Electric fence questions, answered plainly

An electronic fence is one detection layer: a physical fence with a pulse or tension sensor. A perimeter intrusion detection system includes the fence or buried sensor, the beam or fibre layer behind it, the control host, the zone map and the response procedure. The fence is a component; the system is what a guard can act on.

Start from the barrier and the ground. A rigid wall suits pulse; a site that forbids voltage suits tension; a long, unpowered or electrically noisy boundary suits fibre; an open straight span suits laser; an irregular or visually sensitive edge suits buried cable. The response model then sets the zone size.

For pulse and tension, terminal posts are normally no more than 100 m apart, and the zone length is set by the response plan, typically 80–200 m. The total perimeter can be extended by adding hosts and zones; it is not limited by a single run.

Count the places a guard can reach within the site’s response time, then add the time to verify and report. A useful starting point is 80–200 m per zone, but the guard’s route and the camera presets decide. The control system may support 128 addresses; that is not a staffing plan.

They can, if the layer is not matched to the site. Buried cable is shaped for human intrusion; laser and infrared can be mounted above animal height; fibre filters by frequency and duration; pulse needs vegetation clearance. Fix the mechanical cause before lowering sensitivity, because low sensitivity also hides a real intrusion.

Pulse and tension hosts need power at each host or zone. Fibre is passive at the fence and needs power only at the processor. Buried cable and beam sensors need power at the detector. For sites without power, solar wireless infrared and NB-IoT hosts are an option, subject to cellular coverage.

Yes, through dry contacts, RS485 or network. Dry contacts trigger a camera preset or an alarm input; RS485/network carry zone identity to the control host or platform. Access control integration is usually a relay or a network event, and should be tested end to end.

A pulse fence delivers a short, current-limited pulse intended to deter rather than injure. It still hurts and remains a high-voltage circuit: warning signs, clearance, earthing and an isolation procedure are mandatory. The fall from a wall after a shock is often more dangerous than the shock itself.

Monthly: walk the line, clear vegetation, check warning signs and test one zone. Quarterly: test every zone at its far end, check battery and earth resistance, and review the event log. After storms: inspect insulators, arresters and any visible damage.

Specification sheets, wiring and installation diagrams, the zone schedule, parameter settings, earth resistance test results, commissioning records and the maintenance procedure. For hazardous areas, add Ex certificates, the area drawing with device locations and calibration records.

Usually yes, with wall-top brackets, clamps or post adapters, provided the structure can carry the load and the public side cannot reach the live wires. Weak or hollow walls may need a steel frame or independent posts. A structural check is part of the site survey.

Prepare the perimeter length, barrier type, ground and vegetation, power and network availability, response model and any hazardous-area classification. Use the project brief on the contact page. With those six facts, a supplier can propose a zone plan instead of a generic price list.