How to Install Ground Rods for your Electric Fence

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ELECTRIC FENCE GROUND ROD INSTALLATION TIPS
The grounding system is the unsung hero of any electric fence system.
When an animal comes in contact with an electrically charged fence, the animal feels an electrical shock.
This is in part because of the charge created at the fence charger, but equally as important, because of the charge received by your ground rods that is fed back into the charger to close the circuit on your electric fence system.
Almost instantaneously, the charge goes through the ground and reaches the ground rods you have installed and sent up the wire attached to the ground terminal of the charger.
If the ground terminal is not properly connected to rods that make the grounding system, the animal will not feel the shock.
WHAT YOU NEED TO INSTALL GROUND RODS
To properly install your grounding system, you will need the following, all of which can be found at ZarebaSystems.com (see below for links) …
- Three 6-foot grounding rods of either copper or galvanized steel, copper being the most conductive option.
- Ground rod clamps to attach your insulated wires to your ground rods. The clamps should be the same metal as the ground rod you have chosen for each ground rod.
- Insulated hookup wire that is 10 to 14 gauge.
PREPARATION FOR GROUND ROD INSTALLATION
Start by marking out where you want the ground rods to be installed. When possible, choose low laying areas that receive more moisture. Space the grounding rods out 10 feet apart from each other, and at least 50 feet from any other ground systems, utility poles and lines. And keep them near your charger if possible to avoid running long stretches of insulated wire.
For ease of installation, pour water into the entry point where you are placing the ground rods to soften the earth. Before you start driving ground rods in, make sure to put ground rod clamps on first in case mushrooming takes place on the end, making it impossible to slide on closed ground rod clamps.
Also, check local zoning laws for electric fencing guidelines in your area. Also check with local utilities before digging to identify any buried cables or natural gas lines.
DRIVING GROUND RODS INTO THE SOIL
Use a mallet, sledge or post driver to drive the ground rods into the ground. Make sure they are at least 4 feet deep to get below the frost line.
CONNECTING THE GROUND ROD SYSTEM
Once the rods have been driven into the earth at the appropriate distances, connect the rods using a single piece of insulated wire and ground rod clamps. Make sure your charger is unplugged, or turned off, and then run this insulated wire from your ground rods to the ground terminal on your fence charger to complete the installation.
TEST THE ELECTRIC FENCE SYSTEM
After the ground wire has been connected to your terminal and your fence wire connected to your fence terminal, plug your charger in, or turn on your solar- or battery-operated charger to confirm operation.
Using a fence tester, check your fence line at multiple points to verify adequate voltage. Once you’ve confirmed voltage running on your lines at multiple points, you’ve successfully installed your grounding system and fence setup. You’ll want to monitor voltage levels occasionally to get ahead of potential voltage loss on your fence lines from external factors like weed growth, weather-related events, or other objects pulling fence voltage down.
With proper installation and maintenance, you’ll have a safe and successful animal containment solution for years to come…
YOUR ELECTRIC FENCE QUESTIONS
Hopefully this video has cleared up a few questions for your electric fence grounding installation. If you have additional questions, give us a call at 855-592-7322.

[@QuarkWizard]

Just a hint... Bend the hook on the end of the charger connecting wire opposite from what they show in the video at 2:03 and 2:15. (They show the wire coming in from the right.) This helps because when tightening the lug by turning clockwise the wire will be going in the same direction of the twisting of the connector lug helping to eliminate the wire wanting to jump off the connector post. Plus it fits in the little slot on the bottom left making a more positive connection.

[@MikeR90679]

You show multiple grounding rods in your video but say "connect the rods using a single peice of insulated wire". How do you connect two grounding rods? Do I run one wire all the way through my grounding rods or do I cut and connect?

[@andye013]

Great video!!

[@whatsthematterhere]

1:48 He is much more smiley than I was doing this! XD Overall, helpful video--thanks!

[@DonovanAP]

What if my rods only go in 2ft due to rock? I've tried many locations and it's the same

[@mystic24100]

I am mounting my charger in the garage, this gets me the 110 volts I need. But I will be right by my electrical grounding stakes. If I understand this correctly I will have to install the charger ground 50 feet away. On the other hand you say to keep the charger grounded as close to the charger as possible??

[@donmartin7728]

Im curious as to why the ground wire has to be insulated also? If suggested for less interference the insulated wire would have to be shielded. Shielded wire greatly reduces the electrical sphere or cone around the wire. Unshielded wire has very little influence on the sphere or cone.

