Testing a 5-Wire Polywire Deer Fence Around a Garden with an Electric Fence Voltage Tester: 5,000 Volts at the Far Corner, Weekly Readings, and Finding a Short One Section at a Time

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Clip the tester's ground lead to a probe pushed into moist soil, touch the probe to each hot wire at the corner farthest from the energizer, and log the reading. A garden deer fence should hold at least 5,000 volts there; anything lower means a short, a weak ground, or a failing energizer.

What voltage should an electric deer fence around a garden read?

At least 5,000 volts on every hot wire, measured at the far end of the fence. Read it with a tester that shows a number in kilovolts, check it weekly and after storms, and treat a sudden drop as a short to track down before deer learn the fence is off.

The Minnesota DNR's energized fence guidelines for gardens call for an energizer delivering a minimum of 5000 volts under all conditions. They list polywire heights of 12, 20, 28, 36, and 44 inches and say to check voltage weekly or after storms.

Virginia Cooperative Extension's electric fencing troubleshooting guide says light-only testers are not very helpful and recommends a meter with a numerical reading in volts or kilovolts. It adds that a working energizer, tested with its fence wires unhooked, should pulse about 7,000 to 9,000 volts.

Reading Log for a 5-Wire Garden Fence

Test point Good reading If it reads low
Energizer terminals, fence unhooked 7.0 to 9.0 kV Energizer or fuse problem
Lead-out at the first post Above 6.0 kV Lead-out wire or connection
12-inch wire, far corner 5.0 kV or more Grass touching the bottom wire
28-inch wire, far corner 5.0 kV or more Broken connector between wires
44-inch wire, far corner 5.0 kV or more Wire touching a post or branch

Write each reading on a card at the energizer so a slow decline shows up before it reaches 5.0 kV.

Materials and Tools

  • Electric fence voltage tester; a model with a numeric kV display gives the most useful readings
  • The ground probe or a 12-inch steel pin for the tester's ground lead
  • Insulated-handle pliers and spare polywire connectors
  • A logbook or index card and a pencil
  • Rubber-soled boots and dry gloves

Testing Steps

  1. Check the energizer. Unhook both fence leads, power the unit, and read across the terminals.
  2. Reconnect and walk out. Hook the leads back on and go to the corner farthest from the energizer.
  3. Push the ground probe. Set the probe 3 feet or more from any ground rod, in damp soil.
  4. Touch each wire. Read all five wires from the bottom up and write the numbers down.
  5. Compare to last week. A drop of 1 kV or more on one wire points to a fault on that wire.
  6. Split the fence. Read the low wire at each corner, working back toward the energizer.
  7. Find the jump. When one corner reads low and the next one toward the energizer reads normal, the short is between them.
  8. Walk that section. Look for weeds, a fallen branch, a cracked insulator, or wire touching a metal post.
  9. Re-test. Clear the fault and read the far corner again.

Mow or trim an 18-inch strip under the fence so weeds do not drain the bottom wire.

Common Faults on Garden Fences

  • Tall grass on the 12-inch wire is the most common slow drain
  • Polywire tied with knots instead of connectors loses current at each knot
  • A corroded ground clamp lowers every reading on the fence
  • Testing only near the energizer hides faults at the far end

The fence layout itself is in setting an 8-foot T-post deer fence around a vegetable garden. Gardens with a net fence instead use joining 7.5-foot poly deer netting to a 3-foot welded-wire rabbit base.

Rabbits under the bottom wire need a mesh base from the hardware cloth mesh size and gauge guide.

Corner posts in hard ground go in using driving 6-foot and 8-foot T-posts in clay and rocky soil.

FAQ

Is it safe to touch the fence to check it?

No. Use the tester every time, and never test with your hand.

How often should I test?

Weekly, after storms, and any time deer damage shows up again.

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