# Will electric fence work - shallow rock



## LBFarms (May 9, 2012)

I have been working on putting up t-posts for a 4 wire electric fence to contain goats & my LGD. I am fencing about 5 acres, in an "L" shape. One side has very shallow topsoil, with shale about a foot or slightly less down, It's been a real bugger pounding t=posts through the shale. The other half of the pasture has a lot more topsoil, not sure how deep but I have pounded in some long t-posts probably 2 or 3 feet down without hitting the shale.  Will the fence still shock with this shallow soil & rock underneath?  Also, I have three grounding rods that are 9 foot long. I know there is no way I'm going to get anywhere close to that far down, Should I cut them in half & pound six of them in if I can only get a few feet down?  BTW - Charger is a 50 mile , I believe it is 2 joules. Thanks!


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## heathen (May 10, 2012)

I would barry them Horizontaly 2 foot down I would also add 3 or 4 wires  and space the ground rods out throughout the fence use the extra 3 or 4 wires as ground wires so that when your animals touch the hot wire and the ground wire then they get a good shock.  I live in KY and use a fence like this I have never had trouble keeping anything in or out with it. I dont know how conductive shale is electricity follows the shortest path to ground. Hence the extra wires. Even if you dog goes to jump the fence if he gets inbetween a ground and a hot without touching earth it will still get shocked. In KY yyou can do 6 foot strait down for a ground rod 45 degree angle or 2 foot horizontle ditch style.  Just space your ground rods out evenly throught your fence and you shouldnt have an issue. your local ag office may be able to assist in proper electric fencing in your area. Also state by state has diffrent laws in KY I am required to put up signs on the fence caution electric fence.......... Dumb as I think this is its the law. I personlly want someone trying to get in with the goaats to get a good shock and yell so my dogs will go get them lol.......


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## treeclimber233 (May 14, 2012)

Shale will not conduct electricity.  It is the moisture in the ground that conducts the electricity.  Putting several strands of fence (one "hot" -then one "not hot") will work because then the electricity will pass between the hot and not hot strands as already mentioned.


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## LBFarms (May 15, 2012)

I ended up pounding in three rods at about a 30 degree angle where I thought I had the most soil. I've got probably four to five acres fenced & using a 50 mile Parmak charger, I'm getting about 4500 volts through the fence.  I might end up running a few ground wires inbetween some of the other wires and grounding it out in one or two places along the fence anyway, since we get a lot of snow here in the winter and apparently then I will have to have ground return wires to get any kind of a shock , from what I have read.


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