Thermocouple grade wire is wire that is used to make the sensing point of the thermocouple, where extension grade wire is only used to extend a thermocouple signal from a probe back to the instrument reading the signal.

For operations involving high temperature, thermocouple wire functions well. Although the service temperature of the wire varies depending on the specific wire type, CERAMAFLEX thermocouple wire works to an extended high temperature of 1204 C.

The insulation used on thermocouple wire is usually color coded for easy identification. Common guidelines include that the negative lead in insulated thermocouple wire is red. The positive lead has the color of the thermocouple as well as the overall color of insulated extension grade wire. The outer jacket of thermocouple grade wire is typically brown. For high temperature wire, it is common to have a color coded tracer thread in the white material. For information on usable temperature ranges for the insulation see the “Wire Insulation Identific

A thermocouple is a sensor used for determining temperature. It consists of diverse metals joined at the ends in a single connecting point. This connecting point generates electric energy when the temperature of one end differs from the other.

Thermocouple wire generally links the thermocouple to control instrumentation or is used to make the sensing point of the thermocouple.