Wire for Mainline

[adk1]

Looking at running 3/4" Leader 30P mainline. Will be around 500' of it I would say. Any suggestion as to the type of wire tht should be used?

[maple flats]

Use either 9 ga std or 12.5 ga High tensil. I prefer the HT but it is less user friendly without some costly tools. I had problems using HT until I got a crimp swage tool from TSC and I now use crimp sleaves. Which ever you use sust pull it as tight as you can and connect it at each end. Then you get final tension by using side tie wire. For the side ties use 14 ga, tie it to the main wire, loop around a tree (protect tree with a piece of tubing) and tie back to the main wire, pulling as tight as you can. Tension is gotten by pulling one direction and then the opposite on the next. The exception is if you are going around a curve or corner, you might have 2 or more on the same side in that case. These side ties give proper tension help hold height level and if a limb falls on the main the 14 ga breaks and releases the main. You remove the limb and wire a new side tie.

[Jim Brown]

Go to Kencove's web site and order their Ht 180-225,000 wire . You can get it MUCH cheaper than a dealer even with shippng . If you chose you can order random lenght pieces cheaper yet .I have never been able to break it by pulling on both ends with a ratchet. Also if a tree falls on it it will spring back after being on the ground.

Works for us

Jim

[maple flats]

Go to Kencove's web site and order their Ht 180-225,000 wire . You can get it MUCH cheaper than a dealer even with shippng . If you chose you can order random lenght pieces cheaper yet .I have never been able to break it by pulling on both ends with a ratchet. Also if a tree falls on it it will spring back after being on the ground.

Works for us

Jim

Not sure what Kencove sells it for but I bought mine at TSC, 50# (thinking about 2000') for $80 about 4 years ago. Still working on that roll.

[3rdgen.maple]

89 bucks now Maple Flats. I do think it is a 2000 foot roll as well. The HT is good stuff just hard to work with for crimping or tying off. It is what I use as well. I also bought the ratchets they make for them for like 3 bucks each. I anchored one end of the mainline wire and then attached the ratched on the opposite end and tightend as much as I could. After the pipe is attached loosely to the mainline wire I then anchored one end of that as well and attached 14 guage wire at the other end to yet another ratchet and stretched the pipe. Went back tied off the pipe to mainline wire every couple feet until i put the saddles in. Then I side tide from there to get it even more tight. The whole time doing this I was a little nervous about that HT wire breaking and shooting back at my head. You could play a tune on the wire when I was done.

[michiganfarmer2]

Use either 9 ga std or 12.5 ga High tensil. I prefer the HT but it is less user friendly without some costly tools. I had problems using HT until I got a crimp swage tool from TSC and I now use crimp sleaves. Which ever you use sust pull it as tight as you can and connect it at each end. Then you get final tension by using side tie wire. For the side ties use 14 ga, tie it to the main wire, loop around a tree (protect tree with a piece of tubing) and tie back to the main wire, pulling as tight as you can. Tension is gotten by pulling one direction and then the opposite on the next. The exception is if you are going around a curve or corner, you might have 2 or more on the same side in that case. These side ties give proper tension help hold height level and if a limb falls on the main the 14 ga breaks and releases the main. You remove the limb and wire a new side tie.

that what I was told by a leader rep, and its what I did

[jasonl6]

I got my kencove roll for $85 w/o tax since it was for maple. If it was for fencing it would be taxable. All i can say is my cows don't cross the maple lines ;) Also i use the ratchets to tighten my lines that way i can slack them off in the summer. The ratchest only cost $3 each. Then i use my laterals for side tension.

Jason

[allgreenmaple]

Not sure what Kencove sells it for but I bought mine at TSC, 50# (thinking about 2000') for $80 about 4 years ago. Still working on that roll. One I just got, $90 some $$, 4000'. 12 1/2 gauge hi tension.

[Russell Lampron]

I use the high tensile wire as well. I put a ratchet at each end of the wire and the pipe. That way I can go to the end that is closest to where I am making a repair to loosen or tighten the wire or pipe. The only time that I have had a HT wire break was when it had a kink in it. I have used the 9ga. wire in the past but don't like it because it is too soft and will break if you tighten it too much. The wire tool at TSC wasn't too expensive and it a good place to buy the wire, ratchets and crimp sleeves.

