Comparison of Time Constant* vs.

Overall
Outside Diameter of Bare Thermocouple Wires
or Grounded Junction Thermocouples In Air
Time constants calculated for air at
room temperature and atmospheric 1.2

pressure moving with velocity of 1.1 2.1

65 feet per second for thermocouples
shown in Figures #1 and #2. 1.0 2.0

For beaded-type and ungrounded .9 1.9

TIME CONSTANT - SECONDS

TIME CONSTANT - SECONDS

junctions (Figures #3 or #4), multiply .8 1.8
time constants by 1.5.
.7 1.7
Time constant of thermocouple made
with exposed butt welded 0.001 inch .6 1.6
dia. wire = .003 sec. Time constant of 1.5
.5
* The “Time Constant” or “Response TIme” is defined thermocouple made with
as the time required to reach 63.2% of an instantaneous .4 exposed, butt welded 1.4
temperature change. 0.001 in. dia. wire
= .003 sec.
.3 1.3

.2 1.2

.1 1.1
1/64 in. 1/32 in.
0.0 1.0
.002 .004 .006 .008 .010 .012 .014 .016 .018 .020 .022 .024 .026 .028 .030 .032 .034
.001
WIRE OR SHEATH DIAMETER - INCHES “D”
D
D D D
BARE WIRE GROUNDED BEADED-TYPE UNGROUNDED-
Butt Welded Junction Thermocouple
Fig. #1 Fig. #2 Fig. #3
TYPE
Thermocouple
Because of space limitations,
Fig. #4 time constant curve is divided
into 4 separate curves.
Figure M Sheath Diameter 1⁄32" to 3⁄8 "
11.0 110

10.0 100

9.0 90

8.0 80
TIME CONSTANT - SECONDS

TIME CONSTANT - SECONDS

7.0 70

6.0 60

5.0 50

4.0 40

3.0 30

2.0 20
1.8 sec.
1.0 10

.03125 .0625 .09375 .125 .15625 .1875 .21875 .250 .28125 .3125 .375
1/32 1/16 3/32 1/8 5/32 3/16 7/32 1/4 9/32 5/16 3/8

WIRE OR SHEATH DIAMETER - INCHES “D”

Note:
These comparisons apply to either bare “butt-welded” or “grounded” junction thermocouples. If the thermocouples are the “beaded” type or
“ungrounded,” the time constant is longer. These times are only approximate and are provided for comparison purposes only. Multiply values
from Time Constants by 1.5 for junctions shown in Fig. #3 and Fig. #4.

Z-51
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