Baygard

Baygard Wire & HV Tape Installation Instructions

Baygard portable electric fencing products are ideal for rotational grazing, pasture management and other livestock fencing applications.

WARNING

These products must be used within permanent fencing. Their effectiveness is dependant upon proper installation and electrification. Do not use as only means of animal restraint. If used as only means of restraint without permanent fencing, animals may escape with the risk of serious injury to animals or people.

The Baygard SYSTEM: Baygard ENERGIZERS
A complete program of high performance, low impedance energizers:
1000 Series - 12V Battery Energizer
2000 Series - 120V A.C. Plug-in Energizer
3000 Series - 12V Solar Powered Energizer
5000 series - 120V A.C. High-performance Energizer

Baygard WIRE
Recommended for multi-purpose applications; short or long haired stock (beef and dairy cattle, sheep, and other animals trained to electric fencing.
Baygard HV TAPE
Recommended for high visibility applications (horses, sheep, wildlife and predator management).
Equitape® WIDE TAPE
Recommended for applications requiring extra wide electric fence tape, for added visibility.
BAYSHOCK® SINGLE STRAND ALUMINUM WIRE
Recommended for longer term electric fencing where portability and seasonal usage are not as important (useful for most stock and wildlife applications).

WARNING

Bayshock® electric fence wire is wound under tension and should be handled with care. Wear gloves and safety glasses while working with this product to reduce risk of personal injury.

Fence Components
In addition to Baygard electric fence wire or tape, you will require at least the following:
1. Permanent boundary fence on your property
2. Electric fence energizer
3. Electric fence posts
4. Electric fence insulators
5. Ground rod, ground rod wire and ground rod clamps
6. Volt meter designed for electric fencing

ENERGIZER
(Also known as a fencer, fence charger, or fence controller) Use a CSA or UL battery operated or 120 volt "low impedance" energizer.
IMPORTANT! Do not use with weed burner or continuous current energizer. These types of energizers can burn the Baygard wire or Baygard HV tape, causing system failure.

POSTS
Use metal, wood, plastic or fiber glass fence posts made for and specifically promoted for electric fencing.

INSULATORS
Use Baygard insulators or equivalent insulators designed for electric fencing. Where possible, place insulators on the side of the fence that is restraining livestock to reduce the strain on the insulator. Baygard insulators are coded for use, for example "N-200". The letter prefix denoted the use or method of attached to the post as follows:

G - Gate handle	C - Corner or end insulator
N - Nail on	T - "T" post insulator
CL - Clip-on insulators for Baygard Step-In posts or fiber glass rod posts	JB - "J" bolt for 3/8" rod posts

The number following the letter generally denotes the electric fence product with which it can be used. For example, "200" is for use only with wire products.
The following is a guideline to insulator selection:

Insulators	Baygard Products
100 Series	For use with all Baygard wire and tape products.
200 Series	For use only with Baygard wire and Bayshock wire.
300 Series	For use only with Baygard tape products.

IMPORTANT! To prevent damage to the tape, and resultant damage to the fence system, insulators designed for an electric fence tape must be used.

IMPORTANT! Please see insulator product label for full details regarding product usage.

GROUND ROD
Ground rod must be a corrosion resistant metal rod such as galvanized steel, approximately 6' to 10' (2m to 3.5m) long. In order to determine that the ground rod is working satisfactorily, check the fence with a volt meter on a regular basis. Only use a volt meter made for electric fencing (Baygard code 00814 or 00815). If one ground rod is not satisfactory, additional ground rods spaced 10' (3m) apart and connected in series may provide satisfactory grounding. For ground rod connection, always use corrosion resistant metal wire such as galvanized steel or copper wire 14 ga. (2.5mm) or heavier. Use galvanized electrical clamps to join the wire to the ground rod.
IMPORTANT! Proper grounding is essential to the effectiveness of an electric fence.
IMPORTANT! Dry or frozen soil conditions can reduce or eliminate the effectiveness of the fence shock. Before using this electric fence, check to determine that there is a shock satisfactory for the purpose desired. This check must be performed with a voltmeter made for electric fencing.

THE GROUND SYSTEM
For an electric fence to work, the voltage must complete a circuit. The energizer (fence controller) condenses electricity to generate a high voltage pulse on the fence wire, waiting for an animal to touch the fence. When touched, the pulse travels through the animal and the soil, to the ground rod and then up the ground rod and back to the energizer. That is when the animal feels the shock. A poor ground system reduces the electricity returning to the energizer as well as the shock felt by the animal.

GROUNDING TIPS
Never use water pipes or utility ground rods (installed by the power/hydro company) to ground your fence. Doing so will allow stray voltage to get into your household current or water system.
Do not install your ground system within 50 feet (15 meters) of a utility ground rod to help prevent lightning from damaging the energizer.
One ground rod may not be sufficient, as most fences are built in the spring when the soil is moist. The ground system and the fence may work fine initially, but may become less effective as summer dries the soil and reduces the effectiveness of the ground rod.
A hot/ground system may be an effective solution in very dry areas. Every other fence wire is attached to the ground system so an animal completes the circuit by touching two wires.
Install the energizer and the ground system first. Correct installation will reduce the potential for problems arising with your electric fence.

FENCE SETUP
1. Clear area of grass and weeds that may touch the wire or tape and cause electrical shorts.
2. Place posts approximately 20 feet (6 meters) apart or less. Use closer spacing with rugged terrain or high winds. Wire or tape must not touch the ground.
3. To join wire, double the wire and tie a knot. To join tape, there is no need to double. Simply tie a knot. Bare the aluminum conductors and twist or "pigtail" together. Hand tighten fence to remove slack - do not over tighten.
4. For Baygard HV and Equitape®, twist the tape between each post. A spiral in the tape will reduce wind load and create a back and forth motion in the tape that will improve its visibility.
5. Install ground rods as described above.
6. Connect the energizer to Baygard electric fence wire or Baygard HV tape using a Baygard pulse connector (code 00676) or equivalent, and lead wire such as Baygard insulated cable (code 00693) or an equivalent electric fence cable.

TRAINING ANIMALS TO ELECTRIC FENCING
Animals should be trained to respect the fence by introducing them to it in a small area. It may be helpful to bait the fence with feed. For example, aluminum foil and molasses can be used to bait wildlife.

FENCE SERVICING
Portable electric fencing is an economical, effective means of stock management, but it does require regular servicing.
1. Maintain adequate permanent boundary fencing.
2. Remove all vegetation from electric boundary fencing.
3. Do not allow electric fence to be loaded with snow as it may break the Baygard wire or HV tape; store wire or tape for winter.
4. Check electric fence on a regular basis with volt meter made for electric fencing, such as: Baygard code 00814 or 00815.
5. Check all electric fence components on a regular basis to ensure that they are working properly.