EEVblog Electronics Community Forum
General => General Technical Chat => Topic started by: SgtRock on November 30, 2012, 07:33:11 pm
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Greetings EEVBees:
--Where can I get a thermocouple which is compatible with my Fluke 87 V, which will safely measure in a temperature range above the Type K Thermocouple? I want an accurate measurement of the temperature of aluminum slugs for hot extrusion, 350 to 500 °C. Funny thing, I was in my friends extrusion plant the other night when a really big thunder storm took out the power including backup (expensive). Only then did I notice that all the AL slugs ready to be squeezed were glowing a barely perceptible dull, dull, red. In the summer when the temperature is high and the wind does not blow, the heat on the working floor of this extrusion plant is like °50 C. Twenty years ago when I worked there, I had a hourly pattern of, drink 4 liters and pee 2, every hour. Now at age 65 I doubt I could handle it, so part time Millwright Consultant is just my speed.
"Measure twice. Cut once"
Norm Abram 1950 -
Best Regards
Clear Ether
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Type K thermocouples can go much higher, for example this probe (http://www.fluke.com/fluke/usen/accessories/Temperature/80PK-27.htm?PID=55368) goes to 600 °C. Other manufacturers also make them, Digikey lists some TPI probes for example.
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Just about any industrial control supplier has thermocouples for high range use. Type K will work up to bright cherry red ( with a short life though) and then you get into others that will not be compatible with the Fluke direct, but will need an interface unit. Have you considered a contactless IR thermopile from Fluke, they are quite accurate at that range, and will have a cal for mill finish Aluminium. The common cheap types do not have emissivity correction, so will read low on bright aluminium. I did a very short video demoing that.
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http://www.ebay.com/itm/K-Type-Thermocouple-Wire-for-Digital-Thermometer-High-Temperature-Sensor-PK1000-/310447148135?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4848178c67 (http://www.ebay.com/itm/K-Type-Thermocouple-Wire-for-Digital-Thermometer-High-Temperature-Sensor-PK1000-/310447148135?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item4848178c67)
I use these types on my 87V and 1272a, they are accurate compared to my other K probes and IR thermometer, read to their limits. This 1000C is my highest temp limit probe.
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Hi, For my electric pottery kiln I use a K-type similar to these; the wire is thicker than the multimeter bundled ones you get and they have little ceramic segments. I take mine up to ~1280'c max. (random seller pic on ebay - search on "kiln thermocouple" )
(http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Type-K-Thermocouple-block-Ceramic-Kiln-Probe-2372-F-11G-High-Temperature-/08/!BidH6Hw!mk~$(KGrHqYH-EYEsNKKWmTiBLPBGsdNpg~~_12.JPG)
Regards
Jules