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In November 2025 a bear and 2 cubs broke a window to raid our refrigerator on Hwy 89 in Homewood Lake Tahoe. Bears are particularly hungry then preparing for the winter, although with the warm winters and a supply of food in and around homes, many are not hibernating.
The recommended deterrent (see Bear League) is electrified bear wire over your windows and doors.
The demand was so high the installers were all booked up until spring. We got lucky and found one working in February.
The sysytems typically cost from $3,500 - $5,000 for a 1,500 - 2,000 sf house at Tahoe.
The energizer is frequently installed under the switch.
Product cover page Speedrite datamars 2000 Electric Fence Unigizer
The full user guide (see below) is 14 pages and is primarily about agricultural uses. How many wires for Sheep, Cattle, Horses. Battery and solar power etc.
Home User Guide
Below are the pages appropriate for home use (e.g. bear wire)
This is basically the same device used for electric fences to keep cattle in a pasture or foxes out of the henhouse.
For home use Off and ON are all you need.
How does it Work:
There are 2 wires 8-10 inches apart over doors and windows; a ground and an electrified wire.
You have to touch both to get a shock.
See Electric Fence in Home and Garden.
The energizer converts household AC current to DC and charges a capacitor which then releases a 11,000 volt < 30 microsecond (0.00003 second) jolt every 1.5 - 2.5 seconds.
It is not lethal to animals or people, because it 's amps over time not volts which are the most dangerous.
Typically the current (amperage) delivered through the human body is extremely low—typically in the range of 15 to 500 milliamps (0.015 to 0.5 amps) per pulse.
There are 2 small black insulated wires 8 to 12 inches apart across windows and doors, a hot and ground. In dry weather you have to touch both to get a shock, but with wet feet you can get a shock by only touching the hot wire.
Warning! Avoid contacting electric wires especially with the head, neck or torso.
The most dangerous thing you c/ould do is touch 1 wire with each hand, causing a current thru the chest which could result in fatal Ventricle Fibrillation (Vfib). The jolt is so short this is unlikely.
You should turn it off with the switch by the front door when you are there. It puts out a millisecond 11,000 volt shock every 1.5 seconds, which it too short to damage animals or people, but really hurts.
If the voltage is less than 6 KV it may require servicing.
INPUT:
Current consumption 3.2 W OUTPUT:
Maximum output voltage 11 kV Maximum output energy (similar to a Watt hour) 2 Joules at 300 Ω (1 joule = 1 watt of power for 1 second of time Voltage x Amperage = Watts. Watts x Time = Joules)