Electrified fences or electric fences?

Javielito · Apr 29, 2011

Hello again. What is the correct one?
"electrified fences" or "electric fences" around a patio or yard?
Or both are okay?

Thanks in advance

veinglory · Apr 29, 2011

On a farm 'electric fence' would be the norm. But in terms of home security 'electrified fence' is more common.

Javielito · Apr 29, 2011

veinglory said:
On a farm 'electric fence' would be the norm. But in terms of home security 'electrified fence' is more common.

Okay, I am using the word for a big prison to avoid the escape of the prisoners.
Thanks you
=)

Susan Coffin · Apr 29, 2011

Javielito said:
Hello again. What is the correct one?
"electrified fences" or "electric fences" around a patio or yard?
Or both are okay?

Thanks in advance

It's an electric fence. They don't usually go around yards or patios, but around large pieces of land where cows, horses, and other animals are present. It's usually to keep them in. When I was a kid, we had a small garden near our field where cows grazed. In that instance, the electric fence was to keep the cows out of the garden.

Susan Coffin · Apr 29, 2011

Javielito said:
Okay, I am using the word for a big prison to avoid the escape of the prisoners.
Thanks you
=)

Oh! That is different, I suppose.They are very very tall, barbed wire around the top, but I don't know if they contain electricity. You might have to do some research on that one.

veinglory · Apr 29, 2011

If the security fence has the added feature of being electrified, as is often the case, it is an electrified fence.

Javielito · Apr 29, 2011

Susan Littlefield said:
Oh! That is different, I suppose.They are very very tall, barbed wire around the top, but I don't know if they contain electricity. You might have to do some research on that one.

Thanks Susan. I did research here: "7 Federal Prisons to Get Lethal Electrified Fences..."

I am using "electrified".

Have a wonderful day!

DreamWeaver · Apr 29, 2011

I concur.

"Electric fence" = livestock
"Electrified fence" = humans (prison, restricted areas, security perimeters, etc.)

Jamesaritchie · Apr 29, 2011

Both terms are correct. In general, the media uses "electrified", and everyone else uses "electric".

veinglory · Apr 29, 2011

It might be misleading to some readers to call a potentially lethal fence electric, which conjures up the startling but mostly harmless jolt of a farm fence.

alleycat · Apr 29, 2011

I would probably go with electrified in this case.

They actually put "Electric Fence" on the signs outside a prison (or they do on the ones I've seen), probably on the theory that the simpler the better considering the people who might be tempted to climb over one.

maestrowork · Apr 29, 2011

To me, the two terms mean different things, although they could be taken to mean the same thing.

"Electric fence" means the fence is electric-powered, but it doesn't say for what, really. It could have an electric-powered gate.

But "electrified" means the fence is charged, and electricity runs through it. And that's the meaning you want when you're talking about such a fence surrounding a prison.

Jonathan Dalar · Apr 29, 2011

I'd go with electrified as well, for the same reasons outlined above.

I'd also consider using "electrified concertina wire" or "electrified razor wire" if it's a prison fence. Gives a little bit different feel to things.

Jamesaritchie · Apr 29, 2011

maestrowork said:
To me, the two terms mean different things, although they could be taken to mean the same thing.

"Electric fence" means the fence is electric-powered, but it doesn't say for what, really. It could have an electric-powered gate.

But "electrified" means the fence is charged, and electricity runs through it. And that's the meaning you want when you're talking about such a fence surrounding a prison.

No, electric fence means a fence that's electrified. It does not mean gate, and it is the most common parlance.

Do you not have a lot of electric fences where you live? Around here, you can find about three per square mile. I can honestly say I have never, ever heard anyone except the media call something an electrified fence.

Though I call one something else when I accidentally grabbed a strand of the wire once upon a time.

thothguard51 · Apr 29, 2011

An electric fence is generally a single strand of wire on top of the fence that has a low charge generated by a small charger plugged into a 110 outlet. Anything touching it will receive a mild shock. This is used to keep cows, horses, etc, from pushing against the fence.

An electrified fence, is a chain link or other type of metal fence in which the whole fence is electrified for security reason. The charge is generally enough to cause a severe shock to animals as well as humans. Even birds landing on the fence will be fried.

PorterStarrByrd · Apr 29, 2011

An electric fence, as mentioned severalposts, is for animal control and works on pulses of electricity.

An electified fence, which you want, is steady and of higher voltage.
It keeps two footed animals where they should be.

thothguard51 · Apr 29, 2011

I might also note that electrified fences are illegal in many areas because of the possibility of someone innocent of ill thoughts getting hurt, like a child that can not read...

In prisons, an electrified fence in not usually the perimeter fence but one of the inner fences. Around government facilities, again, they are not the perimeter fence, though the perimeter fence might have a intruder wire stretched throughout the fence.

An intruder wire is a very thin wire woven into the fence, or as a single strand on top of the fence. Very low voltage. If the strand is broken, cut, or tampered with, the electrical flow is interupted and an alarm will go off on the board that monitors it. The board will even show what zone it is in so that security can go investigate. Sometimes, intruder wire a placed along the ground and someone walking through it will set off the alarm... Many prisons and security instalations use this type of system around the perimiter.

blacbird · Apr 29, 2011

Farm fences = electric fences.
Lethal prison fences = electrified fences.

Personally, I'd make the grammatical distinction between scaring and killing. You really don't want to kill your cows or dogs, generally.

jeffo20 · Apr 30, 2011

Jamesaritchie said:
Both terms are correct. In general, the media uses "electrified", and everyone else uses "electric".

I agree with this. Whatever the technical definitions of 'electric' vs. 'electrified', in my experience most people tend to call it an 'electric fence' whether it's a single strand for livestock or an entire fence for security. Consider that your prison warden might call it an 'electrified fence' but just about everyone else in the prison might call it an 'electric fence.' Or something else, whatever the slang may be.

Javielito · Apr 30, 2011

Thanks too much to the following users:
DreamWeaver, Jamesaritchie, veinglory, alleycat, maestrowork, Jonathan Dalar, Jamesaritchie, thothguard51, PorterStarrByrd, blacbird, jeffo20, and Susan Littlefield

I appreciate the help,

Javielito

LynnKHollander · Apr 30, 2011

An electric fence does not have visible wire. The subjects, mostly dogs, wear shock collars.
An electrified fence, whether for humans or stock, has current running through wires, and depends on contact.

Bigglesworth · May 4, 2011

I've never had reason to use one or the other, but the thought occurs that if this fence intrinsically involves the use of electricity, then its an electric fence (like the particular variety of 'shock'). If its a normal metal fence, and a live electricity pylon happens to fall on it, then its an electrified fence.

shadowwalker · May 4, 2011

Signs I've seen posted for warning generally say electrified, but people call them electric. Or, more accurately for farm mode - 'lectric.

Electrified fences or electric fences?

Javielito

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Javielito

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

Susan Coffin

Tell it like it Is

veinglory

volitare nequeo

Javielito

DreamWeaver

Shakespearean Fool

Jamesaritchie

veinglory

volitare nequeo

alleycat

Still around

maestrowork

Fear the Death Ray

Jonathan Dalar

Science fiction, horror and fantasy

Jamesaritchie

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

PorterStarrByrd

nutruring tomorrows criminals today

thothguard51

A Gentleman of a refined age...

blacbird

jeffo20

Tyrant King

Javielito

LynnKHollander

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Bigglesworth

shadowwalker

empty-nester!