It is important to understand what it is that you are buying when you see the terms standard wire, solid core and upgraded wire in eBay listings.

Firstly, lets look at solid core versus stranded wire.

Standard or stranded wire is more prone to corrode in a shorter time because all the individual strands of wire cause a greater surface are of copper to be exposed. Since corrosion is caused by oxidization of the wire, the greater the surface area the faster the corrosion.

The other problem is that stranded wire is prone to a degradation of signal if some of the strands break. Trying to find a wire break in a case like this is almost impossible and you may end up having to replace the whole wiring.

Just remember that if you put a shovel through a solid core or stranded wire it will break; If a critter decides to bite through it, it doesn't really care what type it is. Solid core is a little harder to break than the stranded, but it will break.

The gauge of the wire is less important, whether it is 18 gauge or 20 gauge, it really makes no difference to the performance of the system.

• It is important though not to mix stranded with solid core and
• Mixing 18 and 20 gauge of the same type will not cause a problem.

There is also really no advantage to using 14 or 16 gauge wire, in fact, it is much less pliable making for a harder installation.

There are two things that I feel are more important than the gauge and core of wire you use and that are likely to make you fence last longer.

• The first is the type of splicing connector you use, these need to be waterproof and rated for direct burial applications. Most fences fail because of corrosion of the wire at the splices.
• We ship two types of direct burial, waterproof splices manufactured by Snaploc and 3M. This simple act of using a good connector will add years to the life of the fence.

If you do not use waterproof connectors you run the risk of premature corrosion of the spliced connections and a lot of work tracking down those pesky breaks.

• The other thing that is more important than the gauge or core type is the coating on the wire, this is what is meant by the term 'upgraded' wire.

Upgraded wire has a much thicker coating than that which comes with the standard wire and is generally black in color. This coating is much more resistant to the elements and in particular to UV light and the constant dampness when buried in the ground. Also, if you are planning to install the wire above ground or in rocky soil, this is the wire you should use.

Upgraded wire also comes in 1000ft and 500ft reels which means less splicing, and therefore less chance of corrosion, than stranded wire that only comes on 500ft reels.

It is important to note that solid core does not necessarily mean upgraded, if you are going to  pay the extra money you need to make sure that you are getting the upgraded coating.

In summary,

• Premature failure of the fence will occur especially if you do not use waterproof connectors.
• Make sure if you pay the extra money that you get the upgraded coating, not just a solid core wire. It is the coating that gives it its durability.
• Choose upgraded if you are going to install above ground or in rocky soil.
• If you only plan to only stay in your home a few years, the stranded wire will do the job just fine.

That's everything you need to know about the wire that comes with our systems. Click here for more information on the Petsafe kits available in my store.

One last thing, contrary to what some retailers are saying, you can splice the standard stranded wire together without a problem. There is a reason Petsafe sells Boundary Wire Kits seperately, it is to expand the standard 500ft kits they sell.

• You can use up to 4000ft of wire with the 25 acre transmitters and 2800 ft with the 10 acre transmitters.