Thermocouple Data Loggers - Common Questions

Frequently Asked Questions

• Will the Veriteq 1700 data loggers work with my existing thermocouple probes?
• Which is the best thermocouple type for me?
• How do the Veriteq 1700 data loggers perform automatic cold junction temperature compensation?
• General questions about Veriteq data loggers.

Thermocouple Basics

• What is a thermocouple?
• What is "cold junction temperature" and why is it important?
• What is automatic cold junction temperature compensation?

Questions and Answers

Will the Veriteq 1700 data loger work with my existing thermocouple probes?

The Veriteq 1700 data logger works with all type J, K, T, E, R and S thermocouples which are, by far, the most popular thermocouple types in use today.

Which is the best thermocouple type for me?

Choosing a proper thermocouple type for your application depends primarily on the temperature range in which its use is intended. The most widely used and available thermocouples are types "K "and "J", however there are several other types that you should consider.

To determine which thermocouple type best suits your application's temperature range, refer to the individual data pages for each thermocouple type (J, K, T, E, R or S). These pages include a temperature range and accuracy graph you can use for comparison with your measurement requirements.

How does the Veriteq 1700 data logger perform automatic cold junction compensation?

The Veriteq 1700 data logger thermocouple data logger monitors the cold junction temperature with the use of a high-accuracy thermistor temperature sensor on board the logger that has been bonded to the thermocouple connection point. This allows for accurate computation of the temperature at the hot junction by the data logger.

What is a thermocouple?

A thermocouple is the world's most popular transducer for measuring temperature. It works by generating a small millivolt electrical signal when a temperature difference exists between the two end junctions of a pair of dissimilar metals. One end of the thermocouple is fused together to form a measuring (or hot) junction, and the other end, the cold (or reference) junction, is connected to the measuring instrument such as a data logger.

What is "cold junction temperature" and why is it important?

Temperature at the hot (or measuring) junction of a thermocouple is determined by measuring the voltage appearing at the thermocouple's cold (or reference) junction. Since the voltage produced by the thermocouple is a function of the temperature difference between these two junctions, the cold junction temperature must be known in order to produce accurate temperature measurements.

What is automatic cold junction temperature compensation?

Overall measurement accuracy depends on the accuracy of cold-junction temperature (CJT) compensation. Automatic cold junction temperature compensation is a method used to calculate accurate temperature readings measured by the thermocouple even when the temperature at the measuring instrument varies.