What is the difference between Passive Electrode Cables and Active Electrode Cables?

Short Answer: Passive cables rely on a SwitchBox for switching electronics, but Active cables have switching electronics inside.

Long Answer: Advanced Geosciences manufactures two types of electrode cables. Active and Passive. The Active electrode cables have switching electronics embedded in them whereas the Passive electrode cables connect to a Switchbox that contains all switching electronics.

Other Key Differences:

 

Passive Electrode Cables Active Electrode Cables
No separate IP take outs on each electrode Separate IP takeout on each electrode with dedicated conductors optimized for each signal that is traveling on them

One mode of operation in which the stainless steel electrode both transmits and receives a signal (Non-polarised electrodes can also be used in limited instances)

Can operate in two modes of operation: 

1. A mode that uses the stainless steel electrode to both transmit and receive signal

2. A mode that transmits on the stainless steel electrode but makes all measurements on a non-polarizable electrode

Less cost for the same array if you are only measuring using resistivity Costs more than Passive Cables due to additional features used beyond resistivity measurements (such as IP measurements)