Raccoons are persistent pests, driven by intelligence and an insatiable appetite for garden produce and pet food. Traditional fences often fail to deter these resourceful animals, leading many property owners to use electric fencing. The effectiveness of this psychological barrier is measured by the energy it delivers, quantified in Joules. The goal is to deliver a memorable, non-lethal shock that trains the animal to associate the fence line with an unpleasant experience.
Understanding Electric Fence Power Metrics
The operation of an electric fence is described using two primary metrics: Volts and Joules. Voltage measures the electrical pressure or force, ensuring the charge can push through the animal’s fur and skin to complete the circuit. Most modern energizers produce high voltage, often exceeding 5,000 Volts, necessary to overcome resistance.
Joules measure the actual energy delivered in each pulse, representing the strength and impact of the shock. This energy determines how far the charge can travel along the fence line and how much power remains when resistance is introduced by vegetation or the animal itself. Since raccoons are stubborn and possess natural insulation, the Joule rating is the more accurate indicator of an energizer’s deterrent capability.
When selecting a charger, distinguish between stored Joules and output Joules. Stored Joules represent the total energy held in the energizer’s capacitor. During discharge, the internal transformer is not perfectly efficient, typically operating at 60 to 75 percent efficiency. The true measure of performance is the output Joule rating, which is the energy actually delivered to the fence line after this loss. Only the output Joule figure accurately reflects the shock an animal will feel.
Recommended Joule Output for Raccoon Deterrence
To create an effective psychological barrier for persistent wildlife like raccoons, a greater energy output is required. Raccoons are insulated by their fur and have a high tolerance for discomfort, meaning a weak shock will not discourage their return. The shock must be immediate and memorable to condition the animal to avoid the fence.
Experts recommend a minimum effective range of output energy starting around 0.5 to 1.0 output Joules for raccoon exclusion. This power level ensures the shock is sufficiently unpleasant to deter the animal from investigating further. For longer fence lines, or areas where resistance is high due to dry soil or heavy vegetation, moving toward the higher end of the 1.0+ Joule range is advisable. This extra energy helps the pulse maintain strength over distance and through minor power drains.
Selecting a charger based on its output Joule rating provides the best chance of successful exclusion. Chargers rated for “stubborn animals” or general predator exclusion often fall into this energy bracket. The goal is to provide a single, strong electric pulse that immediately overcomes the raccoon’s body resistance and creates a lasting negative association with the barrier.
Physical Fence Design for Maximum Effectiveness
While the energizer’s Joule output supplies the power, the physical design of the fence determines how effectively that power is delivered. Proper grounding is the most common failure point, as the circuit must be completed through the animal and the soil back to the charger’s ground terminal.
A robust grounding system requires driving multiple galvanized ground rods, typically six feet in length, into the earth near the energizer. The number of ground rods needed increases with the energizer’s Joule rating. They must be connected with lead-out wire and clamps to ensure a low-resistance path.
The wire spacing must be tailored to the raccoon’s anatomy and behavior. Raccoons investigate new barriers with their sensitive noses and attempt to crawl under or through fences low to the ground. The bottom hot wire should be placed 4 to 6 inches above ground level to intercept the animal immediately. A second hot wire should be added 4 to 8 inches above the first, creating a multi-strand barrier.
Using at least three to five horizontal wires spaced closely together ensures a curious raccoon cannot bypass the shock by climbing or jumping. In systems using existing non-electric fencing, offset insulators can mount the hot wires a few inches away, encouraging contact before the raccoon touches the grounded fence. Maintaining the fence line is also paramount for maximizing the delivered energy. Any vegetation touching the wires creates a resistive path to the ground, draining the Joules from the system. Therefore, the area beneath the electric wires must be kept clear of growth to ensure the full power is available when a raccoon makes contact.