Installation Instructions for Equi-Safe

The following should be read carefully prior to installing Equisafe Fencing. Not all conceivable site conditions can be addressed. Once the basics of installation are understood then special site conditions can be planned for.

Important Points to know before beginning Installation:

1. It is best to do an initial layout of the area(s) to be fenced. Note the locations of all changes in directions (corner posts, etc) end posts and gate locations. Gate openings shall be 1550mm for a single 1500mm gate and 3050mm for a set of double 1500mm gates gates measured from inside of post at each side of opening. Opening for a single 3000mm gates will be 3050mm.

2. Rails are secured within the post where the rail terminates with the use of a “Spring Pin”. These pins will be installed into both ends of each rail. See Figure No. 2. The hole size for the spring pins is 27/64 and size for the solid straight pin is 3/8. The top rail should be secured with the solid plastic pins.

3. At the trailing end of each rail a wire “pigtail” will need to be added to the wire that is imbedded into the rails. This will allow for the easy connection of wire to the successive rail therefore maintaining a continuous circuit. See Figure No. 3. This connection must be made prior to inserting rail into post.

Note: For ease of installation we recommend using a wire “pigtail” as shown in Figure 3 below. This is optional as wires can be manually twisted and joined together. Instructions are written as if pigtails were being used.

Post Installation

1. Pick a starting point, preferably an End or Corner post.

2. In a straight line mark and/or dig posts holes 2.4m (center of post to center of post) Use of a string line or laser will assist in the posts holes being dug in a straight line. Posts should be embedded at least 500mm or more into the ground. It is highly recommended each post be set in concrete. Care should be taken that all pre-drilled rail holes in the posts are lined up in the desired direction and that all posts are set to the exact same depth ensuring that the tops of each post are level in relation to each other.

Installing Wire Rails

1. After the concrete is set hard around the posts you now can install the rails. Start at a corner or end post. Feed the rails through the posts by starting 2 posts back and feeding them through. Make sure you remember to add the wire pigtails before you insert the rail into the final position.

2. Spring pins should not be installed until the rail has passed through all inline posts. Care should be made also that all wires are properly connected before inserting rail into its finished position within the post.

3. Typical rail installation. See Figure No. 5A

4. It is recommended that all wire rails be connected every few hundred metres creating a series of smaller circuits. The size of the circuit is determined by the owner. You should determine where these “jumps” (connections) are to occur and prior to inserting rails. Connect all pigtails together within the post using a length of stainless wire. See Figure No. 5B

Before inserting rail into post No. 1 install Spring Pin as shown in Figure No. 2 Before inserting rail and Spring Pin into post connect wire pigtail to end of rail. The pigtail will be connected to the next adjacent rail that makes up the fence.

Wiring Tips:

1. We recommend all rails should be energized.

2. Care should be taken that all wires are tightly joined by twisting them together or by using the wire “Pigtails” available with the fence.

3. To minimize the size of the circuits and to energize the lower rails a separate wire should be run inside selected posts. It is recommended that this be done at each End Post, Corner Post and at approximately every 100 metres of fence. This step should be completed at the beginning and prior to inserting the rails.

4. During installation run a vertical wire within the posts. In the case of a 2-rail fence simply connect the upper and lower rails to each other. With a 3 or 4 rail fence use separate short lengths of wire to connect the individual rails together. This will complete the electrical circuit.

Installation on uneven ground

1. Posts should always be mounted vertical. In some instances it may be best to start with a new post where the ground goes from level to sloped. This is dependent on the degree of change.

2. Tolerances in the pre-drilled holes within each post allow for some degree of angling the fence to match the slope of the ground.

3. If this is not sufficient these holes can be enlarged to an oval to accommodate larger angle slopes. Enlarging these holes may be necessary on greater angles. In more extreme cases the rails can be cut to run just post to post.

Electrical Connections

1. Determine the method of electrically energizing the fence, whether it will be via a solar panel(s) or directly connected to an external source.

2. Assuming that all rails are to be energized, ensure that the stainless wire from each rail is connected to the lead to the power source.

3. If Solar, you will need to drill a small hole in the post behind the mounting location of the panel.

4. Run a short length of stainless steel wire from the wire within the post through the hole and connect to the solar panel. Follow the instructions supplied with your solar unit.

5. If wired directly, determine where you want the wire to exit the fence. You will need to add sufficient wire to reach this exit point. If wire is to be run beneath the soil use wire recommended for that purpose. Follow the instruction supplied with your power source.

"I am confident this is the safest and most attractive fence on the market, no wire or tape to get tangled up in. But most importantly, safety for the horses. I have seen some of my colts kick the rails so hard that my heart stopped, then trot off, sound like always. Let's not forget about the colt who got scared from a hunter and ran through two fence lines and walked away without a scratch."

Jim Takter, Trainer of the Year 1996 & 2000