably keep the monkeys out too. Wish you lived closer to me. Good luck with solving your electric fence nut.
There is always mail order KK. We have use the electric wire type fence and works OK . But like others have said,, go with plug in for dependability. And make sure when you get it installed that there is nothing touching it that will drain the power,,like a weed or bush .
WE have them to keep the bear out of the chickens. Yes, It really works.... Hubby says they make them to work on D.C.
Thanks Mart, yes I am aware there is mail order and most of the do not deliver to this part of the world. Anyway I like DIY and if anything is not working I know how to repair it that is if I can successfully built one. Thanks for the advice about the weeds. Thanks Barb, I'm working on a DC one and I already got the parts from the electronic shop. Still learning how to set it up.
KK Ng--maybe you should look into opening up a Farm supply store. Just a thought as you do not have such a store in your area. Might go over really great.
Thanks Tooty2shoes, there is no such thing as a Farm supply store here. I am still building that thing but is at a junction at the moment. Guess I'll have to go to the electronics shop to get some help.
