Discover level probes featuring field-removable submersible cables. Learn how this design saves costs on cable/sensor replacement, eases maintenance in inaccessible spots & offers inventory flexibility.
Submersible liquid level sensor probes equipped with detachable cable connections offer a practical solution for applications demanding simplified maintenance and reduced lifetime costs. This design allows the sensor body to be easily separated from the installed submersible cable, proving advantageous in scenarios involving sensor fouling, difficult access locations, potential cable damage, or the need for flexible inventory management. While requiring careful handling of the specialized submersible connector and potentially having a larger physical footprint, these sensors significantly streamline servicing, calibration, and replacement procedures, particularly in deep tanks, boreholes, and complex industrial installations where disturbing the cable run is costly and time-consuming.
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Find out more about Detachable Cable Submersible Liquid Level Probes to determine which product options and capabilities will best meet your application requirements.
Submersible liquid level sensor probes featuring a field-detachable cable connection offer distinct operational advantages, particularly in applications where sensor maintenance or replacement presents logistical challenges. This design allows the sensor probe body itself to be disconnected from the permanently installed submersible cable assembly, streamlining servicing procedures and potentially reducing long-term ownership costs significantly.
The specialized nature of submersible signal cables contributes substantially to their cost; they require robust construction incorporating outer sheath materials resistant to continuous immersion in specific media, ranging from groundwater to aggressive chemicals or wastewater. Furthermore, for hydrostatic gauge pressure sensors, these cables must integrate a vent tube alongside the signal conductors to provide a stable atmospheric pressure reference, ensuring accuracy regardless of barometric pressure changes. Anti-stretch elements, such as Kevlar® reinforcement, are often embedded within the cable structure to prevent elongation under the tension of long vertical drops, which could otherwise induce measurement errors.
In installations like deep boreholes, tall storage silos, or extensive water management facilities, the required submersible cable length can be considerable, often representing a major fraction, sometimes exceeding half, of the total sensor system cost. The detachable cable design mitigates the financial risk associated with this expensive component; damage to the sensor probe does not necessitate the replacement of the entire installed cable infrastructure.
Sensor performance can be compromised over time due to the accumulation of process-related residues, such as biological fouling in wastewater lift stations, sediment build-up in environmental monitoring wells, or scaling in industrial process tanks. Cleaning or recalibration becomes necessary, but performing this in-situ can be impractical or hazardous. The ability to quickly detach the sensor head at the measurement point, without disturbing the cable run, junction boxes, or control system terminations, greatly simplifies these essential maintenance tasks.
Accessibility is a major factor in many submersible level applications. Sensors may be installed deep within wells, inside sealed vessels, within complex machinery pipework, or in remote locations. A detachable probe design avoids the often laborious and time-consuming process of extracting the full length of cable, potentially requiring the disassembly of cable trunking, conduits, and support structures, merely to service the sensor element.
Achieving a reliable, watertight seal in a field-separable underwater connector is a significant engineering challenge, demanding precision manufacturing and robust sealing mechanisms, often involving multiple O-rings and specialized connector designs rated to specific depths (e.g., IP68). This complexity contributes to the higher initial purchase price compared to sensors with permanently potted cable entries, where sealing integrity is simpler to guarantee during factory assembly.
Installations inherently carry the risk of cable damage, whether through abrasion against rough surfaces during deployment or retrieval, accidental impacts during unrelated site work, or gradual degradation from unforeseen chemical exposure or even rodent activity in external settings. In such events, the ability to replace only the damaged cable segment, leaving the functional sensor probe in place, offers substantial cost savings compared to replacing the entire integrated unit.
Conversely, if the sensor probe itself requires replacement due to failure, end-of-life, or a change in application requirements (e.g., needing a different pressure range, higher accuracy, or different housing material), the existing, often expensively installed, submersible cable can be retained and reused with a compatible replacement probe head. This modularity significantly reduces the cost and downtime associated with sensor upgrades or replacements.
From an inventory management perspective, facilities overseeing numerous measurement points can benefit from stocking sensor probe heads and submersible cable assemblies separately. This modular approach allows greater flexibility in configuring systems with varying pressure ranges and cable lengths, potentially reducing the overall value and complexity of necessary spare parts inventory compared to stocking complete integrated units.
Typical application examples include deep groundwater monitoring boreholes where cable lengths are significant, level control in municipal water reservoirs, challenging wastewater treatment plant environments prone to sensor fouling, and level gauging in large industrial chemical or fuel storage tanks where internal access is limited and long-term reliability is critical. Marine applications like ballast tank monitoring also benefit, where confined spaces and harsh conditions prevail.
It is crucial, however, to acknowledge the inherent disadvantages. The primary drawbacks are the higher initial acquisition cost driven by the specialized submersible connector technology and the absolute necessity for careful handling during disconnection and reconnection. Technicians must strictly adhere to manufacturer guidelines regarding cleaning, alignment, and tightening of the connector to ensure the integrity of the submersible seal is maintained throughout the sensor’s operational life.
Furthermore, the physical housing required to accommodate the detachable connector components invariably results in a larger overall probe diameter and potentially longer body compared to slimline fixed-cable sensor designs. This dimensional constraint must be considered during the specification phase, as it may preclude installation within narrow-diameter standpipes, monitoring wells, or tightly constrained process fittings where space is at a premium.
Advantages
Advantages of submersible liquid level sensors with a removable cable connection are:
- Save on sensor replacement cost if cable is damaged
- Save on cable replacement cost if sensor is damaged
- Remove sensor from installed location for maintenance and cleaning without disturbing cable installation above the liquid surface
- Reduce cost of spares stock by interchanging cable lengths and level ranges
- Repurpose sensor for different liquid media by changing the cable type
Disadvantages
Disadvantages of of submersible liquid level sensors with a removable cable connection are:
- Higher cost compared to the equivalent sensor with a permanently sealed submersible cable termination
- Care must be taken to disconnect and reconnect the submersible seal as described in the manufacturers operation manual to prevent seal damage or a poor seal.
- Larger size housings to accommodate the submersible connection components restricts installation into smaller diameter tubes and boreholes.
Checklist for detachable cable submersible liquid level sensor probe requirements
Define your detachable cable submersible liquid level sensor probe requirements using this checklist:
- Liquid type?
- Density of liquid?
- Viscosity of liquid?
- Max/Min level?
- Vented or pressurised liquid?
- Output signal?
- Cable length?
- Temperature range?
- Diameter limitation?
- Hazardous area?
- Lightning protection?