Guide to Choosing the Right Temperature Sensors

Temperature measurements are among the most common data logging applications found across a broad variety of industries including medical monitoring, cold chain integrity, machine monitoring, and many more. There are 4 main types of temperature sensors that are used with data loggers, and it can seem like a lengthy decision to find the right type.

Thermocouples are the most common type of temperature sensors and are widely used where cost, simplicity and wide operating range are paramount and extremely high accuracy is not required. Semiconductor devices are similarly low-cost and provide an output voltage or current proportional to temperature, with a limited operating range and accuracy comparable to thermocouples. RTDs and thermistors provide a change in resistance that is related to temperature, and while they offer higher accuracy than thermocouples, RTDs have a more limited operating range.