How to Run Electric Wire Under a Gate

[@nancishufritz5499]

I just have a tiny suburban vegetable garden that the rabbits, woodchucks, deer, squirrels, etc. love (we live near a park). I have a solar electric fence around my raised beds, but I couldn’t figure out how to run it across the gate easily. Then I thought,”can I bury it?”. So you answered my question! Thank you!

[@RoughandTumbleFarmhouse]

It's so nice to have solid electric and easily accessible gates. Glad it helped. :)

[@rebekah5429]

This is so helpful!!! Do you need a special underground wire then the top wire you are using? I live in Illinois so winters are cold.

[@RoughandTumbleFarmhouse]

Just something coated and usually a thick gauge works well.

[@rebekah5429]

@@RoughandTumbleFarmhouse thank you so much!

[@lezbeon]

Can I just bury my polywire inside the pex?

[@RoughandTumbleFarmhouse]

You could but chances of it getting worn out or somehow destroyed (hello little burrowing critters) goes up.

[@kelliharris6946]

So if we bury the wire under the gate how do the dogs know not to go through the gate since the electric current won't be touched? We're trying to figure out how to hook it to the gate and it turns off that circuit while it's opens and then reconnects once the gate is closed. Our dogs will go through the spaces in the the gate.

[@RoughandTumbleFarmhouse]

That’s a tough one! I’m not sure how to manage that unless you had hot wire strung on the gate itself somehow. Another option is to add chicken wire or parts of a hog panel/cattle panel to the lower part of the gate where they would get through.

[@nancishufritz5499]

I wonder if you can answer this- I can’t find it anywhere else- my fence wire is 17 gauge, but the underground wire I bought is 12 1/2 gauge. Can they be connected together?

[@RoughandTumbleFarmhouse]

As long as you can get the metals to touch in a solid way the gauge doesn't really matter. I typically twist my connection points together. So long as they twist around each other you're fine.

[@g00gleisgayerthanaids56]

I think youd run into issues going from a larger gauge to a smaller gauge then to larger again. You shouldnt have any issues, i dont think.

[@LorenaWitham-ie2ic]

Where do you get the PEX tubing?

[@RoughandTumbleFarmhouse]

Most hardware stores will have them. Your Home Depot type department store or even smaller fleet supply store. They usually have it in a big roll and you get cuts if whatever size you need. I happened to have a bunch from a friend’s leftovers.

[@MadKatPhotography]

Just sayin .... if you had a video of you getting zapped, you’d be rich from the KZbin hits.

[@RoughandTumbleFarmhouse]

Something to consider! They say that Hotwire is a “mental” fence and it sure is. Even if I unplugged it myself I always hesitate before I touch the stuff.