Screened versus co-axial cable for LF signals?

[Chris Wilson]

I ran out of single core screened cable the other day, when wanting to take 2 analogue wheel speed sensor signals from the input of a car's ABS unit to an aftermarket ECU as its traction control signals. I had a reel of RG-174 co-ax around, could I have used that instead? The extension to the aftermarket ECU fro  the ABS ecu would have been about 3 feet for each of the 2 signals. From this article attenuation wouldn't be a problem, but could any other issues have arisen? http://www.dxing.info/equipment/rg_174_coax_bryant.dx


Thanks.

[T3sl4co1l]

Coax is better than screened.

[Zero999]

Single core cable and co-axial cable are really the same thing. The only different could be that cable sold under the name co-axial will have a more tightly controlled characteristic impedance and lower attenuation at high frequencies.

[David Hess]

Unless a difference in capacitance per foot was an issue or there was some special environmental requirement which the RG-174 did not meet, I could not see there being a problem.  I usually use RG-174 in place of dedicated microphone and audio cable.

[Chris Wilson]

OK, thanks a lot everyone, I may just use RG-174 in future as it seems to be a better braid coverage than most single core screened cables I find, and it's no longer expensive. Much appreciated and I am glad I asked.