So I need to build a permanent deer proof electric fence that will enclose a square area, with 2 gates, total length will be about 835 meters. I havent done any fencing so it will be a learning experience. I did put in a gate last year and built an H brace to hold it, so thats not totally new to me. It turned out pretty good. Appreciate any input from people who have experience with fencing, especially electric fences. AI recommended making a 7 wire electric, with 4 hot, but it said a 5 wire with 3 hot could also work. I decided to do the 5 wire for now, I could always add more later...
This is what AI suggested:
**835 m (2,740 ft) square · 5-wire electric · 2 gates · 8 ft T-posts on the line · 10 ft T-posts for the high top wire**
You already have the 2.3 mm wire. Each side is about **209 m (685 ft)**. One gate is in a **corner**. One gate is **mid-side**.
---
## How the posts work
- **8 ft T-posts** every **7.5 m (25 ft)**, driven **2 ft** → **6 ft** above ground. These carry wires 1–4.
- **Every third line post is a 10 ft T-post**, driven **2–2.5 ft** → **7.5–8 ft** above ground. These carry wires 1–4 **plus** the high top wire.
- Top-wire span is about **22–23 m (75 ft)**. That is fine on tight 2.3 mm high-tensile.
- Corners, braces, and both gates stay **wood**.
If you want the top wire held more often, make **every other** post a 10-footer (about 15 more 10 ft posts and 15 fewer 8-footers).
---
## Parts list
### Local — posts
| Item | Qty | Notes |
|------|-----|--------|
| **8 ft T-posts**, 1.25–1.33 lb | **80** | Line posts at 25 ft. Skip the holes that get a 10-footer. |
| **10 ft T-posts**, 1.33 lb | **45** | Every third line post, plus extras. Call Runnings for Chicago Heights 10 ft. |
| **8 in × 10 ft treated** (or fat pole butts) | **7** | 4 corners + 1 extra corner-gate post + 2 mid-side gate posts. |
| **6–7 in × 8–10 ft treated** brace posts | **14** | 2 per corner (8) + 2 at the corner-gate end post + 4 at the mid-side gate. |
| **6–7 in × 8 ft** H-brace rails | **12** | One rail per H-brace. |
| Brace wire | 1 roll | Diagonals. Your slickline works if it is not too stiff. |
| Crushed rock | as needed | Tamp the wood posts. |
Do not use 8 ft wood posts for corners or gates.
### Online — wire hardware (order as 12.5 ga)
| Item | Qty |
|------|-----|
| T-post pin-lock / claw insulators | **700** |
| Wood-post screw-in or tube insulators | **120** |
| In-line strainers | **30** |
| 12.5 ga / 2.0–2.5 mm sleeves or vises | 50 |
| Permanent splices | 20 |
| Cutout switches | **2** |
The 700 insulators cover 4 wires on every steel post, the top wire on the 10 ft posts, plus extras.
### Gates (2)
| Item | Qty |
|------|-----|
| 12–16 ft tubular farm gates | **2** |
| Hinge + latch sets | **2** |
| Insulated handles or spring-gate kits | **4** |
| Double-insulated underground lead-out cable | **50–60 ft** |
| Gate / offset insulators | 12 |
Bury cable under **both** openings so the fence stays hot when a gate is open.
### Power
| Item | Qty |
|------|-----|
| Speedrite 6000 | 1 |
| 200 W panel (or 2×100 W) + mount | 1 |
| Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 | 1 |
| 12V 100Ah AGM (better: 2×100Ah) | 1–2 |
| Cooler for the battery only | 1 |
| Dry box for energizer + MPPT | 1 |
| 20–30A battery fuse + 10–15A energizer fuse | 1 each |
| 10 AWG solar cable and battery cables | 1 kit |
| Optional 12V timer | 1 |
### Grounding and extras
| Item | Qty |
|------|-----|
| 6–8 ft galvanized ground rods | **5** |
| Ground-rod clamps | 5 |
| #10 or #12 ground wire | 80 ft |
| Lightning diverter | 1 |
| Digital fence voltmeter | 1 |
| Warning signs | 8–10 |
| Flagging / peanut-butter trainers | 1 pack |
Order fence hardware from **Kencove**, the 6000 from **SpeedriteChargers**, the tester from **Premier 1**. Check one insulator on your 2.3 mm wire before you install all of them.
---
## Wire heights
**Hot – ground – hot – ground – hot**
| Wire | Height | Where it goes |
|------|--------|----------------|
| 1 | 8–10 in | All steel and wood posts — **hot** (winter cutout) |
| 2 | 20–22 in | All posts — **ground** |
| 3 | 34–36 in | All posts — **hot** |
| 4 | 48–50 in | All posts — **ground** |
| 5 | **84–92 in** (7–7.7 ft) | **10 ft T-posts and wood posts only** — **hot** |
Leave **2–4 in of post** above the top insulator. Do not perch it on the last nub.
