Electric Predator Guards

[Rodger Drye]

Would like some more information on Electric Predator Guards. Want to know exactly how you mount your Electric Guard.?
Is it just a wire or does it hook on to some other type of metal guard netting, screen or what ever.?
How does it work effectively especially to keep Snakes away.?
I wouldn't think you would hook it up to the pole itself. If so your whole pole would be Hot.!
I appreciate any feedback on this subject.
Thanks, Rodger

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

Rodger, the pole could be the ground but not the hot wire. You need a ground stake at the charger, then run the hot wire to the pole area. This hot wire should be mounted so that a snake or animal must touch it when it tries to climb the pole and gets shocked.

A setup that is easy is to attach about 5 pvc pipes (1/2in or 3/4in) about 2 or 3 ft long around the pole, space the pvc pipes about 2 inches apart, fasten them securely. Then run the hot wire around the pole (pvc) several times, start near the bottom of the pole and go up to the top of the pvc. The pvc is an insulator, so mount the hot wire so that it only touches the pvc. Stop the hot wire any place and leave the end free.

The snake gets shocked when it touches the hot wire and the ground. The ground will be both the metal pole and the dirt (earth)

[Rodger Drye]

Emil,
Thanks for the info. Do you have these installed at your Colony Site.?
Rodger

[Emil Pampell-Tx]

I have 4ft of large pvc over the poles, I ran the hot wire around the top of the pvc. Its double protection, the pvc should stop everything, but also, the snake would get shocked if it touches the hot wire at the top of the pvc and the metal pole.

[Rodger Drye]

Emil,
I like the concept of using the 3/4" pvc around the pole. My Worm Gear winches are mounted about 2 feet from bottom of ground (dirt). I have 24" Quick Release Predator Guards above my winches. I have Bird Netting around the bottoms of my poles now. The electric guards would keep everything Off.!!
I can't use the 4' PVC, if I did I would have to use a ladder to do Nest Checks. I do not want to use a ladder.
I'm sure I can come up with a system that will work. Thanks so much for your Help and Ideas.! You've got me on the right track.!! Thanks Again Emil.!!
Rodger

[~Ray~Gingerich]

There are several ways to do it depending on what type of pole you have. I have 12 poles all protected by one fence charger. My charger has 2 lead points one for the hot wire and one for the copper ground wire which connects to 3 ground rods somewhere near the charger. I run a single hot wire from the charger to the nearest pole with underground electric fence wire, at that point I make a 3 way splice connecting supply hot wire, guard wire and the underground supply wire to next pole. The splice is 6-8 inches above ground level. Repeat from pole to pole with 3 way splice at each pole, last pole would only be a 2 way splice.

When I bury the underground wire I don’t dig a big trench, just mark a line, cut the sod at an angle with a round point shovel, pry up a little with each cut then tuck the wire in under the sod roots.

My guard for 2” square poles is simply a 40-48 inch length of ½ pvc pipe with a bare hot wire taped to it at top, bottom, and middle with electrical tape. The pvc is placed against the pole with hot wire facing out and taped to pole with several wraps of tape but at the bottom and top only and directly over the tape that’s holding hot wire to pvc. I leave the hot wire a little longer than the pvc at the top and make a ¾ loop around but not touching the pole (about 1”space). Anything that tries to climb the pole will at some point make contact with the wire and get shocked. A snake will wrap around going up, a racoon will wrap it's legs around to climb.

My 3” poles have cranks at the bottom so I use removable insulated stove pipe guards; the metal is insulated from pole with a pvc insert at the top which also holds the hanger brackets. The hot wire is fastened to the guard so the entire shell is hot. I don’t think anyone sells those anymore. I had an extra pole to protect so I made one myself ...6”pvc split along the length, hinged, covered with hardware cloth (rat wire) then sealed at the top with flat pvc. Hotwire is fastened to the rat wire.

Wood poles are different; the pole does not provide a good ground. What I do is cut ½ pvc 48” long and install on each corner, starting at the bottom I drill a hole thru the pvc, at the next corner drill hole a little higher and so on, corner to corner. When finished pull the hotwire thru the holes so wire spirals 4 inches apart around the pole from bottom to top of guard but not touching the pole (if wire touches the wood under wet conditions could weaken charge.) Next, do the same thing with a separate wire keeping halfway between the hot wires; connect this wire to a separate grounding pole installed near the pole.

