They connect the point of sensing to the point of cold junction compensation, or the end where the measurement takes place. Read More…
Leading Manufacturers
Thermo Sensors Corporation
Garland, TX | 800-889-5478In business since 1972, Thermo Sensors Corporation is a leading thermocouple manufacturer of an array of many products and services.

Thermocouple Technology, LLC
Quakertown, PA | 800-784-3783We manufacture a full line of Thermocouples to fit your application. Temperatures from cryogenic to 4000F, and sizes ranging from needle thin to several thousand pound multipoint temperature sensors.

Kelvin Technologies, Inc.
Mississauga, ON | 905-238-7060Kelvin Technologies is a high-quality thermocouple manufacturer, representative, and distributor for all of your electrical heating, temperature controlling, and temperature sensing requirements. Our products are engineered and manufactured in-house to address specific requirements, such as higher temperatures and more compact profiles. With over 100 years of combined experience, all of us at Kelvin Technologies take pride in the quality of product and level of service we provide our customers.

Temperature Specialists, Inc.
St. Francis, MN | 800-272-5709Temperature Specialists, Incorporated is a manufacturer of quality thermocouples. Temperature Specialists provide solutions for your sensing needs by building to meet your specifications. Feel free to visit their comprehensive and helpful website for full descriptions of their state-of-the-art line of quality products and services or call their experts with any questions.

Acrolab Ltd.
Windsor, ON | 800-265-9542Acrolab has a diverse and comprehensive database consisting of thousands of application solutions that have aided our customers in resolving thermal management processing challenges, increasing their production rates and the bottom line. We work with your team to supply thermal management expertise, along with all the services and components to provide a complete application solution.

Thermalogic® Corporation
Hudson, MA | 800-343-4492Since 1971, Thermalogic has been a leading manufacturer of electronic temperature and humidity control and sensors. Here at Thermalogic we work with our clients in a partnership to build a lasting business relationship. All of our products have quick turnaround times, including custom designs, and are thoroughly tested prior to being sent out. At Thermalogic we pride ourselves on our high quality, industrial grade, reliable products. Contact us today to get started!

Backer Hotwatt, Inc.
Danvers, MA | 978-777-0070Backer Hotwatt manufactures a complete line of electric heating elements for a wide range of uses. We offer a broad product line of cartridge heating elements, tubular heating elements and immersion heating elements.

Ulanet™
Columbus, IN | 812-372-0281We have over 81 years of successful manufacturing experience and we offer a wide range of solutions. Our thermostats are utilized in industries including HVAC, process heating, food service, laboratory tank heating, industrial system control, and more. We have made it our mission to remain on the forefront of our industry and we work closely with our customers to ensure maximum satisfaction.

Thermocouples measure temperature by sending an electrical current down each wire when the opposite parts, the CJC end and sensing end are at different temperatures. The voltage from the current flow is measured to determine the exact temperature difference between the two sensing points. The wires are integral parts of the thermocouple assembly, along with tubes, insulators and sheaths that provide protection. They are often joined to electronic readouts to provide temperature monitoring and quick measurement. There are two main grades of thermocouple wire—thermocouple and extension grades.
Thermocouple grade wire is actually used to make the sensing point, while the extension grade wires extend the signal from a probe back to the reading instrument. Thermocouple wires are used in every type of thermocouple instrument, including E, J, N, T, B, S, R, W and C, all of which use different metal alloys for their wires.
Like all wire, thermocouple wire is fabricated by extruding metal preforms. The extrusion process involves forcing heated and malleable metal through successively smaller dies until the desired diameter and profile is achieved. Each type of thermocouple requires a different metal or alloy for each thermocouple wire. For example, type K thermocouples, which are the most popular and widely used kind, are made of two different alloys—one wire is a chromium nickel alloy, while the other is an aluminum nickel alloy.
Every thermocouple requires wires of dissimilar metals because the sensing ends are joined together and are not able to measure or detect a temperature difference if they are the same metal material. Some thermocouples, which are able to pick up sensitive differences and must be accurate, use SLE (special limits of error) wire, which has a slightly better accuracy than standard thermocouple wire. In order to tell the different types of wire apart, the ANSI developed color coding to distinguish the two wires. Red signals negative lead in the insulated thermocouple wire, brown represents the center jacket of the wire, and white coated wires are usually used in high temperature thermocouples. Their maximum length is usually under 100 feet, that is, if they have 20 AWG or thicker wire.