If the cable attached to a sensor is too short, can more cable be spliced to the existing cable to make it longer?

Whenever possible, purchase a sensor with the desired cable length. Some sensors have a user-specified cable length, whereas other sensors have a set cable length.

Sometimes, an old cable can be replaced with a new, longer cable.

Generally, additional cable cannot be spliced onto the existing cable because:  

  • Some sensor cables have bridge completion resistors at the pigtail end
  • Some sensors are calibrated based on cable length
  • Sometimes the color in the insulation is not the same as that visible at the pigtail end
  • It is possible to introduce errors or malfunctions depending on the integrity of the splice

Splicing cable together increases the likelihood that water may enter the cable and cause shorting, corrosion, and some other potential issues, which in turn can cause measurement issues.

Because of the potential issues, do not splice any sensor cable without first contacting Campbell Scientific to discuss the sensor in detail.

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