[maple flats]

I tried the ratchets one year and broke the HT where it first went thru the tightener spool and bent sharp while tightening. After breaking it 2 or 3 times and without really much tension on it (i never had this problem using the softer 9 ga), that is when I got the crimp tool and swage sleaves. Now I take a piece of HT wire to go around a tree and fit loosly. I slide a piece of 5/16 tubing on to protect the tree , bend one end by hand to about 150 degrees. Then I slide 2 sleaves on and crimp it to form a tear drop shaped loop. Then to attach the main wire I again bend the end by hand, loop it thru the first loop and crimp it back onto itself. I used to do it in one piece but prefer it in 2 pieces, it uses less wire because if done in one the angle where the two come back together to crimp must be much farther away from the tree or forces pulling it open from the diameter of the tree will destroy the sleaves. My way there are no spreading force and all crimps stay good with just linear tension. On the other end of the line (which is often 250' or less because on longer runs I anchor to a n inline tree and go both directions from there rather than have one line 1000' or more.

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

If you can find an electric/power company(whatever you call them) taking down overhead line, it works good and is free if you can get them to give you some. I have several hundred feet of it up and it is about 3/8" in diameter and I side pull it with 14 gauge and it works great. I connect pieces together with strand cable clamps and use them on the ends also. I only run 1/2" mainlines but I am sure it would work for about as big as you wanted to put on it.

[Maple Hobo]

I tried the HT wire they sell through the various maple suppliers... Forget that stuff!

I like the stranded wire through farmtec. It can take a lot KIPS (pull) then the rigid wire. Its more flexable and MUCH easier to work with. Connections hold better, it doesn't kink as bad and get weak spots that break under high tension.

It rolls a LOT nicer on the ratchets too.

[adk1]

I tried the HT wire they sell through the various maple suppliers... Forget that stuff!

I like the stranded wire through farmtec. It can take a lot KIPS (pull) then the rigid wire. Its more flexable and MUCH easier to work with. Connections hold better, it doesn't kink as bad and get weak spots that break under high tension.

It rolls a LOT nicer on the ratchets too.

I would assume that it is much more expensive than standard 12.5ga HT right?

[adk1]

Where do you buy the tension grips/tubing grips?

[Maple Hobo]

I would assume that it is much more expensive than standard 12.5ga HT right?

For the pain in the butt the stiff wire is to work with in the woods... I think its worth the differnce. I don't recall how much differnt it was I'll see if I can find it in the farmtec catalog again.

Even baught a spooler to help with the dang stiff wire. It would still spring back and rat up on te spooler as it tried to pull back on me as I walked through the woods. You need another person at the spool just to manage it. They are prone to get whiped by the wire when it springs off the spool too.

The stranded wire is MUCH easier to work with. I was ready to burry the stiff wire in a hole after installing a couple 800 foot runs with it.

[adk1]

I guess I dont know what standard wire is. can someone show me what it looks like or a pic on a website or something?

[Maple Hobo]

I guess I dont know what standard wire is. can someone show me what it looks like or a pic on a website or something?


Stranded, not standard.

Farm Tek

http://www.farmtek.com/farm/supplies/prod1;ft1_chain_rope_cable-ft1_cable_accessories_1;pgar1032.html

I think its the 7x7 for 11 cents per foot I like the best as I recall.
The 1000 foot spools it comes on can be used AS IS with a simple rod or stick as an axil without needing to buy an additional $165.00 spooler.

