“An electric fence is a barrier that uses electric shocks to deter animals and people from crossing a boundary. The voltage of the shock may have effects of discomfort. Most electric fences South Africa are used today for security.

Electric fences are an electrical circuit , a component called a energizer that converts power into a brief high voltage pulse. One terminal of the power energizer releases an electrical pulse along a connected bare wire about once per second. Another terminal is connected to a metal rod implanted in the earth, called a earth spike . A person or animal touching both the wire and the earth during a pulse will complete an electrical circuit and will conduct the pulse, causing an electric shock. The effects of the shock depend upon the voltage, the energy of the pulse, the degree of contact between the recipient and the fence and ground and the route of the current through the body; it can range from barely noticeable to uncomfortable, painful or even lethal.

Security electric fences

Security electric fences are electric fences constructed using specialized equipment and built for perimeter security as opposed to animal management. Security electric fences consist of wires that carry pulses of electric current to provide a non-lethal shock to deter potential intruders. Tampering with the fence also results in an alarm that is logged by the security electric fence energizer, and can also trigger a siren, strobe, or notifications to a control room or directly to the owner via email or phone.”

Fence energizers

An electric fence energizer converts power into a high voltage pulse. The energizer releases this pulse on to an insulated fence line about once every second. Up to 9000 volts.

Depending on the area to be fenced and remoteness of its location, fence energizers may be hooked into a permanent electrical circuit, they may be run by lead-acid or dry cell batteries, or a battery kept charged by a solar panel. The power consumption of a fence in good condition is low, and so a lead-acid battery powering several hundred metres of fence may last for week on a single charge. For shorter periods dry cell batteries may be used. Some energizers can be powered by more than one source.