Mini Male Plug Thermocouple Connector - Type K

Terminating a Bare-Wire Type K Probe or Extension Cable

Some thermocouple applications require a custom cable length, a field repair at the connector, or the addition of a connector to a bare-wire probe sourced without a termination. The CON-MP-MINI-K provides the correct alloy-matched mini male plug for Type K thermocouple wiring — Chromel positive pin, Alumel negative pin — in the mini format compatible with TSC EGT probes, CHT sensors, and PMD1XT/PMD2XT gauge inputs.

Correct polarity must be maintained when terminating the connector. Type K extension wire follows a standard color convention: the positive (Chromel) conductor is yellow and the negative (Alumel) conductor is red in the US standard, or green positive and white negative in the IEC convention used outside North America. The mini male plug body uses an asymmetric pin geometry that is designed to prevent incorrect insertion when assembled properly — but the alloy-matched pin assignment must still be respected during termination.

Alloy-Matched Pins and Why They Matter at the Connector

The measurement implications of using a non-alloy-matched connector at a thermocouple circuit connection point are the same as described for the female jack. A copper or brass connector body introduces dissimilar-metal junctions that generate parasitic Seebeck voltages proportional to the connector body temperature.

In a racing or high-temperature environment where the connector may be located near the exhaust or inside an engine bay, these parasitic junctions can be at elevated temperatures relative to the instrument reference junction. This can introduce measurable offset errors, especially under changing thermal conditions.

Using the CON-MP-MINI-K ensures that the entire signal path from probe junction to instrument input remains consistent with Type K thermocouple materials at every transition point. This is necessary to preserve measurement accuracy — the probe’s specified accuracy can be compromised if non-alloy connectors introduce larger errors downstream.

The same principle applies throughout the extension cable. Use only Type K thermocouple extension wire, never copper hook-up wire, for any run between the probe and the instrument.

Strain Relief and Mechanical Durability

The CON-MP-MINI-K includes a wire strain relief bracket and removable rubber bushing similar to the female jack counterpart. In motorsports and industrial applications, thermocouple connectors are frequently disconnected and reconnected, exposed to vibration, and subject to cable routing that places mechanical stress on the connector body.

The strain relief bracket captures the cable jacket at the connector entry point, distributing tensile and bending loads across the bracket rather than concentrating them at the internal termination. Proper installation of the strain relief improves long-term durability and reduces the likelihood of connection failure.

The connector is compatible with standard mini Type K thermocouple jacks and instrumentation.