Wood corner and gate posts should be 10 ft set 3–3.5 ft so they can take that same high top wire.
---
## Corner and gate layout
### Three plain corners
Full two-way H-brace: corner post + 2 brace posts + 2 rails + 2 diagonals.
### Corner gate
1. The corner post is one gate post.
2. Set a second 8 in post a gate-width down one side.
3. H-brace the corner in the direction **without** the gate.
4. H-brace the free gate post back down the line, away from the opening.
5. Terminate all 5 wires on both gate posts. Do not run tension through the gate.
6. Swing the gate inward if you can.
### Mid-side gate
1. Set two 8 in posts, gate-width apart.
2. Build an H-brace on the left of the opening.
3. Build an H-brace on the right of the opening.
4. That side becomes **two pulls**, not one 209 m pull.
5. Bury lead-out under the gateway and jumper both halves so one Speedrite feeds the whole square.
Those mid-side posts take a full end load. T-posts will lean.
You now have **5 wire pulls**: 3 full sides + 2 half-sides.
---
## Build order
1. Square the four corners. Mark the corner gate and the mid-side gate.
2. Set **all wood posts** and build every H-brace before any T-posts.
3. Hang both gates and check the swing.
4. String the line. Drive **8 ft** posts at 25 ft. Put a **10 ft** post in every third hole. Rent a driver for the 10-footers.
5. Insulators: four lower wires on every steel post. Fifth wire only on 10 ft posts and wood posts.
6. Tension **one pull at a time**, bottom to top. Firm, not guitar-tight on 2.3 mm.
7. Bury cable under both gates and jumper the circuits.
8. Drive ground rods in the wettest soil, 10 ft apart.
9. South shelter: battery in the drained cooler well. Speedrite and MPPT in the dry box above ground.
10. Run the fence **24/7** for 2–4 weeks with flags. After that you can use slow-pulse or a night timer.
11. After lasting snow, open the cutouts on the bottom hot wire so slush does not kill voltage on the top wires.
---
## Cost snapshot (besides your wire)
| Group | Ballpark |
|-------|----------|
| 80 × 8 ft + 45 × 10 ft T-posts | $1,200–1,500 |
| Wood corners, braces, and gate posts | $400–800 |
| Insulators, strainers, 2 gates, cable | $600–900 |
| Speedrite 6000 + solar + battery | $1,000–1,500 |
| Grounding, tester, signs | $150–250 |
| **Total** | **about $3,400–5,000** |
That is materials only. The 10 ft posts add roughly **$300–400** over an all-8-ft line and give you a ~7.5–8 ft top wire.
This is what AI suggested:
**835 m (2,740 ft) square · 5-wire electric · 2 gates · 8 ft T-posts on the line · 10 ft T-posts for the high top wire**
You already have the 2.3 mm wire. Each side is about **209 m (685 ft)**. One gate is in a **corner**. One gate is **mid-side**.
---
## How the posts work
- **8 ft T-posts** every **7.5 m (25 ft)**, driven **2 ft** → **6 ft** above ground. These carry wires 1–4.
- **Every third line post is a 10 ft T-post**, driven **2–2.5 ft** → **7.5–8 ft** above ground. These carry wires 1–4 **plus** the high top wire.
- Top-wire span is about **22–23 m (75 ft)**. That is fine on tight 2.3 mm high-tensile.
- Corners, braces, and both gates stay **wood**.
If you want the top wire held more often, make **every other** post a 10-footer (about 15 more 10 ft posts and 15 fewer 8-footers).
---
## Parts list
### Local — posts
| Item | Qty | Notes |
|------|-----|--------|
| **8 ft T-posts**, 1.25–1.33 lb | **80** | Line posts at 25 ft. Skip the holes that get a 10-footer. |
| **10 ft T-posts**, 1.33 lb | **45** | Every third line post, plus extras. Call Runnings for Chicago Heights 10 ft. |
| **8 in × 10 ft treated** (or fat pole butts) | **7** | 4 corners + 1 extra corner-gate post + 2 mid-side gate posts. |
| **6–7 in × 8–10 ft treated** brace posts | **14** | 2 per corner (8) + 2 at the corner-gate end post + 4 at the mid-side gate. |
| **6–7 in × 8 ft** H-brace rails | **12** | One rail per H-brace. |
| Brace wire | 1 roll | Diagonals. Your slickline works if it is not too stiff. |
| Crushed rock | as needed | Tamp the wood posts. |
Do not use 8 ft wood posts for corners or gates.
### Online — wire hardware (order as 12.5 ga)
| Item | Qty |
|------|-----|
| T-post pin-lock / claw insulators | **700** |
| Wood-post screw-in or tube insulators | **120** |
| In-line strainers | **30** |
| 12.5 ga / 2.0–2.5 mm sleeves or vises | 50 |
| Permanent splices | 20 |
| Cutout switches | **2** |
The 700 insulators cover 4 wires on every steel post, the top wire on the 10 ft posts, plus extras.
