What does the extension wires consist of? Is it special wire? can't I extend them myself? and what a good price to pay for one. They want $59.55 for the stewart warner thermocoupler from midwest wheel inc and then they got $15.00 shipping on top of that because its special order! anybody have an extension wire they aint using?

 

I don't understand what you are trying to buy, is that a whole EGT probe or just an extension? For $59 it aught to be the whole thermocouple. I don't believe the wire is anything special but it typically has a stainless braid on it to help keep the heat off of the wires. The one on my car is a K-type, it is a very fast one too. I got it from www.teamrip.com , they sell the wire there too. Just beware there are different types of probes.

 

I want to buy the probe, but the website says it needs an extension wires,! NO PIX! I wish it was just the probe and enough wire to get to the gauge, but it does not sound like it!

 

Doodah, for better accuracy you ought to have type-K thermocouple extension wire. The probe usually has a short length of lugged, type-K thermcouple wire with a nice metal braid over high temp insulation for heat resistance.
Once you get away from the immediate T-couple, you don't have to have high temp extension wire. Just plastic covered type-K wire for the run up to the gauge is fine.
They don't usually make up TC probes with long wire leads as standard, as almost every installation is different and you usually don't need high temp wire all the way back to your dash thereby reducing the cost.
I would recommend talking to your vendor again and see if he has a type-"K" extension wire kit (for pickup trucks) with the matching ring-tongue lugs already crimped onto one end, as it makes a neat installation underhood.
If they are still talking "special order", find another gauge vendor!
Most reputable gauge vendors understand the need for an extension for the thermocouple wiring circuit.
After all, there are even extra long kits made for applications like diesel "pusher" type motor homes.

But, to take care of that eventual underhood splice, I had a partial roll of 1/2" silicone/fiberglass sparkplug wire sleeving I got from NAPA. I slipped an 18" length over the thermocouple wire lug connections to protect and hide them. High temp stuff and looks nice too!

Keith

 

Keith, when you solder T/C wires at anyplace other than the manifold (reference junction), are you not creating a secondary reference junction? Will this not introduce error?? Any small amout of error will show up as big error on the guage...

 

Not unless those oddball "junctions" run pretty hot.. Even still, the error won't be really noticeable on an analog pyrometer gauge like we typically use.
For what we use TC's for on our manifolds, we can get by with murder.
The problem comes in when these extra connections using odd metals (solder, copper, tin etc)run hot also... They add to or subtract from the true reading depending how hot they run. If ya stay with type K leads throughout, the wiring connections can run run REALLY hot and the manifold EGT reading will still indicate correctly.

K.

 

Ok....sounds pretty loose in terms of measurement - Ill take your word for it.

doodah, you should be able to get the wextension wire from http://www.omega.com/

 

That is a good site, thanks evil, sotexasrattler- that site you gave me, is that K-series thermocoupler have an end on it to splice wire into it? I might go that route, Why don't they make these thermocouplers with long enough wire that you can cut off extra that you DON'T need, Instead of haveing to add on wire that you DO need?!!!!

 

Huh...every Pyro gauge i have installed i have had a surplus of wire i had to coil up. Weird....

 

Same here Mudinford, last time I installed one I had a couple extra feet.

 

Call me a perfectionist, but I wouldn't splice a T/C wire on my truck. When you are dealing with millivolt ranges, your percent error will creep up on you. If you have to splice, order the extension with pre-crimped rings (as mentioned before) on both ends. Bolt them together and seal them from the elements with heat shrink.

My 2 cents.

 

Thats kinda what i was getting at...

 

That's what I did on my rig... Bolted, factory crimped lugged connections, sealed from the elements.
I coulda' made up an extension using scrap K wire I had access to but I didn't want to deal with the hassle of "iffy" connections (especially after I didn't break a tap off in the manifold!).
They sold me the pre-lugged K thermocouple extension wire kit that was just right for the installation.
I did check the scale calibration on my new style DiPricol pyrometer using calibrated instruments from work. Exactly on the money!

K.

 

They sold me the pre-lugged K thermocouple extension wire kit that was just right for the installation -sotexrattler, what did the extension wire run for price? I have found a type K thermocoupler and it needs the extension wire, but I am wondering how much they cost and the best place to get them. will the wire work on any type K? I got a lead on a thermocoupler thats a type K with a 5 stamped on it for $9.00 guy doesn't need, its actually for a isspro guage, its a isspro 650 probe type k.

 

ah, some info to work with....

Get yourself the extension wire from here:

http://www.isspro.com/proddetail.php?prod=R660-10

Problem solved....