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Please follow the sub-section links to the right, for useful information relevant to various
Electric Fencing systems.
This area of our website is continually updated so please visit again soon for even more
information. If there is some specific information that you're looking for and have been unable
to find it, let us know and we'll try to help.
An Introduction to Hotline Electric Fences
When it comes to keeping livestock in and predators out, the Hotline range of electric fencing and netting can solve almost any problem. Introduced in 1968 by AEC Electric
Fencing Limited, the product portfolio was broadened in 1998 by the addition of the RENCO group’s electrified netting range and the name was changed to Hotline/RENCO
Ltd. A management buyout followed the retirement of the owner during 2007 the company name changing to Hotline Electric Fencing Limited and the reigns firmly taken in hand by
MD Colin Whitbread. During 2008 Hotline celebrated the completion of their forth decade manufacturing high quality fence energisers and continues to invest in the future with
the continuing development of new and innovative electric fencing products and services.
An electric fence controls animals by giving the cow, horse, sheep, dog, deer, rabbit etc, a controlled electric shock when it comes into contact with the fence –
THIS ELECTRIC SHOCK IS HARMLESS TO THE ANIMALS, but should be memorable enough for the animal not to forget the experience.
An electric fence is really a psychological barrier, it does not require huge amounts of power to be effective. But, it should be well designed and constructed to take some
pressure from animals and the weather.
In general terms, an electric fence system consists of:
1. An electric fence energiser and power source.
The energiser has two terminals, one terminal connected to...
2. A fence wire, or combination of wires supported on...
3. Insulators, fixed on posts and the other terminal connected to...
4. An Earth spike or spikes.
Put these fence components together using various connectors and leads and you have created a pulsed, high voltage OPEN LOOP.
The animal is the missing component that completes the loop if/when it comes into contact with a fence wire (while still touching the ground)*.
As a "reward", the animal gets a shock and soon learns to stay away from the fence.
Electric fencers (energisers) work by passing a small amount of current through the animal and into the ground. This circuit is easily achieved in relatively damp ground
conditions but we cannot stress too strongly that adequate earthing is critical to the effective operation of electric fencing systems.
When the ground is dry, earth (ground) stakes are essential, sometimes as frequently as every 100 metres.
In addition to the effectiveness of a fencing system, there is also the issue of efficiency. This means how well the energy that is stored in the batteries, or drawn
from the mains, is utilised with maximum efficiency. Hotline energisers have been designed with these criteria very much in mind.
The power of Hotline fencers is measured in Output Joules, which is the energy available to the fence to power its fence lines. Sometimes Stored Joules is
mentioned, which is the energy held internally. However, when stored energy is released to the fence, it decreases by up to 50%, depending on conditions, so we tend not
to use this figure, which can be misleading.
The legal maximum of Output Joules is limited to 5 Joules under a 500-Ohm load.
All electric fencing systems are required to comply with the relevant standards, in Europe: European/British Standards BSEN 61011 220V/110V, BSEN 61011-2 Battery,
BS 60335-2-76 and relevant EMC Standards; United States, UL 69.
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