[Rodger Drye]

Hey Ray,
While reading your post I have a question. I use Round 24" Quick Release Aluminum predator guards on my poles (2" & 3").
My Worm Gear winches are about 24" above the ground. Then below them I have 3/4" Bird Netting.
Could I use pvc and make a bracket around my poles for my Quick Release guards to sit on.?? Then I could run a Hot wire up from the back and connect it to the guard that way the whole Shell would be Hot. This should prevent anything from climbing or crawling up the pole. I don't have any wooden poles, just Steel and Aluminum.
Rodger

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Hey Ray,
While reading your post I have a question. I use Round 24" Quick Release Aluminum predator guards on my poles (2" & 3").
My Worm Gear winches are about 24" above the ground. Then below them I have 3/4" Bird Netting.
Could I use pvc and make a bracket around my poles for my Quick Release guards to sit on.?? Then I could run a Hot wire up from the back and connect it to the guard that way the whole Shell would be Hot. This should prevent anything from climbing or crawling up the pole. I don't have any wooden poles, just Steel and Aluminum.
Rodger

Rodger I'm not sure if I understand your thought on the bracket and pvc. I believe the bracket you use now is the type that clamps to the pole and your guard just sets on top of that? If you make the outer shell hot it needs to be insulated from the metal bracket and the pole. Probably the best thing to do in your case is to make a guard out of pvc and cover it with ratwire
Here's a picture of mine, the hanger brackets are just pvc pipe heated and flattend at the ends and bolted to guard. This set up is hung from the safety bolt hole, run as single hot wire on top of the bracket arms(not shown in picture)

[Rodger Drye]

Ray,
Looks like a neat setup. I see you have hinges on it so it must open up to come off - am I right.?? Where is your Winch located.? Looks like your pvc with rat wire goes almost to the ground. Yes you were right about my thinking - I Think...
Sometimes it's hard to tell with paper and words exactly what you mean.

All my Predator Guards are Aluminum and have even considered making my own Aluminum Guard for my next Pole. I was going to cut the top out of my Aluminum Guard (s) and replace it with a Piece of PVC. I might have to make another bracket at the bottom out of PVC. Then I could just run my Hot wire and attach it to Quick Release Guard. It would be Hot and the pvc would insulate it from my Pole. Anything climbing up the Pole and or touching the Guard would get Shocked.!!

More thinking, I don't know if I will cut the tops out of all my Q.R Aluminum Guards. If anything I might experiment on One (1). My Winches are about 24" from ground (dirt) level. Now if I had a 24" x 6" or 8" pvc pipe and wrapped it with Rat wire like yours... It would have to have hinges or an easy way to take it off. All my Poles are hinged and held up with 2 5/8" Grade #8 Case Hardened Bolts. I can lay them flat out on the ground if I want to. To perform maintenance, repairs, paint, grease, or what ever. I don't like to use a Ladder unless I just have to.

All my Poles are to Heavy to Lift straight up, and even the 2" Aluminum Poles I have are reinforced inside with 1/8" x 1 &3/8" Round Tubing. All the Poles are relatively easy to Push Up especially with Help from one of my son's or a Friend.!

I do not have Ground Stakes in the ground that a 2" or 3" Pole has to be lifted on to. I welded Pole Anchors which are concreted 30" to 36" in the ground and stand up on both sides of the Pole in question right at 32". My winches are 6" - 8"s below the top 5/8" Bolt.

So If I could build an Electric Guard below my winches that I can remove if necessary, Would be the way to Go. Show me how you take your pvc guard Off.?
The Winch in the pic can be moved up right under the 5/8" Bolt. Thus, should leave me plenty of Room.

Thanks, Rodger

[~Ray~Gingerich]

Rodger, my set up simular to yours, winch is down low at the 12 inch mark. The picture makes the guard look low, bottom of guard starts at the 31 inch mark and is 30 inches long. It opens up just like a quick release guard after removal of safety bolt and can be removed from pole prior to lowering the rack. The only difference is there are no latches.Where the 2 half sections come together the rat wire is bent out about half inch on both sections then I wire tie it right in the middle.The pvc on top is split and one side slides underneath the other side slightly when it's closed.

I like this guard better than my metal ones with the pvc inserts on top because sometimes in damp conditions the charge spark archs across, either to the rivets, or sometimes to the pole and makes a popping sound which is amplified inside the guard. I never have that problem with the pvc guard.

[M.Stephens]

Rodger if you're a member of the PMCA FB page. There is a post about electric predator guards over there too. Any information you can get should be helpful in your endeavors.

https://m.facebook.com/groups/Prognesubis/?view=group

[eyeamtheman]

I've thought about going with an electric guard setup and have talked with Malcolm about it briefly. I agree it's the most sure guard out there.
Just my two cents observation of your netting tho.....its WAY too bunched up looking to me. I think a snake could just crawl right over that...

[Rodger Drye]

Johnny,
Not so. It's really loosely fluffed up around the Pole and it is very effective in trapping Snakes. Big and Small.
I've thought about electric predator guards for a long while and I'm still thinking. I haven't came up with anything as yet to justify cost and effect. It would be my luck to go with an Electric Guard and the power go out for a week.
The Netting doesn't cost me anything and it's on the job 24 hours a day Rain or Shine, Power or No Power.
And Yes Believe it or Not It does a Good Job at Catching all size Snakes.!!!
As far as the Elec Predator Guard I'm still thinking and working on a revolusionary design that I will be Happy with.
Rodger

[eyeamtheman]

My mistake. Must be just how it looks in your picture. I agree with how effective the netting is. I catch one or two snakes every year.

[Rodger Drye]

Hey Johnny,
Yeah last year I caught 5 Black snakes. One was about as big around as your finger. And one was huge. As big around as a Pepsi can and just shy of 7 feet. Must of been "Big Mama" Lol.!!!
Rodger