Joint Meter

In practice, potentiometric sensors give you a simpler analog signal and cost less, but they can drift slightly over years if exposed to extreme humidity. Vibrating wire types hold calibration longer and survive better in fully submerged conditions, though they need a compatible readout unit. Most surface joints do fine with pot models; embedment in wet concrete leans toward vibrating wire.

Usually yes. The mounting brackets have enough adjustment to let the sensor sit parallel even if the surfaces aren’t. For heavily spalled concrete, we often supply extended standoffs so you anchor into sound material behind the damage. The swivel rod ends handle a few degrees of off-axis movement without transferring bending loads to the transducer.

Standard kits include a rugged steel cover plate that bolts over the top. It takes a direct hit from a shovel or a dropped rock without touching the transducer. If you need something even tougher, we offer heavy-duty aluminum or stainless covers. The cable exits through a protected channel, so a tire rolling over it usually just grinds the sheath, not the conductors.

Very little if the initial installation was solid. We recommend checking the zero reading every 6 months by temporarily removing the sensor from its mounts and reinstalling it, or by using a micrometer jig on site. The o-ring seals can eventually harden in direct sunlight; we sell replacement seal kits and re-calibration services. Data loggers might need battery swaps, but that’s about it.

Yes. The sensor body size is fixed, but we can machine custom-length extension rods and brackets to fit the geometry you’re dealing with. For narrow cracks, we’ve built units with offset arms that keep the transducer clear of the opening while still measuring displacement accurately. Turnaround for custom orders typically adds a week or two, not months.