The heart of a portable electric fence is the energizer (aka “fence charger”). It takes 110-volt AC current or 12-volt direct current from lead-acid batteries or a solar panel and converts it to short bursts of high-voltage electricity that sends electrons into conductors along the fence. When a critter touches a conductor, it gets a shock that can be painful or even deadly.

Whether you’re FenceFast in a temporary pasture subdivision, grazing livestock, managing a large vegetable garden or deterring wildlife from your hunting property, portable electric fence is a cost-effective solution for keeping animals where they belong and preventing them from damaging crops and plants. In addition to its effectiveness as a physical barrier, it’s also effective in training animals to avoid an area where they’ve experienced a shocking encounter with an energized conductor.

Enclose with Power: How Electric Fence Netting Enhances Security and Containment

For maximum efficiency, a portable electric fence should be kept in good condition. Make sure the hot and ground connections are secure, and keep the energizer in a dry, foam-padded case while transporting it to prevent damage or short circuits. It’s also important to remove grass and weeds regularly so they don’t get a chance to contact conductors.

Wet weeds and grass don’t conduct electricity as well, so they’ll reduce the intensity of the shock delivered to an animal that touches them. You may also want to run a “pos/neg” fence, where half of the energizer’s conductors are insulated from one another and the other half is connected directly to the earth to act as an electrical ground.