Thermocouple Contact & Tooling Charts
Milnec Interconnect Systems manufacturers a full offering of MIL-DTL-5015 high-reliability thermocouple crimp contacts in the most popular thermocouple materials. By ordering thermocouple contacts separately, engineers can quickly make custom connector solutions to run power, signal, and thermocouples in one cable! In the tables below you can find all the information required to order replacement thermocouple contacts for all existing MIL-DTL-5015 connectors. Next to each contact is appropriate tooling information for required crimper, positioner, insertion and extraction tweezers.
Put simply, a thermocouple is a pair of wires of dissimilar metal that is connected at both ends. When the two wire junctions are exposed to different temperatures, an electrical potential is created between them that is almost directly proportional to the temperature difference. A voltage measuring instrument added to the circuit can then read the temperature. Thermocouples are made from a variety of specific alloys and are best suited for different applications depending on the intended temperature range, sensitivity, resistance to corrosion, magnetism, and cost. Because crimp connectors have removable contacts, the standard contacts can be substituted easily with thermocouples.
Thermocouple Types
Certain combinations of alloys have become popular as industry standards for thermocouples. Milnec’s standard thermocouple types are listed below with the positive electrode first, followed by the negative electrode.
Type K (chromel/alumel)
The most common general purpose thermocouple with a sensitivity of approximately 41 µV/°C, chromel positive relative to alumel.
Type E (chromel/constantan)
This type has a high output (68 µV/°C), which makes it well suited to cryogenic use. In addition, it is non-magnetic.
Type J (iron/constantan)
This combination has a more restricted range than Type K (0° to +750°C), but has a higher sensitivity (55 µV/°C).
Thermocouple Types Chart
| Thermocouple Type | Temperature Range (Continuous)* | Temperature Range (Short Term)* | Thermocouple Materials | Contact Size | Termination |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| K | +32° to +2,012°F (0° to +1,100°C) | -292° to +2,372°F (-180° to +1,300°C) | Chromel & Alumel | #16, #20, #22D | Crimp |
| E | +32° to +1,472°F (0° to +800°C) | -40° to +1,652°F (-40° to +900°C) | Chromel & Constantan | #16, #20, #22D | Crimp |
| J | +32° to +1,382°F (0° to +750°C) | -292° to +1,472°F (-180° to +800°C) | Iron & Constantan | #16, #20, #22D | Crimp |
* Please note above thermocouple temperature ranges are for reference only. Standard connector insert materials can only withstand 392°F (200°C) of continuous operation.
Additional Resources
MIL-5015 Contact Data Sheets
- MIL-5015 Contacts
- MIL-5015 Catalog (17.9 MB) – For contact information please reference pages K-7 – K-8.
Thermocouple Contacts
| Contact Size | Contact Style | Part Number | Wire Size (AWG) | Wire Range (Dia) | Jacket Strip Length | Crimping Tool | Positioner (Turret) | Insertion Tool | Extraction Tool |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| #16 Alumel | Pin | TMPA16 | 16, 18, 20 | .032–.050 (.81–1.29) | .236 (6.00) | TK101A (Hand Crimper) | TP102 | TN207 | TX208 |
| Socket | TMSA16 | ||||||||
| Socket (Short Shell) | TMSA16Z | ||||||||
| #16 Chromel | Pin | TMPR16 | 16, 18, 20 | .032–.050 (.81–1.29) | .236 (6.00) | ||||
| Socket | TMSR16 | ||||||||
| Socket (Short Shell) | TMSR16Z | ||||||||
| #16 Constantan | Pin | TMPK16 | 16, 18, 20 | .032–.050 (.81–1.29) | .236 (6.00) | ||||
| Socket | TMSK16 | ||||||||
| Socket (Short Shell) | TMSK16Z | ||||||||
| #16 Iron | Pin | TMPE16 | 16, 18, 20 | .032–.050 (.81–1.29) | .236 (6.00) | ||||
| Socket | TMSE16 | ||||||||
| Socket (Short Shell) | TMSE16Z | ||||||||
| #12 Alumel | Pin | TMPA12 | 12, 14 | .064–.080 (1.62–2.05) | .236 (6.00) | TN209 | TX210 | ||
| Socket | TMSA12 | ||||||||
| #12 Chromel | Pin | TMPR12 | 12, 14 | .064–.080 (1.62–2.05) | .236 (6.00) | ||||
| Socket | TMSR12 | ||||||||
| #12 Constantan | Pin | TMPK12 | 12, 14 | .064–.080 (1.62–2.05) | .236 (6.00) | ||||
| Socket | TMSK12 | ||||||||
| #12 Iron | Pin | TMPE12 | 12, 14 | .064–.080 (1.62–2.05) | .236 (6.00) | ||||
| Socket | TMSE12 |
Dimensions are in inches (mm) unless otherwise noted. Size 16 short shell sockets are required on short shells designated as 10S, 10SL, 12S, 14S, and 16S. No short pins required.
