Fix for Metal Fence Posts

[linda]

As much as I hate them, we find we have to use metal fence posts. The cedar ones rot within 10 years because of the nature of our ground. We have capped all metal posts with those plastic tops, but that still isn't as safe as what I would like.

So--new plan. We have bought some 3 inch plastic PVC pipe--we bought white, but you could also use black. It is about $8 for 10 feet. Cut the pipe in half. Drive the metal fence post in the ground. Put the 5 feet of plastic pipe over the metal fence post. Then glue the PVC caps over the top. Presto--a nice-looking PVC post, with cap, with a metal fence post underneath for rigidity. You can hook electric tape or rope right to the PVC post--no need for insulators (another cost savings.) The pipe we bought fits snugly around the metal fence post. The whole thing is less than $10 a post--and by shopping around, I'm sure you could cut the price even more. And to sweeten the deal, it is easy to drive the posts--labor costs are almost nothing. And you end up with a really pretty fence post....and a fence post that you can get the material for at any hardward store......
Linda

[Trailpal]

How do you secure the the electric tape or rope?

I use those t-posts sometimes (with the plastic tops) but this sounds much nicer.

[linda]

I tend to just wire them on with flexible wire, the same way I do for fiberglass posts. You could drill a hole through the plastic pipe up at the top, where the metal fence post doesn't run if you wanted it to be more secure. You also could use screws and screw an insulator onto the plastic pipe--but that would be additional cost and one more thing to break.

If you come up with a really cool idea for attaching the wire, please share it.
Linda

[snaffle]

I love your idea!!!
our neighbor did that when he marked his property line.. really looks nice!

[Pat B]

Something like this?


plumbing.hardwarestore.com/52-333-pvc-plugs-and-caps/3-styrene-sewer-and-drain-plug-635411.aspx

You could drill a hole through the square part to run things through?

[linda]

These pipes aren't threaded, so it is just a plain cap that fits over the pipe. You would have to drill through the pipe itself if you wanted to run wire through the post.

[DorothyB]

That is a great idea! - Oh, wait - how did you fasten the fence to the pipes if you covered up the T-post part?

[Pat B]

linda said:

These pipes aren't threaded, so it is just a plain cap that fits over the pipe. You would have to drill through the pipe itself if you wanted to run wire through the post.

Oh - you'd need the bushing that solvent welds to the pipe, then this cap thing screws into the bushing. Here's one that comes as a unit:


plumbing.hardwarestore.com/52-333-pvc-plugs-and-caps/cleanout-with-threaded-plug-241265.aspx

I suppose this might actually be getting a bit "spendier" than is practicable, although these fittings might be less expensive somewhere like Home Depot.

[TevisRider]

I bought some of the plastic sleeve things that you slide over the T post. They have a slot in them for hanging electric fencing. I think they are about $3.00 each?

Finally got all pipe runs which I love but could never afford to do a lot of acreage with them.

Your idea sounds very creative and I bet it looks nice too
Char

[Mary Ann]

Linda, you're so creative! You're always thinking outside the box!

[Yip]

I'm not sure what kinds of connectors you're trying to attach to the pvc.

We bought the plastic sleeve sections that go with our Horse Guard fence and they sent us several huge bags full of long plastic straps for attaching ours to the sleeved posts. I've seen them at Tractor Supply and other places too. They have that teeny lock with teeth inside. You thread the strap around the post then through the little lock and pull tight. The nature of the lock will not allow the strap to slip out backwards.

I hope that works for the types of connectors you need. Your pvc pipe idea is cheaper than our sleeves, and the plastic straps are beyond cheap. Great solution *if* it works!

[linda]

Yip, so they just attached things together with nylon zip ties. Those should work great--and very inexpensive. And against the white pipe, you wouldn't be able to see them at all. That is an excellent idea. I think I will use the zip ties to fasten the end of my electric rope together. We put a culvert in the pasture. The 4 posts I have right now block the ends of the culvert to keep the horses from cutting their legs. I just tied electric rope between the posts--sort of like a bridge railing--two posts on either side. It would look nicer if I used those zip ties to secure the ends of the rope instead of the knot I tied.

The caps we bought come down on the post about 2 inches and just have a solid top. Think of a glass--a glass you drink out of. Just turn it upside down and slip it over the post. These caps are made to glue in place on the pipe. They fit snuggly, though--I doubt that we will glue ours. And if you want to move the post, you just slide the whole piece of PVC off the metal post--cap and all--adjust the post, and slip it back over the top.

Yep, all I did was make a sleeve to go over the metal T posts. I know they make what Char bought, but I have never seen them that inexpensive (although there is no reason they shouldn't be.) She must have just been at the right place at the right time.

The beauty of putting PVC or rubber over metal posts is that you no longer need insulators. One of my friends (a retired engineer) blew me away with that simple thing one day. He made his electric fence out of old drill steel (easy to come by when you are the CEO of a mining company.) He then cut a short chunk of hose and slipped it over the top of the drill steel (this looks like a chunk of solid metal pipe). He then just attached the electric wire with baling wire. It carried current just fine because the rubber hose insulated the metal post.
Linda

[snaffle]

question... if a deer or horse runs through our hot wire.. the insulators will break away.. often the wire breaks..

with the pvc and the wire attached.. I wonder what the chances are of the pvc pipe splitting? cracking?

[linda]

That is why I won't drill my PVC pipe. The electric rope I use has a breaking strength of only about 300 pounds. And I attach only one piece of electric rope about 4 feet off the ground. My horses will stay in and the deer can go under. I want my fence to break and spare the critters. Of course, I live miles away from any traffic hazards. A loose horse here is only an inconvenience--the neighbors will call and I will have to go pick up my horse. In other places, it is more important to keep the horse in--because the dangers outside the fence are greater than the danger of the fence.
Linda

[Hasha]

You could just top the posts that way too using maybe a foot of PVC and then a cap on top. But the stupid caps would get expensive after a while, they run about 50 cents each when they get that big.
I can't even put regular caps on my all T post, I must have well over 1,000 T posts here.