Hey gents, I am looking for recommendations for an electric fence for my garden. Solar would be preferred, as there isn't electricity close by. Most of the pests I deal with are raccoons destroying my corn and melons. How many joules should I be looking for? I am looking to do probably 2-3 strands of wire (or poly?) which would be better?

Don't have coons but I do have dogs and had cats. I don't know how many joules my fencer puts out but it is good for 30 miles of fence. It works best if the grass/ground is damp around the perimeter of the fence. Funniest thing I've ever seen was the cat backing up to the fence with its tail up. Got it right on the bald spot under its tail. Never heard a sound like that or a cat move so fast.

I use a Zareba, 5 mile , .1 joules for keeping coons out of my sweet corn. ( one pound of seed ). I drive a piece of rebar in the ground, use a piece of 2” schedule 90 PVC pipe for insulator. I only run one piece of wire , about 5” off ground. I can set the whole thing up in a little a little over an hour, when corn is ripening.

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I had a battery powered unit, I think it was called "yellow jacket", and I think it was a Zareba product ,worked on a 6v battery and was enough juice to run a hot poly wire to cover an acre paddock, probably could have done more, I don't remember the joules.

You know Paul, you sure did it right coming up with this site. This post and others like it are what T-man is all about. Trapping stuff has been enjoyed by myself for many years plus all the post from across the country that get posted on good times out on the line. Think of all those that gave their lives so as we can have our freedoms on this Memorial Day weekend.

This should work.......

Cragar, if I could get that, I would. I grew sweet corn, 300 pumpkins, and 300 melons (honeydew, cantaloupe, watermelon) last year and the coons made a mess of things. I would rather my hard work be enjoyed by me and not those bandits.

Not sure what my brother in-law has for a fencer? Was using it for horse pasture when had horses. Got it around his garden now which is not huge. He has one wire 6-8 inches Maybe? Another around a foot high then a third about waist high for deer. He hasn't had any issues since set that up.
He was fighting wood chucks raccoon and the deer. He also makes the little critter go bye bye when gets whack at them.
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Mac

Get the fence powered by a car battery. That one has a hit!

Electric Fence

Plenty of choices and information, good people to call if you have any questions.

I run 3 strands works good with a solar shocker. Extra advice start thinning them out right now

My problem in corn is more black bears than coons but for either wrap raw bacon on the wire. Once every 15 feet or so is enough. Bear or coon will either put his nose on it for a sniff or open mouth for a bite, either way he gets zapped real good. Often know if a bear hits it because there will be four divits of sod where his feet were. Bacao will stay on the wire all season.

Bacon will stay on wire all season. (auto spell put Bacao, have no idea what Bacao is)

Wow! I like that setup! Are you using zipties to hold wire?

Looks like electrical tape

I had something tearing my garden up.
Deer tracks in the dirt.
Maybe coincidence?
Placed trail cam.
Got pic of buck with one of my plants in his mouth.
Put in solar fence.
Deer jumped wire.
Took piece of heavy foil and made envelope out of it.
Filled envelope with peanut butter.
Hung envelope on fence wire.
Next day wire is pulled out of posts and the garden into woods.
Arrow straight with pin point end of wire where it stretched to breaking.
Trail cam failed.
Dirt tracks told story.
Never saw that deer again.
Garden thrived afterwards.

for coons I've been told that Golden Malrin and root beer will cure them of any garden raiding.

Thanks gents.

Hahaha Yes

I know down here with the hog issue not to mention the deer and other vermin, a lot of folks are now having high fences put up with the tiny gap fence or whatever the size of the wire openings is referred. One fella close to me fenced 62 acres. Another fella fenced a little over 2 acres. plus many more in between. they all have them hot wired as well so when the coon go to climb they get an immediate jolt. It made an extraordinary difference in their crop yields.

An incredibly hot and effective fencer is a Parmak 30 mile. Mine tests out to 13,000 volts. The 12 volt version will run for 30 to 45 days on a group 24 deep cycle battery, as long as weeds don't short it out.

For temp fences, use 1/2" poly tape, and use the step in posts. Bottom 3 positions. The poly tape can be tensioned up by hand. If it is a 50 foot run or larger, set steel posts on the corners with donut insulators and tape will roll thru the turn. And even with all that, bait the fence for coons. I put fish oil laced cat food in a tin can.

A parmak charger would be more then adequate for most garden fences, but on the hot scale a parmak 30 mile fencer isn't that hot. A really hot charger on a garden size fence could potentially make things hot it wasn't attached to.

I ditto HayDay and Okie Farmer. The best on the market in my opinion.

I had a smaller charger I think it was 1.5 joules. With the fence inside of a fence it did good keeping deer out, Didn't slow the coons down at all. Got a 6 joules and it worked much better but still not 100%. I run 3 strands on the inside fence with the bottom strand about 2" and the 3rd. about 4~5". Last year I did not lose any sweet corn. Trapping & taking every opportunity I get to keep the population in check is what worked for me. Hopefully it works again this year.