Leader has
#9 Wire for 550 ft at $90.00
12.5 GA wire at 2000 ft for $110.00

You can do the math to compare the items.:)

[twofer]

Here is the wire that I use: http://www.tractorsupply.com/electric-fencing/high-tensile-electric-fence-accessories/high-tensile-wire-12-1-2-ga-4-000-ft-coil-3601326

[adk1]

Here is the wire that I use: http://www.tractorsupply.com/electric-fencing/high-tensile-electric-fence-accessories/high-tensile-wire-12-1-2-ga-4-000-ft-coil-3601326

tht is exactly what I am going to use. I only need to run 500' of it

[adk1]

Can I use standard 14ga galvanized electric fence wire and rathets on each end to run the 3/4" mainline. We are talking about 500' of mainline. I might use side ties as well

[allgreenmaple]

Can I use standard 14ga galvanized electric fence wire and rathets on each end to run the 3/4" mainline. We are talking about 500' of mainline. I might use side ties as well I'd use this......http://www.tractorsupply.com/electric-fencing/high-tensile-electric-fence-accessories/high-tensile-wire-12-1-2-ga-4-000-ft-coil-3601326 If you don't want to buy that much, hook up with someone that does use it, he may sell you 5-6 hundred feet.

[mapleack]

Can I use standard 14ga galvanized electric fence wire and rathets on each end to run the 3/4" mainline. We are talking about 500' of mainline. I might use side ties as well

No, use the 12.5ga. 14 is too light and will end up breaking on you.

[adk1]

really? what is the high tensile just has the ability to stretch greater etc?? Thought some were saying they like the 14ga s othat if a limb falls on it it is easier to repair. I plan on usign the ratchets on each end

[allgreenmaple]

really? what is the high tensile just has the ability to stretch greater etc?? Thought some were saying they like the 14ga s othat if a limb falls on it it is easier to repair. I plan on usign the ratchets on each end Use lighter gauge wire for side tying, if anything, you want side tie wire to break before your mainline. Hi tensile will take a lot of tension, as long as it doesn't get a kink in it. We put in 4-5 thousandd feet of it this year, 12 1/2 gauge works good.

[adk1]

ok thanks, guess I am taking back my 14 ga and exchanging for 12.5ga High tensile

[WESTVIRGINIAMAPLER]

14 gauge would sag too with 3/4" mainline on it unless you have your supports or post really close together. 14 gauge is good for side tie wire as it will break way before the mainline wire does which is what you want it to do if something falls on it.

[maple flats]

It turns out the HT I bought from TSC in 2005 was 4000', since I have run over 3000' off that coil and it is still heavy to pick up, for $79.99. Price has gone up since.
This year I tried doing like Rapitube with no wire using 30P. So far I like it. I streatch the tubing using a come along and then side tie using the 1" black strap for Rapitube, as well as a piece to attach laterals with a hook connector. It is working great. If you use ss hose clamps at fittings it will most likely pull apart, I use the crimp ring clamps from Lowes, using 2 at each connection with the crimp points not alligned. No failures yet, no sags, faster to install, cheaper to install (materials AND labor) Easier to re adjust levels if needed. So far no down side. I also did it on my 700' 1" black dry line with great success, but I will not be buying any more black since I like working with the 30P so much better.
My couplings are a mix of SS and the conventional plastic, both work good except the shoulder is so thick on the plastic (but the SS is very expensive). Not sure yet if I'll buy more SS or use mostly plastic. The plastic is also easier to insert and crimp, the OD on the SS I bought is slightly bigger too (Lapierre)and the crimp rings are harder to crimp, but they still work. I never tried just one crimp ring so I do not know if one would work, at 30 some cents each I was far cheaper than the worm drive hose clamps and never a failure plus much faster to use.

[saphead]

The shoulder on the plastic fittings does make a nice place for bacteria and a place for turbulence.An easy and quick solution is to use a deburring tool on the ID of the fitting.Makes a nice transition,doesn't weaken the fitting and the tools are inexpensive w/different bits for different applications.We even use them on the ID of copper tubing.

[adk1]

Just ordered all of my lateral line tubing...1000' of lateral and 500' for drops from Leader. Bought the wire ties and the tool for when I buy the 3/4" 30P this summer. was told this stuff doesnt go on sale much.

[lpakiz]

Dave, I can't seem to find the clamps you mentioned. The ones I find are for 3/4 or 1 inch pex, and one is too small and one is too big for 30 P. Are these the clamps called "clinch" clamps or are thes the solid rings that are compressed with a die? If clinch clamps, do you have a part number or model number??
THANKS
Larry