Thermocouple type K, exposed tip, fiberglass insulated, 1 m

The Pico SE001 Type K Exposed-Tip Thermocouple, Fiberglass Insulated, 1 m is designed for engineers, laboratories, research teams and general temperature-monitoring applications that require a simple, responsive thermocouple sensor.

Pico Technology identifies the SE001 as an exposed-junction Type K thermocouple with fiberglass-insulated 0.3 mm twisted-pair conductor.

Its main manufacturer-published specifications are:

• Order Code: SE001
• Thermocouple Type: Type K
• Junction Type: Exposed
• Tip Diameter: 1.5 mm
• Tip Temperature Range: −60 °C to +350 °C
• Conductor: 0.3 mm twisted pair
• Insulation: Fiberglass / glass fiber
• Cable Length: 1 m
• Connector: Molded flat-pin mini-plug
• Tolerance: Manufactured to IEC 60584-2:1993 / BS EN 60584-1:2013 thermocouple tolerances

Exposed-Junction Temperature Measurement

The SE001 uses an exposed sensing junction, which means the thermocouple junction directly contacts the measurement environment rather than being enclosed inside a metal sheath.

This exposed-tip construction reduces thermal mass around the sensing point and is useful where changes in temperature need to be detected quickly.

Pico describes exposed-tip thermocouples as offering a very fast response and being particularly suitable for gas measurements.

Typical applications can include:

• Ambient and heated-air measurements
• Gas-temperature monitoring
• Laboratory experiments
• Thermal chamber testing
• Electronics testing
• Product-development measurements
• Heating and cooling studies
• Research and development
• Multi-channel temperature logging

−60 °C to +350 °C Tip Temperature Range

Pico specifies the SE001 tip temperature range as:

• Minimum: −60 °C
• Maximum: +350 °C

This is the correct manufacturer-published operating range for the sensing tip.

The SE001 should not be described as a +400 °C, +500 °C or +1000 °C thermocouple simply because Type K thermocouple technology can be used at higher temperatures in other constructions.

For measurements above +350 °C, Pico provides a separate high-temperature Type K range including SE059, SE060, SE061 and SE062.

Type K Thermocouple Technology

The SE001 uses a Type K thermocouple, one of the most widely used thermocouple types in engineering and industrial temperature measurement.

Type K thermocouples are commonly used for:

• General laboratory measurement
• Industrial testing
• Product development
• Environmental testing
• Engineering experiments
• Thermal analysis

The actual usable range and performance depend on the construction of the individual thermocouple. For SE001, Pico specifies the physical tip range as −60 °C to +350 °C.

1.5 mm Exposed Tip

Pico specifies:

• Tip diameter: 1.5 mm

The relatively small exposed sensing junction contributes to the probe's responsive thermal behavior.

A small exposed tip can be useful where:

• Temperature changes occur quickly
• Low thermal mass is desirable
• Air or gas temperature needs to be monitored
• The measurement point must remain compact

0.3 mm Twisted-Pair Conductor

The SE001 uses a:

• 0.3 mm twisted-pair conductor

Pico specifically publishes this conductor construction for the SE001.

The twisted-pair configuration forms the Type K thermocouple connection between the exposed sensing junction and the thermocouple connector.

Fiberglass-Insulated Cable

The SE001 conductor is protected with:

• Fiberglass / glass-fiber insulation

This distinguishes it from Pico's separate PTFE-insulated Type K thermocouple range.

Pico offers different insulation types because cable construction affects where a thermocouple can be used.

For SE001, the important manufacturer-published temperature specification remains the:

• −60 °C to +350 °C tip temperature range

Pico does not publish a separate continuous fiberglass-insulation temperature rating for SE001 on the current product page, so an unsupported cable-temperature rating should not be added.

1 m Cable Length

The SE001 has a:

• 1 m cable
• Approximately 3 ft

The 1 m length is suitable for compact laboratory, engineering and equipment-testing arrangements where the measurement point is relatively close to the data logger.

Pico also offers standard exposed-tip fiberglass Type K versions in:

• SE001: 1 m
• SE030: 2 m
• SE031: 5 m

This allows users to select a cable length appropriate to the physical measurement setup.

Molded Flat-Pin Mini-Plug

Pico specifies the connector as a:

• Molded flat-pin mini-plug

This connector is designed for compatible thermocouple measurement equipment.

The molded plug provides a straightforward connection to instruments such as the Pico USB TC-08.

Recommended for Pico USB TC-08

Pico Technology officially lists the SE001 as a recommended accessory for the USB TC-08 Thermocouple Data Logger.

The TC-08 provides:

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

Multiple SE001 thermocouples can therefore be connected to available TC-08 channels for multi-point temperature monitoring.

Air and Gas Temperature Measurement

The exposed sensing junction makes the SE001 particularly useful for suitable air and gas measurements.

Potential applications include:

• Equipment enclosure temperature monitoring
• Laboratory air measurements
• Heated-air testing
• Gas-temperature experiments
• Environmental chamber measurements
• Cooling-system evaluation

Because the sensing junction is exposed directly to the measurement environment, temperature changes can be detected without the additional thermal mass of a protective metal sheath.

Important Limitation for Exposed Junctions

Pico specifically notes that exposed-tip thermocouples are not suitable for corrosive or oxidizing liquids because the thermocouple alloys are directly exposed.

For liquid-temperature measurements involving corrosive, oxidizing or chemically aggressive media, an appropriately protected or sheathed thermocouple should be selected.

The SE001 should therefore not be presented as a universal immersion thermocouple.

General Laboratory Temperature Logging

The SE001 provides a practical sensor for common temperature-logging applications where:

• Temperatures remain between −60 °C and +350 °C
• Fast-response exposed-tip sensing is useful
• A 1 m cable is sufficient
• Type K compatibility is required
• Chemical protection from a sheath is not required

Applications may include:

• Thermal experiments
• Product evaluation
• Engineering development
• Educational laboratories
• Equipment testing
• Heating and cooling studies

Multi-Point Temperature Monitoring

Several SE001 thermocouples can be connected to a compatible multi-channel thermocouple data logger.

This enables measurements such as:

• Temperature comparisons at different locations
• Heating profiles
• Cooling profiles
• Thermal gradients
• Environmental changes
• Product temperature distribution

Using several sensors is particularly useful when the temperature distribution across an enclosure, chamber or test object needs to be evaluated.

Thermocouple Tolerance Standards

Pico states that all of its thermocouples are manufactured to strict industry tolerances defined by:

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

The current SE001 product page does not publish a separate model-specific numerical accuracy such as ±1.1 °C or ±0.4% of reading.

For this reason, the product page should use Pico's published tolerance-standard information rather than adding a numerical accuracy that Pico does not specify directly for SE001.

Thermocouple Measurement Considerations

The performance of a complete Type K measurement system depends on more than the sensing junction itself.

Important factors can include:

• Thermocouple tolerance
• Data logger accuracy
• Cold-junction compensation
• Probe placement
• Thermal gradients
• Electrical noise
• Cable condition
• Sensor aging

For repeatable measurements, keep the sensing junction positioned consistently and inspect the thermocouple periodically for physical damage.

Typical Applications

The Pico SE001 is suitable for:

• Air-temperature measurement
• Gas-temperature measurement
• Laboratory temperature logging
• Thermal chamber testing
• Electronics thermal testing
• Equipment monitoring
• Product-development testing
• Heating and cooling experiments
• Engineering validation
• Research and development
• Educational laboratories
• Multi-channel USB TC-08 temperature logging