Thermocouple comparison

The table below describes properties of several different thermocouple types. Within the tolerance columns,

T represents the temperature of the hot junction, in degrees Celsius. For example, a thermocouple with a

tolerance of ±0.0025×T would have a tolerance of ±2.5 °C at 1000 °C.

Temperature
Temperature range Tolerance class Tolerance class IEC Color BS Color ANSI Color
Type range °C
°C (short term) one (°C) two (°C) code code code
(continuous)

±1.5 between
±2.5 between −40
−40 °C and 375
°C and 333 °C
°C
K 0 to +1100 −180 to +1300 ±0.0075×T
±0.004×T
between 333 °C
between 375 °C
and 1200 °C
and 1000 °C

±1.5 between
±2.5 between −40
−40 °C and 375
°C and 333 °C
°C
J 0 to +750 −180 to +800 ±0.0075×T
±0.004×T
between 333 °C
between 375 °C
and 750 °C
and 750 °C

±1.5 between
±2.5 between −40
−40 °C and 375
°C and 333 °C
°C
N 0 to +1100 −270 to +1300 ±0.0075×T
±0.004×T
between 333 °C
between 375 °C
and 1200 °C
and 1000 °C

±1.0 between 0
±1.5 between 0 °C
°C and 1100 °C
and 600 °C
±[1 + 0.003×(T
R 0 to +1600 −50 to +1700 ±0.0025×T Not defined.
− 1100)]
between 600 °C
between 1100 °C
and 1600 °C
and 1600 °C

±1.0 between 0
±1.5 between 0 °C
°C and 1100 °C
and 600 °C
±[1 + 0.003×(T
S 0 to 1600 −50 to +1750 ±0.0025×T Not defined.
− 1100)]
between 600 °C
between 1100 °C
and 1600 °C
and 1600 °C

±0.0025×T No standard No standard

B +200 to +1700 0 to +1820 Not Available between 600 °C use copper use copper Not defined.
and 1700 °C wire wire
 ±0.5 between
±1.0 between −40
−40 °C and 125
°C and 133 °C
°C
T −185 to +300 −250 to +400 ±0.0075×T
±0.004×T
between 133 °C
between 125 °C
and 350 °C
and 350 °C

±1.5 between
±2.5 between −40
−40 °C and 375
°C and 333 °C
°C
E 0 to +800 −40 to +900 ±0.0075×T
±0.004×T
between 333 °C
between 375 °C
and 900 °C
and 800 °C

Reproducibility 0.2% of the voltage;

Chromel/AuFe −272 to +300 n/a each sensor needs individual
calibration.