### Gates (2)
| Item | Qty |
|------|-----|
| 12–16 ft tubular farm gates | **2** |
| Hinge + latch sets | **2** |
| Insulated handles or spring-gate kits | **4** |
| Double-insulated underground lead-out cable | **50–60 ft** |
| Gate / offset insulators | 12 |
Bury cable under **both** openings so the fence stays hot when a gate is open.
### Power
| Item | Qty |
|------|-----|
| Speedrite 6000 | 1 |
| 200 W panel (or 2×100 W) + mount | 1 |
| Victron SmartSolar MPPT 100/20 | 1 |
| 12V 100Ah AGM (better: 2×100Ah) | 1–2 |
| Cooler for the battery only | 1 |
| Dry box for energizer + MPPT | 1 |
| 20–30A battery fuse + 10–15A energizer fuse | 1 each |
| 10 AWG solar cable and battery cables | 1 kit |
| Optional 12V timer | 1 |
### Grounding and extras
| Item | Qty |
|------|-----|
| 6–8 ft galvanized ground rods | **5** |
| Ground-rod clamps | 5 |
| #10 or #12 ground wire | 80 ft |
| Lightning diverter | 1 |
| Digital fence voltmeter | 1 |
| Warning signs | 8–10 |
| Flagging / peanut-butter trainers | 1 pack |
Order fence hardware from **Kencove**, the 6000 from **SpeedriteChargers**, the tester from **Premier 1**. Check one insulator on your 2.3 mm wire before you install all of them.
---
## Wire heights
**Hot – ground – hot – ground – hot**
| Wire | Height | Where it goes |
|------|--------|----------------|
| 1 | 8–10 in | All steel and wood posts — **hot** (winter cutout) |
| 2 | 20–22 in | All posts — **ground** |
| 3 | 34–36 in | All posts — **hot** |
| 4 | 48–50 in | All posts — **ground** |
| 5 | **84–92 in** (7–7.7 ft) | **10 ft T-posts and wood posts only** — **hot** |
Leave **2–4 in of post** above the top insulator. Do not perch it on the last nub.
Wood corner and gate posts should be 10 ft set 3–3.5 ft so they can take that same high top wire.
---
## Corner and gate layout
### Three plain corners
Full two-way H-brace: corner post + 2 brace posts + 2 rails + 2 diagonals.
### Corner gate
1. The corner post is one gate post.
2. Set a second 8 in post a gate-width down one side.
3. H-brace the corner in the direction **without** the gate.
4. H-brace the free gate post back down the line, away from the opening.
5. Terminate all 5 wires on both gate posts. Do not run tension through the gate.
6. Swing the gate inward if you can.
### Mid-side gate
1. Set two 8 in posts, gate-width apart.
2. Build an H-brace on the left of the opening.
3. Build an H-brace on the right of the opening.
4. That side becomes **two pulls**, not one 209 m pull.
5. Bury lead-out under the gateway and jumper both halves so one Speedrite feeds the whole square.
Those mid-side posts take a full end load. T-posts will lean.
You now have **5 wire pulls**: 3 full sides + 2 half-sides.
---
## Build order
1. Square the four corners. Mark the corner gate and the mid-side gate.
2. Set **all wood posts** and build every H-brace before any T-posts.
3. Hang both gates and check the swing.
4. String the line. Drive **8 ft** posts at 25 ft. Put a **10 ft** post in every third hole. Rent a driver for the 10-footers.
5. Insulators: four lower wires on every steel post. Fifth wire only on 10 ft posts and wood posts.
6. Tension **one pull at a time**, bottom to top. Firm, not guitar-tight on 2.3 mm.
7. Bury cable under both gates and jumper the circuits.
8. Drive ground rods in the wettest soil, 10 ft apart.
9. South shelter: battery in the drained cooler well. Speedrite and MPPT in the dry box above ground.
10. Run the fence **24/7** for 2–4 weeks with flags. After that you can use slow-pulse or a night timer.
11. After lasting snow, open the cutouts on the bottom hot wire so slush does not kill voltage on the top wires.
---
## Cost snapshot (besides your wire)
| Group | Ballpark |
|-------|----------|
| 80 × 8 ft + 45 × 10 ft T-posts | $1,200–1,500 |
| Wood corners, braces, and gate posts | $400–800 |
| Insulators, strainers, 2 gates, cable | $600–900 |
| Speedrite 6000 + solar + battery | $1,000–1,500 |
| Grounding, tester, signs | $150–250 |
| **Total** | **about $3,400–5,000** |
That is materials only. The 10 ft posts add roughly **$300–400** over an all-8-ft line and give you a ~7.5–8 ft top wire.
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