Thermocouple type K, exposed tip, PTFE insulated, 2 m

The Pico SE027 Type K Exposed-Tip Thermocouple, PTFE Insulated, 2 m is designed for engineers, laboratories, research teams and general temperature-monitoring applications that require a lightweight Type K sensor with additional cable reach and PTFE insulation.

Pico Technology specifies the SE027 as:

• Order Code: SE027
• Thermocouple Type: Type K
• Junction Type: Exposed
• Tip Diameter: 1.5 mm
• Tip Temperature Range: −75 °C to +250 °C
• Conductor Diameter: 0.2 mm
• Conductor Configuration: Twisted pair
• Cable Insulation: PTFE
• Cable Length: 2 m, approximately 6 ft
• Plug Type: Molded flat-pin mini-plug
• Tolerance Standards: IEC 60584-2:1993 / BS EN 60584-1:2013

Exposed-Junction Type K Temperature Measurement

The SE027 uses an exposed Type K thermocouple junction, meaning the sensing junction is directly exposed to the measurement environment rather than enclosed inside a protective metal sheath.

This low-mass construction allows temperature changes to reach the sensing junction quickly and makes exposed thermocouples useful for applications such as:

• Air-temperature monitoring
• Gas-temperature measurement
• Laboratory experiments
• Environmental testing
• Electronics thermal testing
• Equipment monitoring
• Heating and cooling studies
• Product development
• Research and development

−75 °C to +250 °C Tip Temperature Range

Pico specifies the physical SE027 sensing tip for:

• Minimum temperature: −75 °C
• Maximum temperature: +250 °C

This is the correct operating range for this specific probe.

Although Type K thermocouple technology can operate over a wider range when used in other constructions, the SE027 itself should be specified only within its −75 °C to +250 °C tip range.

For measurements above +250 °C, an appropriate fiberglass or dedicated high-temperature Type K thermocouple should be selected.

1.5 mm Exposed Tip

The SE027 has a:

• 1.5 mm tip diameter

The compact exposed sensing junction provides direct thermal contact with the surrounding environment and helps keep thermal mass low.

This is useful for:

• Airflow measurements
• Gas-temperature testing
• Environmental chamber monitoring
• Cooling-system evaluation
• General laboratory temperature studies

0.2 mm Twisted-Pair Conductor

Pico specifies the SE027 with a:

• 0.2 mm twisted-pair conductor

The two thermocouple alloy wires form the Type K measurement circuit between the exposed sensing junction and the connector.

The 0.2 mm conductor is part of Pico's standard PTFE-insulated Type K thermocouple family.

PTFE Cable Insulation

The SE027 uses:

• PTFE cable insulation

PTFE is commonly selected where resistance to environmental exposure, oils, chemicals and fluids around the cable is useful.

The PTFE insulation applies to the thermocouple conductors. The sensing junction itself remains exposed and unprotected, so the sensor should not automatically be treated as chemically resistant or waterproof at the measurement tip.

Important Exposed-Tip Limitation

Because the thermocouple junction is exposed, it should not be treated as a universal immersion sensor.

For applications involving:

• Corrosive liquids
• Oxidizing liquids
• Aggressive chemicals
• Permanent liquid immersion

a protected, sheathed or waterproof thermocouple should be selected instead.

2 m Cable Length

The SE027 provides:

• 2 m cable length
• Approximately 6 ft

The 2 m cable provides twice the nominal reach of the SE000 1 m PTFE version and is useful where the logger must be located farther from the sensing point.

Typical installations include:

• Environmental chambers
• Laboratory benches
• Product-development fixtures
• Equipment test systems
• Remote measurement points
• Engineering experiments

Molded Flat-Pin Mini-Plug

Pico specifies the connector as a:

• Molded flat-pin mini-plug

This provides straightforward connection to compatible Type K thermocouple instruments.

It is suitable for use with the Pico USB TC-08 Thermocouple Data Logger.

Recommended for Pico USB TC-08

Pico officially lists the SE027 as a recommended USB TC-08 accessory.

The TC-08 provides:

• 8 thermocouple input channels
• Type K thermocouple support
• Built-in cold-junction compensation
• Multi-channel data acquisition
• PicoLog software
• Long-duration temperature recording

Multiple SE027 thermocouples can therefore be used for multi-point temperature monitoring.

Multi-Point Temperature Logging

Using several SE027 sensors with a compatible multi-channel logger allows engineers to record temperatures at multiple locations simultaneously.

Typical applications include:

• Environmental chamber mapping
• Heating profiles
• Cooling profiles
• Equipment temperature distribution
• Product thermal testing
• Air-temperature gradients
• Laboratory experiments

Environmental Chamber Testing

The SE027 can be used to measure air temperature at different positions within suitable environmental chambers.

Several sensors can help evaluate:

• Temperature uniformity
• Hot and cold zones
• Heating rates
• Cooling rates
• Chamber stabilization
• Temperature gradients

The 2 m cable provides useful routing flexibility between the chamber and measurement instrument.

Electronics and Equipment Testing

The SE027 can support general thermal measurements around:

• Electronic assemblies
• Equipment enclosures
• Cooling fans
• Power supplies
• Test fixtures
• Prototype systems

For direct surface-temperature measurement, a purpose-designed surface thermocouple may provide better measurement contact.

Type K Thermocouple Technology

Type K is widely used as a general-purpose thermocouple type because it can be manufactured in many different probe and cable configurations.

The actual operating range is determined by the physical sensor construction.

For the SE027:

• Tip range: −75 °C to +250 °C
• Cable insulation: PTFE
• Junction: Exposed

Thermocouple Tolerance Standards

Pico states that its thermocouples are manufactured to strict tolerances specified by:

• IEC 60584-2:1993
• BS EN 60584-1:2013

Pico's current SE027 page does not publish a separate product-specific accuracy such as ±1.1 °C or ±0.4% of reading.

For technical accuracy, use Pico's verified standards statement instead of assigning an unsupported SE027-specific numerical accuracy.

PTFE vs Fiberglass Type K Thermocouple

Pico offers both PTFE and fiberglass-insulated Type K exposed-tip sensors.

PTFE-insulated models are useful where:

• Chemical resistance around the cable is beneficial
• Oil resistance is useful
• Fluid resistance around the insulated conductors is required
• The temperature stays within the PTFE model's specification

Fiberglass versions provide higher tip-temperature capability in Pico's equivalent standard range.

Typical Applications

The Pico SE027 is suitable for:

• Air-temperature measurement
• Gas-temperature monitoring
• Laboratory temperature logging
• Environmental testing
• Electronics thermal testing
• Equipment monitoring
• Product-development testing
• Heating and cooling experiments
• Engineering validation
• Research and development
• Multi-point temperature monitoring
• USB TC-08 data-logging systems