Maximize Temperature Precision With Premium Thermocouple Wire
Thermocouple sensors convert temperatures to millivoltage signals that correspond directly with the temperatures being measured. Accuracy depends on several factors that could reduce or increase this output signal, however.
An ACCUTHERM thermocouple wire from TE Wire & Cable reduces uncertainty by half. It meets initial calibration tolerances, with multiple insulation options to meet any requirement.
High-Quality Metals
Thermocouples use a combination of metals to detect temperature gradients and produce voltage that correlates with their temperatures. While standard thermocouple grade wire provides accurate readings, certain applications require greater precision, making premium thermocouple wire an essential investment.
Premium grade thermocouple wire is produced to tighter purity and uniformity standards than its standard counterpart, ensuring that millivoltage output versus temperature readings exactly meet NIST standards – thus eliminating measurement error due to cold working or raw material irregularities.
Premium wires are constructed using premium insulators like Teflon and Kapton to protect their sensors from harsh environments and high temperatures. Furthermore, these insulations help ensure that emf output stays consistent as temperatures change – helping you make the most of your thermocouple system over time. Depending on your preference and system needs you can opt for cables with either Standard Limit of Error (SLE) or Special Limits of Error (SLE), with SLE cables featuring more refined thermocouple alloys to increase accuracy further.
Extended Lengths
Thermocouple leads (also referred to as thermocouple conductors) are made from various material types depending on temperature range and application requirements, while they’re often twisted or shielded to reduce electromagnetic interference with power lines, motors or other electronics nearby.
At times, thermocouple reference junctions must be located a considerable distance away from measuring instruments for safety or operational reasons. When this is necessary, extension leads (commonly known as lead wires) can be used to move it into more suitable locations without altering measurement accuracy.
Utilizing thermocouples that use extension leads crafted of the same alloy can significantly improve accuracy over long distances, eliminating errors caused by disparate metals disrupting electron movement in signals and mitigating contamination effects. Such premium wire may also be known as special grade, and has lower limits of error than standard or extension grade versions; production follows exact specifications with rigorous quality controls in place to guarantee its manufacturing process and subsequent quality control checks.
Electromagnetic Interference
An thermocouple’s dissimilar metals at its tip generate a voltage which correlates with temperature. Therefore, it is imperative that extension wires connecting its measuring junction and temperature reading instrument have similar metal compositions; otherwise, unexpected voltage may arise due to additional dissimilar material junctions.
Extension grade thermocouple cables come in many different varieties of materials such as copper, teflon or stainless steel and feature an insulating jacket to withstand chemicals, heat and moisture.
If you’re using thermocouples in an industrial setting, be aware that they emit low voltage signals and should not be placed near power wires or motors. Furthermore, magnetic fields could interfere with its accuracy and prevent accurate readings being produced from sensors. Therefore, selecting cables with metallic sheathing encasing both insulation and thermocouple pairs may reduce electromagnetic interference and keep loop resistance below 100 ohms per double feet for best results.
Polarity
Thermocouple sensors utilise the Seeback Effect to convert heat into electrical voltage through metal alloys that interact with each other. Each type has a distinct combination of alloys for positive and negative leads that determines its temperature range.
Insulation protects these thermocouple wires from harsh environments and high temperatures, providing accurate readings across a wide temperature range. Furthermore, insulation keeps emf output consistent across temperatures fluctuations to eliminate errors caused by dissimilar metal junctions.
As soon as you’re working with long lengths of thermocouple wire, identifying its polarity is of utmost importance. Failing to do so could result in inaccurate readings and stop your thermocouple from operating effectively. You can easily recognize this using color coding or physical properties of thermocouple wires; additionally, reduce errors by securing cables using clamps, brackets, or cable ties – excessive tightening may damage insulation leading to loose connections or cause other issues.