Technical Information

5. Limiting deviation for thermocouples

The limiting deviations for those thermocouples which are standardized in the DIN EN 60584-1 are standardized in the DIN EN 60584-2. The organization of the limiting deviations takes place in 3 groups:

  • group 1 and 2 for the temperature range > -40°C
  • group 3 for negative temperatures to -200°C
Type Range                  Class 1     Range                  Class 2     Range                  Class 3    
T -40...350°C       ±0,5°C or 0,004*(t) -40...350°C       ±1,0°C or 0,0075*(t) -200...40°C       ±1,0°C or 0,0015*(t)
E -40...800°C       ±1,5°C or 0,004*(t) -40...900°C       ±2,5°C or 0,0075*(t) -200...40°C       ±2,5°C or 0,0015*(t)
J -40...750°C       ±1,5°C or 0,004*(t) -40...750°C       ±2,5°C or 0,0075*(t) -----
K -40...1000°C     ±1,5°C or 0,004*(t) -40...1200°C     ±2,5°C or 0,0075*(t) -200...40°C       ±2,5°C or 0,0015*(t)
N -40...1000°C     ±1,5°C or 0,004*(t) -40...1200°C     ±2,5°C or 0,0075*(t) -200...40°C       ±2,5°C or 0,0015*(t)
S/R 0...1600°C        ±1,0°C or
                         1,0+0,003(t-1100)°C
0...1600°C        ±1,5°C or 0,0025*(t) -----
B ----- 600...1700°C    ±1,5°C or 0,0025*(t) 600...1700°C     4°C or 0,005*(t)
C ----- 426...2315°C                        0,01*(t) -----
A ----- 1000...2500°C                      0,01*(t) -----

Tab. 2: Limiting deviations of thermocouples according to DIN EN 60584-2

|t| = value of the temperature without consideration of the sign

1) as limiting deviations the fixed cored values in °C are valid or those percentages related to the actual temperature in °C. In each case the larger value is valid.

2) thermocouples and thermowires are usually supplied in such a way that the limiting deviations are kept according to above table for the temperature range above -40 °C. The deviations for thermocouples of the same material can be larger at temperatures below -40 °C than the fixed core limiting deviations fixed in class 3. If thermocouples are needed, which should comply with limiting deviations according to classes 1, 2 and/or 3 , these must be stated in the order, since a special selection of the material is necessary.