Electric Fencing is an ever expanding market, with endless new insulators and gizmos being introduced all the time.  This can make it confusing, but essentially there are just a handful of insulators that you really need to know about.  An electric fence insulator essentially allows the electrical current to continue around the fence, but stops it running to the earth through the wooden fence post.  It is essential to use insulators if you have a wooden fence (we have had some people try without and wonder why their fence doesn’t work!).  You do not need to use insulators on plastic polyposts.

below is a brief description of each of the main electric fence insulators.  The popular insularos are also available in colours – green, purple and blue – should you wish to make your field a little brighter!

The Ring Insulator

The Ring Insulator is used for 20mm electric fencing tape or up to 6mm electric fencing rope and twine.   It has a metal screw that is designed to go into wood (posts etc).  The ring insulator can be used for holding tape, rope or twine away from wooden fences.  It can also be used for gate handle loops and end loops for finishing off temporary fences.  The Ring Insulator is the most popular of all the insulators.

You can also get ring insulators with a plastic screw.  These are for use with very powerful energisers.  By not having any metal at all you take away any chance of any power seeping out to the earth.  This plastic ring insulator is quite specialist.  It is more expensive than standard ring insulators and is not worth considering unless you really have the need.

The Combi Insulator

The Combi Insulator is similar to the Ring Insulator, but it can also take up to 40mm electric fencing tape, as well as up to 6mm rope and twine.  If you are installing a lot of Combi Insulators it is faster to use a combi drill adapter.

The Multi-Purpose Insulator is similar to the Ring Insulator, but it keeps 20mm tape flat, making it a better option if you intend to use electric fencing tape.  It can be used for electric fecning rope, twine or up to 20mm tape.  If you are installing a lot of these insulators, you will want a universal drill adapter to make the installation easier and faster.

The Distance Ring Insulator

This insulator is designed to keep the electric fencing rope, twine or up to 20mm tape away from the fence.  This is useful if you have a horse who chews the rails, if there is barbed wire you need to protect your animals from, or if you have animals in separate fields whom you need to keep separated so they don’t bite.  The Distance Insulator keeps the rope or tape about 16cm – 20cm away from the fence.

The insulator pictured above has a ‘bend’ but some distance insulators go straight out.

The Distance Combi Insulator

The Distance Combi Insulator is similar to the Distance Ring Insulator – but it can also take 40mm electric fencing tape.

The Clamp Insulator

This insulator is designed for permanent fences and makes sure the tape, rope or twine cannot move.  It ‘clamps’ it flat, and should a section or your tape or rope break the clamps will hold the rest of your tape or rope in place.  It is for use with electric fencing rope, twine and up to 40mm tape.

This insulator is particularly good in windy locations as it stops the tape or rope constantly flapping in the wind.  This will preserve the life of your tape or rope.

Corner Insulator

This insulator is designed to neatly and firmly hold up to 40mm tape on the corners of your permanent electric fence.  By keeping the tape flat as it goes around the corner it avoids curling and damaging your tape.

End Buckle

This insulator offers a neat way to finish off your fence and can take up to 40mm tape.  Additionally, you can add a second or third ‘buckle’ to the same plastic base and have different strands of tape going off in numerous directions all from the same neat insulator.

Gate Handle Insulator

The Gate Handle Insulator is very popular and is primarily used for electric fence gateways.  It allows the power to flow through the gateway and gives a hook for you to attach the electric fence gate handle to. It screws on to wooden posts.  You need one Gate Handle Insulator for each Gate Handle.

This little insulator is also used for a whole host of other ingenious purposes, due to the handy two hooks!

Gate Handle

This is a standard gate handle, although you’ll find there are numerous types of gate handle available (with bungee cords, springs etc).  This allows you to open your fence without getting a shock!  For permanent fences, you will need Gate Handle Insulators to hook the handle into.

Egg Insulator

The Egg Insulator is mainly used for high tensile wire fences, but can also be used with electric fencing rope and twine.

Staple Insulator

This is for use with wire or twine. It is not suitable for rope or tape.

Pigtail Post Insulators

These insulators are for use on metal pigtail posts.  The insulator can slide up and down the post to your desired height and then get locked in place.  They can take electric fencing rope, twine and up to 20mm tape.

Screw In Aid For Ring Insulators

This makes life a whole lot easier if you are putting in a lot of standard ring insulators.  It works with cordless drills.  It only works with standard ring insulators – not distance ring insulators.
Universal Drill Adapter

This makes putting in all standard insulators (ring, multi purpose, clip etc) easy work!  It can be used with a cordless drill.

If you have any questions about which insulator is right for you, please don’t hesitate to give us a call.  We help people design electric fencing every day!

Farmcare UK

Electric Fencing, Solar and Clipper Specialist

01323 406212