Thermocouple welding

[steve30]

A little while back, I bought a digital thermometer from Franky. It works nicely, but the weld on the end of the included K-Type thermocouple looked a bit dodgy and broke the next day. I snipped the ends off and just twisted the two wires round each other a few times and this seems to work OK.

My question is, should there be any difference between having the wires wrapped around each other, and having them welded? I think it responded to changes quicker when welded, but I might just be imagining that.

Thanks
steve30 .

[SeanB]

Twisting them will eventually go open circuit from corrosion, better is to weld them together. Simplest is to use a large capacitor and get enough energy in there to make a spot weld, though I have had a good amount of success just using a quick melt using an acetylene torch.

[iloveelectronics]

I have a few spare ones laying around (unused). Would you like me to send you one? Postage is very cheap as it's very light and I will cover it. Think of it as warranty Please send me a PM with your address.

[steve30]

Thanks Franky, I'll take you up on that offer, though if you are sending something, I may as well buy something, as I could do with some of those little test hooks that are in your ebay store.

[Steve Johnson]

I bought a K type Thermocouple from fluke for measuring soldering tip temperature. It's got two stiff wires that form a triangle that don't touch each other and the soldering tip completes the circuit.  Guess the connection is not that important on them.  I've heard of people just twisting the end together and hitting it with a hammer also.

[iloveelectronics]

Thanks Franky, I'll take you up on that offer, though if you are sending something, I may as well buy something, as I could do with some of those little test hooks that are in your ebay store.

Sure. Either PM me what you want, or if you're buying through eBay just leave a note there. Thanks!