Thermocouple cables are constructed of two wires made from dissimilar metals. These two wires are joined together at their ends and connected to a thermocouple junction. This junction produces a temperature-dependent voltage that can be used to measure temperatures of different applications.

The standard color code for thermocouple wire is red for the negative lead and brown for the outer jacket. The positive lead has the same color as the thermocouple and the overall insulated extension grade wire. There are eight common types of Thermocouple Wire: Type E, Type J, Type K, Type T, Type N, Type R, Type S, and Type B. Most thermocouple wires can be used in temperature sensors, but some have more specific needs. However, sometimes a standard thermocouple doesn't meet an application's specifications and a custom cable is needed.

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Our Custom Composite Thermocouple Cable Solution

One Allied Wire and Cable customer that worked in the global manufacturing industry approached us when they could not find a standard cable that fit their application. In addition to having a cable with thermocouple pairing, this customer needed a communication cable as well. This application uses temperature transmitters to measure the temperatures of different applications. The customer needed Type B Thermocouple Wire. The normal conductor materials in this thermocouple pairing are manganese and copper.

This custom composite thermocouple cable was constructed of two pairs of conductors. One pair was 20 AWG tinned copper and the other was a pair of 20 AWG manganese/copper wires. Both pairs were insulated with FEP. For the communication part of the composite cable, the wires were colored black and white. The thermocouple wires were red and gray. Both pairs had an aluminum/mylar foil shield and were combined under a grey FEP jacket. The cable was rated at 300V and had a temperature range of -90°C to +200°C.

Allied Wire and Cable is a supplier and manufacturer of thermocouple wire, including Type K and Type J wires. If your next application requires a custom thermocouple cable, Allied Wire and Cable’s custom cable experts can help design the perfect solution. Visit our Custom Cable Design Center or contact us to get started.

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