Connection cables for thermocouples and Pt100 resistance thermometers - definition and types

Thermoelectric cables, thermocouple cables and compensating cables

There are basically three types of connecting cables for connecting thermocouples. A basic distinction is made between original materials and substitute materials. Connection cables made of original materials are referred to as thermowires or thermocouple cables. Conductor materials made from substitute materials are referred to as compensating cables.

The three types of cable are described in more detail below. An overview of common compensating cables and thermocouple cables from SAB Bröckskes can be found below in the overview table for connecting cables.

What is a thermowire?

Extension cables are made of conductors with identical nominal structure to the corresponding thermocouple. They are identified with the letter ”X” adapted to DIN IEC 584 which appears behind the code letter identifying the thermocouple, for example ”JX”. They are normally tested within a temperature range of 0 up to +200°C.

What is a thermocouple cable?

Thermocouple cables consist of the same element material as the thermocouple and are tested for the same temperatures. These SAB special cables are manufactured on customer request. PVC, fibre-glass and Stex insulated or sheathed compensating and extension cables are not suitable for outdoor use. Exception: PVC sheathed solid conductors can be used for underground laying.

What is a compensating cable?

Compensation cables (wires and strands) made of substitute materials consist of alloys that do not have to be identical to the corresponding thermocouple. However, substitute material also means that the thermoelectric properties in the temperature range permitted for the compensating cable (normally 0 to +200°C) are identical to those of the associated thermocouple. According to DIN IEC 584, compensating cables are marked with the letter “C”, which is placed after the code letter of the thermocouple, e.g: “KC” for a compensating cable type K. Correspondingly, a compensating cable of type J is marked with ‘JC’. In the following table you will find compensating cables for various types, temperature ranges and areas of application.

Cables for Resistance Thermometers

Cables with copper conductors have to be laid between thermometer and measuring device. In order to keep faults by cable resistances and their temperature dependent fluctuations as small as possible, an appropriate cable section has to be chosen. Resistance thermometers are manufactured in 2-, 3-, and 4-wire circuit dependent on the required accuracy.

By choosing the wire circuit it has to be considered that the cable resistance fully affects the measuring result. The cables have to be chosen that they are appropriate for their environment that means that they resist against thermal, mechanical and chemical influences. All cable contacts have to be well done. Measuring cable shall be laid > 0,5 m away from any energy cable . In order to suppress electromagnetic or magnetic interferences, the cables shall be screened and have twisted pairs.

Overview of compensating thermocouple and connection cables for resistance thermometers

In the following overview you will find a selection of glass silk and polyimide insulated cables and leads for thermocouples. Further thermocouple cables and leads can be found in our cable catalogue chapter Thermocouple and Compensating Cables.

fibre-glass insulated thermo-cables (wire)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0489-9002	thermocable	type K	GL/GL	2 x 0,2 mm	wire	oval	approx. 0,8 mm x 1,3 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +200°C fixed: -25°C up to +200°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1, tolerance +/- 1,5°C
0489-2144	thermocouple-cable	type K	GL/GL	2 x 0,5 mm	wire	oval	approx. 1,9 x 1,1 mm	flexible: -40°C up to +250°C fixed: -40°C up to +250°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1
0489-9003	thermocable	type K	GL/GL	2 x 0,8 mm	wire	oval	approx. 2,5 x 1,4 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +200°C fixed: -25°C up to +200°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1
0490-9016	thermocouple-cable	type K	GL/GL	2 x 0,5 mm	wire	oval	approx.. 2,0 x 1,2 mm	flexible: max. +400°C fixed: max. +400°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1

polyimide insulated thermo-cables (wire)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0433-9138	thermocouple-cable	type K	KN-Polyimid KP-blank/Polyimid	2 x 0,2 mm	wire	oval	approx. 0,9 x 0,5 mm	flexible: -40°C up to +250°C fixed: -40°C up to +250°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1, tolerance +/- 1,5°C
0433-9186	thermocouple-cable	type K	KN-Polyimid KP-blank/Polyimid	2 x 0,2 mm	wire	oval	approx. 0,7 mm x 0,5 mm	flexible: -40°C up to +250°C fixed: -40°C up to +250°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1, tolerance +/- 1,5°C
0433-9149	thermocouple-cable	type K	Polyimid + PTFE / Polyimid	2 x 0,3 mm	wire	oval	approx. 0,9 x 1,7 mm	flexible: -40°C up to +250°C fixed: -40°C up to +250°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1, tolerance +/- 1,5°C
0433-9168	thermocouple-cable	type K	KN-Polyimid KP-PTFE / Polyimid	2 x 0,2 mm	wire	oval	approx. 1,0 x 0,8 mm	flexible: -40°C up to +250°C fixed: -40°C up to +250°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1

