9 Tips & Tricks For High Tensile Fence Setup

1. Choose the right type of fence for your needs. High tensile fencing is a great option for containing livestock, but it is important to select the right type for your particular situation. Single strand high tensile fencing can be adequate for containing certain types of livestock, such as cows, while more robust system live high tensile woven wire may be helpful for containing other types of livestock like sheep or goats. If you go with single strand, consider the number of single strands that are required for your livestock type, and consider the risk of predation. Some clever predators can navigate their way through single strand fencing, even if it is adequate for containing your animals. Electrifying a single strand system is required, while woven wire can sometimes be utilized without electricity and still be marginally beneficial for anti-predation. Most grazers using non-electric woven wire high tensile fence will use barbed wire at the top and bottom of the fence, and/or a single strand of electric at the top and bottom of the fence to prevent predators from digging or climbing the fence.

-Electric Single Strand High Tensile 
-Electric Woven Wire High Tensile 
-Non-Electric Woven Wire High Tensile

2. Install the posts. Regular line posts should be spaced 8-12 feet apart and driven into the ground at least 2 feet deep. Because high tensile is generally stretched to be tight, you will also need to have a solid corner post setup wherever there is a sharp turn in your fencing system. If your pasture is a square, for example, you will need to have at least 4 corner posts in order to support your fence tension for a fence with 4+ 90 degree turns. Generally you will stretch your field fence from corner to corner, in individual sections, rather than stretching your fence all the way around your pasture without stopping. These individual sections are then connected with jumper cables. It is much easier and more secure to set up a fence section by section, which improves rigidity of your field fence, and allows you to address maintenance and repair needs on a section by section basis.

When it comes to pickling posts that go between corner posts, you should pick a permanent solution that is resistant to weather and has adequate strength to support your fence. Our fiberglass fence posts are a popular choice, but there are other choices like polycarbonate or plastic. With that said, Powerflex fiberglass fence posts tend to offer the most competitive and durable option on the market.  

3. Prepare the insulators. Insulators should be placed on the posts at regular intervals to prevent the wire from shorting out. For corner posts, make sure your insulators are cut long enough so that the high tensile wire will not end up rubbing against the post. 

4. Roll out the wire. High tensile wire should be attached to the posts using a spinning jenny, as manually rolling our high tensile wire can be quite tedious. If you are rolling out our woven wire fence, you will need to either use a ATV, or be patient in rolling it out manually. Using a guidewire, a line that runs the perimeter of your fence to guide you as you roll out the fence, can be quite helpful. 

5. Secure the wire. Make sure the wire is securely attached to the posts for each section. Each high tensile wire section will be tied to each corner post by using insulators. Without first extending the wire through post insulators, your corner post will end up grounding your fence (unless it is a fiberglass corner post). A popular technique for connecting high tensile wire to a corner post is to extend it through an insulator, then tie the high tensile wire to itself using a slip knot technique.

6. Make the jumps. End post/corner post in your field fence will represent a short in your fencing system. The entire perimeter of your fence needs to act as a circuit, meaning every section much connect to another. At every corner post/end post location, you can secure multiple jumper cables which will allow the conductivity to pass from section to section. You can use nuts or tie techniques to connect the jumpers to each section.

7. Install the gates. Gates should be installed at the appropriate locations along the fence line. Again, you will need to maintain a circuit even at these gate sections. To do this you will need to create a jump using a underground conduit wire. Dig a trench in front of the gate, and connect the fence sections by connecting them underground, again using nuts or tie techniques. 

8. Check the tension. Make sure the wire is properly tensioned. Gripples and the gripple tool can make tensioning a high tensile wire fence easy. Just connect the gripple to the high tensil wire, then connect your gripple tool and tension it that way.

9. Test the fence. Test the fence by using a fence tester, then run a few animals through it to make sure it is secure.
 

These are videos that reference Powerflex fence setup and help give you some guidance on fence setup. We do not own this content.

Overview of electric fencing
Basics of building a high tensile fence
How to build a floating brace assembly for corner fence
Grounding the energizer
Post and Fence Assembly
Common Tools for High Tensile
A Picture Guide on Building a High Tensile Fence
Electrified Woven Wire Guide
High Tensile Wire Do's and Don'ts
Understanding Insulated Wire and Undeground Cable/Conduit for High Tensile Fencing

By following these tips, you can ensure that your high tensile fence is properly installed and functioning correctly. By using the right type of underground conduit wire, you can ensure that your fence is safe and secure.

Setting up a high tensile fence can be a daunting task, but with the right knowledge and tools, it can be done quickly and easily. By following the 9 tips and tricks outlined in this article, you can ensure that your fence is set up correctly and securely, and that it will last for years to come. With the right preparation and attention to detail, you can have a high tensile fence that will provide you with years of reliable service.