[@Nifty-Stuff]

I KEEP ASKING this SAME question! I even called support and they were pretty useless. It seems like we're being told: "GROUND THE HECK OUT OF THE SYSTEM"... but then told: "Oh, and be careful not to ground the wire connecting the ground rods".

[@JD_Daddy03]

Do my extra ground rods need to be spread through the property, or can the 3 be close to each other?

[@Th3_0_h8]

Im doing one for my privacy fence in my back yard. Ive only ran maybe 50 to 100 feet of wire. Can i get away with just using one ground wite for the small area im running?

[@thurlowfamilyfarm4628]

does the wire being connected to the grounding rods need to be insulated?

[@Nifty-Stuff]

Yup, I'm wondering the same thing!! I even called support and they were pretty useless. On one hand we're being told: "GROUND THE HECK OUT OF THE SYSTEM"... but then told: "Oh, and be careful not to ground the wire connecting the ground rods".

[@shellybrown8710]

I don't understand how to connect the insulated wire to three ground rods by using a "single piece" of insulated wire. Could you possibly explain that? Otherwise, this video was enormously helpful! (Well, it is still enormously helpful - just not able to visualize that piece.) Thank you!

[@woodsyfeller5995]

strip the insulation off the wire where it comes in contact with each ground rod. run the same wire from the furthest ground rod to the closest ground rod to the energizer.

[@catsknit23]

So it should be insulated between ground rod #1 and #2 and between #2 and #3 also? The video made it look like the insulated wire ended at the 1st rod, and then uninsulated wire was between the others. I saw another video where a guy used shorter grounding rods but then pushed them all the way in, burying the ground wire too. Confusing!

[@shellybrown8710]

Thank you!

[@dresdenjackshula4940]

I can't figure this out. I ran one wire from the energizer to the ground rod...ok I get thay part. Next, from the other port on the energizer, I run the wire around the full fence perimeter until I get back to the charger. Where does this end connect to? Does it just connect to itself or does that end need to also connect to the charger or ground rod?

[@8onedry]

You don't need or want to connect the other end of the line back to the energizer, that's what the grounding rods do. You just terminate the loose on an insulator. The connection back to the energizer is made when the animal touches the hot wire and the electric pulse goes through their body and into the ground, completing the circuit. Multiple grounding rods ensure a better connection through the earth. I know you probably got your answer from somewhere by now, but I wanted to comment for anyone else who may be wondering.

[@DeniseSlack]

I have an existing electric fence...everything was working great but the other day I notices the charger was clicking but no flashing light...I did add a section of fence last summer around roughly 5 acres. But everything seemed to be working fine. I’ve walked e fence line and made necessary repairs and cut back brush.... I used a fence tester while fence was hooked up and plugged in...positive read 2000v,ground was 7000v. The fence itself reads 2000v but you can touch it and get no shock at all. Why the sudden change? Is the charger history? Or is it a ground issue? Since I’ve added more fence line I plan of adding another grounding rod..fence is galvanized,grounding rods are galvanized. What would the best insulated wire be to use? I’m going to replace all of the grounding wires

[@tasseyko]

Following

[@NX4Gallo]

Do the ground rods necessarily have to be spaced 10ft apart & 10ft from the charger?

[@ZarebaSystems]

Hi there! Please contact our customer care team with any questions Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-7 p.m EST. and Saturday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. EST at [phone]!

[@anystuff7895]

If I want to install the hot wire on top of the fence to deter the racoon, should I put the ground wire together in a few inches so that they step two wires together? What if the racoon only touch the hot wire on top of the fence, does it get shocked? Thanks!

[@suehaney981]

you have to put a ground wire close to the hot wire so that the raccoon will touch both at the same time.

[@michaelhardee6875]

I'm having issues with my fence. I have 4 copper grounding rods and when I test the fence I'm not getting even 3k volts. The output of the charger is 11k volts. I need some help or other options.

[@stevewayne8941]

why does the wire need to be insulated

[@bradjenkins932]

It doesn't.

[@feelnrite]

Why use insulated wire for the ground wire. Most ground wire is bare copper I thought.

[@ZarebaSystems]

Hi there! You can call our customer care team with any questions Monday-Friday 8 a.m.-7 p.m EST. and Saturday 9 a.m.- 5 p.m. EST at [phone]!

[@peanutman6593]

Bury a ground rod 4 feet deep every 10 feet?? Are you insane!

[@rachel4483]

your horse has a broken front leg there...

[@mrcoz1764]

Everybody here is trying to sell something,,Most people come here to get "FREE" information for what their trying to do How about some free info on different ways to set up electric fences like using a wire type fence with the electric wire in front of it and grounding the fence with no ground rods