Thermocouple Wire

Thermocouple Wire

Thermocouple Wire from Evolution

Thermocouple Wire is the core technology utilized to create the temperature measurement signal with thermocouple probes or sensors. It can also be used to transfer the temperature reading to Instrumentation or to and from a thermocouple connectors with the best accuracy results.

Outlined below are the 4 Things you should know to help you select the correct thermocouple wire for you application.

1. Thermocouple Wire is typically made from 9 Different pairings of thermocouple alloys. It is common for these alloy pairs to be referred as a Calibration or Type and for these wire type pairs to be identified by a letter designation. The correct pairing or matching of the wire alloys is Extremely Important to create and or accurately transfer the temperature measurement signal.

Higher Temperature and or high stabilty thermocouple wire made from Platinum Rhodium or Tungsten Rhenium thermocouple alloys are outlined below, Click on the different Thermocouple Wire types below to view the detailed individual product design

2. Wire Type and the Insulation on the wire pair determine the usable or functional temperature range and capabilities of the thermocouple wire.

  • Thermocouple wire can provide a very impressive overall temperature range of - 450°F to 4200°F (-270°C to 2315°C) although it is very important to understand each bare wire pairing and the combination of the insulation applied has its own temperature capablities along with accuracy capabilities, stability and other characteristics such strength of signal and environmental conditions. 
  • Insulation on thermocouple wire consists of 3 primary materials classes.
    • Thermoplastics such as extruded Teflon's and PVC coatings or polyimide tape for wet, chemical and general abrasion resistant applications from Below Zero to 600°F range.
    • Fiber insulation such fiberglass, S2 and other Silca based materials or ceramics are used in dry, non abravise with high tempertures applications up to 2300°F
    • Mineral Powder such MgO, Alumina and Hafnia compacted and encased in a metal sheath with the full temperture range of - 450°F to 4200°F (-270°C to 2315°C) and very high level of thermocouple wire protection.
    • Metal overbraids, electrical signal interference wraps or shields, along with metal armor and other protection materials can also be applied to the insulated wire 

3. Wire Diameters commonly range from the very small diameter .003" (.0762 mm or 40 AWG - American Wire Gage) to a heavy duty rugged diameter of .064" (1.625 mm or 14 AWG) in bare or insulated constructions. Other smaller and larger diameters are available in a limited degree,

  • Small Diameters from .003" (40 gage) to .010" (30 gage) provide a fast temperature response and high levels of flexibilty although would not last as long in the higher temperature range of the thermocouple alloy as compared to larger diameters.
  • Mid-size and Larger Wire Diameters from .020 (24 gage) to .064 (14 gage) provide the ability to withstand the higher temperture ranges for longer periods of time and allow signal transfer over longer distrances, although have slower temperature response time than the smaller diameters. 24 gage (.020) wire is the most utilized wire diameter.
  • The wire inside mineral insulated metal sheath cable is determine by the outside diameter of the metal cable

4. Temperature Accuracy is typical referred to as 3 grades, classes or levels

  • Special Limits of Error (SLE) - higher level of accuracy, typically plus or minus 2°F accuracy. Type T thermocouple wire can be more accurate in certain temperature ranges. (The international or IEC designation for SLE is Class 1)
  • Standard Grade typically plus or minus 4°F accuracy. Type T thermocouple wire can be more accurate in certain temperature ranges. (The International term for Standard gradeaccuracy is Class 2)
  • Extension Grade - is primary utilzied is transfer the temperature signal in a temperature environment of 32 to 400°F (0 to 200°C) and should not be used to make a thermocouple
    View all 10-meters 1000ft 100ft 10ft 20-awg-pair 20-awg-pair-060-x-095-inch-dia 20-gage-solid-thermocouple-wire-900°F(480°C)-fiberglass-insulation 20-gage-thermocouple-wire-with-fiberglass-insulation 20-gage-thermocouple-wire-with-pfa-insulation 200ft 200m 22-gage 24 Gage Solid Thermocouple WIRE 900 F (482 C) Fiberglass Insulation 24-awg-pair-056-x-093-inch-dia 24-awg-pair-063-x-102-in-dia 24-awg-pair-110-max-inch-dia 24-gage-bare-wire-thermocouple-020-inch-diameter 24-gage-stranded-thermocouple-and-rtd-wire 24s-awg-3-wire-097-inch-dia 250ft 25ft 26-gage-rtd-wire-pfa-insulated 26s-awg-3-wire-contruction-072-inch-dia 2ft 3-wire-rtd-pt1000 30-awg-pair-037-x-050-inch-dia 30-gage-010-diameter-thermocouple-wire-with-500f-260c-pfa-insulation 30-gage-bare-wire-sensor-010-inch-diameter 30-gage-thermocouple-wire-with-fiberglass-insulation 30-gage-thermocouple-wire-with-pfa-insulation 36-awg-pair-019-x-030-inch-dia 36-gage-005-pfa-insulated-thermocouple-beads 36-gage-bare-wire-thermocouple-005-inch-diameter 4-wire-pt1000 500ft 50ft 7-strands-of-32-awg-wire 7-strands-of-34-awg-wire c ceramic-or-silica-fiber-insulated-thermocouple-wire e EXPP-J-24S EXPP-K-20-1000 Extension-Grade-Thermocouple- Wire FEP-Insulated-Extension-Grade-Thermocouple-Wire FF-K-24-TWSH-1000 FF-K-24S-TWSH-1000 fiberglass-ins-wire fiberglass-insulated-thermocouple-wire-24-gage-solid-900-f-rating fiberglass-on-k-wire Fiberglass-on-RS-Wire iec-color-code j j-calibration-tc-wire k k-calibration-tc-extension-wire k-calibration-tc-wire n pfa-and-aluminum-mylar-inner-shield-on-j-wire pfa-and-aluminum-mylar-inner-shield-on-k-wire pfa-plastic-fluoropolymer pfa-plastic-fluoropolymer-on-j-wire pfa-plastic-fluoropolymer-on-k-extension-grade pfa-plastic-fluoropolymer-on-k-wire pfa-plastic-fluoropolymer-on-t-wire pt100-3-wire-class-a pt100-3-wire-class-b pt100-4-wire-class-a rs RS-Type-Thermocouple-Extension-Wire RTD-Extension-Wire 26S -AWG-3-Wire-Design- .072"-Diameter rtd-wire rtd-wire-400-f-rated-fep-insulation rtd-wire-400F-rated-FEP-insulation rtd-wire-500f-rated-pfa-insulation solid-wire solid-wire-twisted t t-calibration-tc-wire thermocouple-wire-with-stainless-steel-braid TT-T-30-1000 Type C Thermocouple Extension Wire type-b-thermocouples type-e-thermocouple-wire type-j-thermocouple-extension-wire type-j-thermocouple-wire type-n-thermocouple-wire u uncompensated-nickel-plated-copper-wire wire-tc-and-rtd wire-tc-and-rtd-products

    Special Offers and Product Education