This is a little confusing.  If you shorten or lengthen the wire appreciably, the circuit's resistance will definitely be different.  Technically, any change in wire length will change the resistance, but very small changes may not make enough difference to register on a gauge.  Any additional connections, even very "clean" ones will make some difference, too -- again maybe not detectable.  But if one doubles (or halves) the length of a 20 ft. wire, I would expect it to matter.  Am I wrong?  Why?  David Mc

---- Tom Hargrave <thargrav@HIWAAY.NET> wrote:
> You can shorten or lengthen the probe wires with no change in the measurement, but you have to do an excellent job soldering the ends together so as to not add any appreciable resistance to the circuit.
>
> Thanks,
> Tom Hargrave
> 256-656-1924
>
> Our Web Sites:
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>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Vanagon Mailing List [mailto:vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM] On Behalf Of Loren Busch
> Sent: Thursday, February 25, 2010 7:46 PM
> To: vanagon@GERRY.VANAGON.COM
> Subject: Re: external temperature guage
>
>  RE: Remote Thermometers
> One thing to keep in mind with such thermometers with external probes.  You
> can't shorten the length of the probe wire without throwing the thing out of
> calibration.  The probe is a thermistor and the reading depends on the
> resistance in the whole probe circuit including the wire in the lead to the
> probe.  How much effect changing the length of the wire would have I don't
> know but I do know that the wire is part of the circuit.