General information on temperature measurement

Temperature measurement plays a crucial role in almost all areas, from industrial processes to scientific applications. Accurate temperature measurement is crucial to ensure optimal operating conditions and guarantee quality and safety.
The measurement was often based on the expansion of liquids, gases or metals when the temperature increased (see: https://www.pt100.de/EN/EN-pt100-principle.html) .
With the increasing automation of industrial processes, remote transmission of the measured values became more and more important. Electrical temperature measurement methods were therefore increasingly used.
The use of Pt100 sensors is a widely used and precise method of temperature measurement, accounting for over 90% of applications.

Pt100 – the platinum temperature sensor explained simply

Pt100 compared to Pt1000

In addition to Pt100 resistance thermometers (RTDs), Pt1000 sensors are increasingly being used.
Both are based on platinum as the measuring element, but differ in their resistance at 0 °C and thus in important properties for various applications.

Difference between Pt100 and Pt1000

• Pt100: Resistance of 100 Ω at 0 °C
• Pt1000: Resistance of 1000 Ω at 0 °C

The tenfold higher basic resistance of the Pt1000 results in a significant advantage: signal quality.

Advantages of Pt1000 over Pt100

• Lower cable influences
  With Pt100, long connection cables can significantly distort the measured value, as even small resistances have a noticeable influence. With Pt1000, the same cable resistance is much less significant in relative terms.
• Higher measurement accuracy in practice
  Due to its reduced sensitivity to cable resistance, the Pt1000 delivers more reliable measurement results – especially with 2-wire circuits.
• Cost advantage
  In many applications, Pt1000 can be used to avoid complex 3- or 4-wire circuits. This saves on material and installation costs.

Pt100 – Characteristic curve and resistance values

The characteristic curve of a Pt100 describes the relationship between temperature and electrical resistance.
It is internationally standardized and enables precise temperature calculation.
Example values:

Pt100 calculator

The resistance of the Pt 100 at different temperatures can be calculated with the following calculator.
Please enter a temperature value in °C and press the "calculate" button.
The right window then displays the resistance in ohms calculated for the Pt100 resistance sensor.

Pt100 – Resistance – Table generator

If you would like to create your own individual table of resistance values at different temperatures,
please visit our website: Create resistance table

Download tables of the Pt100 resistance at different temperatures

History of the Pt100

In the 1920s, industry began using Pt100 sensors. Swiss physicist Willy Jentzsch developed the first Pt100 sensor in 1927, which consisted of a platinum resistive element with a Nominal resistance of 100 ohms at 0°C. This sensor was very accurate and could be used in a wide temperature range. temperature range.
In the years that followed, scientists and engineers continued to improve Pt100 sensors to increase their accuracy and reliability. In the 1950s, Pt100 sensors became widely used, especially in the chemical industry and laboratory.
In the 1960s, Pt100 sensors were also used in aerospace applications. Today, Pt100 sensors are widely used in many different industries and applications. They are used in industry to monitor and control temperature in processes, and in medicine to measure body temperature. Pt100 sensors can also be found in the automotive industry, food industry and many other fields. The continuous development of Pt100 sensors leads to more and more accurate and reliable measurements.