polyimide/PFA insulated thermo-cables (wire)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0433-9196	thermocouple-cable	type K	KN-Polyimid KP blank / Polyimid / PFA	2 x 0,2 mm	wire	round	max. 1,0 mm	flexible: -40°C up to +250°C fixed: -40°C up to +250°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1

FEP insulated thermo-cables (wire)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0433-9152	thermocouple-cable	type K	FEP/FEP	2 x 0,2 mm	wire	oval	approx. 1,7 mm x 1,1 mm	flexible: -40°C up to +180°C fixed: -40°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1

TPE insulated thermo-cable (strands)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0433-9177	thermocouple-cable	type K	TPE/TPE	2 x 0,2 mm²	stands	round	approx. 3,0 mm	flexible: -40°C up to +90°C fixed: -40°C up to +90°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1

FEP/Besilen^® insulated thermo-cables (strands)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0433-9193	thermocable	type K	FEP/FEP/ Bi	2 x 0,2 mm²	strands	round	approx. 3,8 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -40°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 class 2

FEP/Besilen^® connection cables for resistance thermometers (strands)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation
0470-9224	connection cable	tinned Cu-strands. Cu-number: 2.7 kg/km	FEP/Bi	2 x 0,14 mm²	strands	round	approx. 2,8 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -40°C up to +180°C
0470-0423	connection cable	tinned Cu-strands. Cu-number: 8.4kg/km	FEP/Bi	4 x 0,22 mm²	strands	round	approx. 3,9 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -40°C up to +180°C
3833-9132	connection cable	tinned Cu-strands. Cu-number: 19.3 kg/km	FEP/C/FEP	4 x 0,22 mm²	strands	round	approx. 3,0 mm	flexible: -55°C up to +180°C fixed: -90°C up to +180°C

FEP insulated thermo-cables (strands)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0433-9240	thermocouple-cable	type K	FEP	2 x 0,20 mm	wire	round	approx. 1,0 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -25°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1
0433-9157	thermocable	type K	FEP/FEP	2 x 0,22 mm²	strands	oval	approx. 2,5 x 1,5 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -25°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 tolerance +/- 1°C
0433-9137	thermocable	type K	FEP/FEP	2 x 0,22 mm²	strands	round	approx. 2,0 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -25°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584, tolerance +/- 1°C
0433-9154	thermocable	type K	FEP/FEP	8 x 2 x 0,22 mm² twisted pair	strands	round	approx. 6,4 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -25°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 class 2
0435-9129	thermocable	type K	FEP/C/FEP	8 x 2 x 0,22 mm² twisted pair	strands	round	approx. 6,9 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -25°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 class 2
0433-9135	thermocable	type K	FEP/FEP	16 x 2 x 0,22 mm² twisted pair	strands	round	approx. 7,7 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -25°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 class 2
0435-9135	thermocable	type K	FEP/C/FEP	16 x 2 x 0,22 mm² twisted pair	strqnds	round	approx. 8,3 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -25°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 class 2
0435-9085	thermocouple-cable	type K	FEP-F-ZF-D(B)- FEP/D-C (B)-FEP	8 x (2 x 0,5 mm) D	strands	round	approx.. 11,0 mm	flexible: -55°C up to +180°C fixed: -90°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1

FEP insulated thermo-cables with screening (strands)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0435-9037	thermocable	type K	FEP/C/FEP	2 x 0,22 mm²	strands	round	approx. 2,6 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +180°C fixed: -25°C up to +180°C	DIN IEC 584, tolerance+/- 1,5°C

Besilen^®insulated thermo-cables (strands)

Itennumber	Cable type	T/C type	Isolation	Section	Cond.	Form	Outer-Ø	Temp.-range of insulation	Thermoelectric voltage
0451-9019	thermocable	type K	GL/Silikon	2 x 0,22 mm²	strands	round	approx. 3,2 mm	flexible: -25°C up to +200°C fixed: -25°C up to +200°C	DIN IEC 584 class 1

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