24 AWG THERMOCOUPLE WIRE

24 AWG Type K Thermocouple Wire — Motorsport EGT and Temperature Measurement Cable

The TC-24AWG-AC is 24 AWG Type K thermocouple wire for motorsport exhaust gas temperature (EGT) monitoring, pyrometer circuits, and precision temperature measurement applications. Type K thermocouple wire consists of two dissimilar alloy conductors — Chromel (positive, nickel-chromium) and Alumel (negative, nickel-aluminium-manganese-silicon) — that generate a thermoelectric voltage proportional to the temperature at the measurement junction. At 24 AWG, this wire is sized for the small-cross-section measurement circuits used in motorsport EGT probes and precision temperature sensors where minimising thermal mass at the measurement point is important.

Type K Thermocouple Wire — How It Works

A thermocouple circuit generates a voltage at the junction between two dissimilar metals that is proportional to the temperature difference between the hot junction (the probe tip in the exhaust or measurement location) and the cold junction (at the measurement instrument or ECU thermocouple input). The Type K pair — Chromel and Alumel — is the most widely used thermocouple type in motorsport due to its temperature range (−200°C to +1350°C), output sensitivity, and compatibility with all major motorsport ECUs and data acquisition systems. The accuracy of the measurement depends on the thermocouple wire maintaining its alloy composition throughout the circuit — any junction with a non-thermocouple conductor (standard copper or tin-plated wire) introduces a parasitic thermoelectric EMF that adds a temperature equivalent error to the final reading.

24 AWG — EGT Circuit Application

24 AWG thermocouple wire is the standard gauge for motorsport EGT circuits. The small conductor cross-section minimises the thermal shunting effect — where heat conducted along the wire away from the probe tip cools the measurement junction below the actual exhaust gas temperature — while providing sufficient mechanical strength for the harness runs from EGT probe to data acquisition input. Longer runs (over approximately 3 metres) may benefit from slightly heavier gauge to reduce circuit resistance, but 24 AWG is the correct specification for the majority of motorsport EGT wiring applications.

Critical: Thermocouple Circuit Discipline

Thermocouple wire must be used throughout the entire circuit from probe tip to instrument input. At every connection point — including any connectors the EGT circuit passes through — the correct thermocouple-alloy contacts must be used (Chromel contacts at the positive leg, Alumel contacts at the negative leg). Connecting thermocouple wire to a standard copper contact creates a new thermoelectric junction at that point, introducing a measurement error. Arctic Performance Parts stocks the correct size 20 and size 22 Chromel and Alumel contacts for both mil-spec MS connectors and Deutsch Autosport connectors to complete a correctly specified thermocouple circuit.

Available from Arctic Performance Parts

Arctic Performance Parts stocks Type K thermocouple wire in 24 AWG, alongside the matching Chromel and Alumel contacts needed to correctly terminate thermocouple circuits at connectors. Supporting motorsport engine builders, data acquisition specialists, and performance workshops across Norway, Sweden, and Denmark. Lead time 1–2 weeks for quantities beyond current stock.