How to Prevent False Alarms in Industrial Thermocouples
 

The electronic temperature measuring instrument has an alarm to warn the operator of a fault, such as an open circuit. However, even if there is no problem with the equipment itself, loose wires or damaged terminal blocks will cause the alarm to sound. In order to prevent such false positives, Weilian has developed a practical industrial thermocouple terminal block.
Although extremely robust and accurate, industrial thermocouples can fail and cause temperature measurement errors. Reasons include aging, oxidation, mechanical stress, incompatibility between materials and processes, etc. A useful function of modern temperature measuring instruments is to alert the operator in the event of equipment failure. If the thermocouple is damaged, the circuit will open and give an alarm. Quick replacement of thermocouple solved the problem, and the operation continued as usual.
However, sometimes technicians will find that the allegedly damaged thermocouple they are replacing is actually in good condition. These false positives are not only annoying, but also waste time and lead to unnecessary thermocouple replacement. More importantly, there is the problem of "wolf coming": too many false positives will reduce the operator's confidence in his system. Then, if there is no fault with the instrument, why will it give an alarm?

Causes of False Alarms of Industrial Thermocouples

Weilian's temperature experts set out to find the reason behind the false alarm of industrial thermocouples. They soon found the problem of the terminal and terminal block, not the problem of the sensor itself: the terminal block was broken or damaged, and the thermocouple terminals in the block were loose. These loose connections give an intermittent signal to the instrument and trigger an alarm. This is especially true in applications where temperature measurement systems are subjected to high vibrations. Thermocouples with stranded wires make the situation worse because the stranded wires will separate over time and completely lose proper contact.

Vialink's false alarm solution

The connection terminal can prevent the connection from loosening, which is the cause of false alarm of industrial thermocouple.
Our engineers redesigned a solid and reliable terminal block, eliminating the problem of loose thermocouple connection.
The improved terminal block is made of PBT (polybutylene terephthalate), a thermoplastic polyester resin that is easy to form, although hard and tough. It has good heat resistance and excellent electrical insulation performance. The connection terminals shall be manufactured to match the temperature rating of the junction box or field wiring. The screws for fixing the terminals have special grooves, which can expand the stranded wires and clamp them. These screws secure the wire from 16AWG to 36AWG. The block also has a channel to separate the wires and prevent them from short circuiting to each other.
To provide reliable service within the shortest downtime, please pair the industrial thermocouple (TC15 or TR10-X series is a reliable choice for various applications) with the terminal block.
A reliable monitoring system ensures safe operation. On the other hand, false positives are a huge waste of time, energy and money. To find out more about the terminal blocks of Villian industrial thermocouples, please contact our temperature expert. Tel./WeChat 18717811268 Huang Gong sales@weilianchina.com