What are thermocouple connectors?

Thermocouple connectors are special electrical connectors that are used to connect thermocouples securely, precisely and without measurement errors to measuring devices, controllers or extension cables. The key difference to normal connectors is that the plug contacts are made of the same metal alloys as the respective thermocouple itself (e.g. type K: chromel/alumel) so that no additional thermoelectric voltage is generated at the plug connection, which would distort the measurement result. Thermocouple connectors are internationally standardised. The two most common standards are DIN EN60584 and ANSI. These standards specify the dimensions and alloys of the contact elements as well as colour coding, depending on the thermocouple type. There are two different designs: standard and miniature connectors. The standard design is robust and suitable for use in industrial plants. The miniature design is more compact and is more suitable for laboratory and test measurement applications.