Pt100 - Temperature Sensors

-Relation between temperature and resistance-

About the site

This is a private information page about electrical temperature measurement with resistance thermometers (e.g. Pt100, Pt500, Pt1000). My experiences of many years in the field of measurement and control technology are recorded. I do not take over any liability for incorrect information and would be pleased about further suggestions and requests for additions.
Please also visit my information page about variable area flowmeters: https://schwebekörper.de/en

Suppliers of Pt100

Links to selected manufacturers and suppliers of Temperature Sensors.

Resistance of Pt100 temperature sensors

The name Pt100 is composed of the chemical symbol for platinum (Pt) and the resistance value of 100 ohms specified at 0°C.
The Pt100 sensor is based on the principle that the electrical resistance of an electrical conductor changes with a change in changes in temperature.
So actually almost all electrically conductive materials can be used.
For practical use in temperature measurement, however, they must meet certain conditions.
  • Long-term stability / low aging
  • Chemical resistance
  • Usable large resistance change
  • Linear change in resistance over the widest possible temperature range
  • In practice, in addition to nickel (Ni100), copper (Cu10) and silicon, the use of platinum as a resistive element has mainly proved successful.
    Platinum has a high melting temperature and high chemical resistance, which allows precise measurements, with high stability and accuracy, even under adverse conditions.
    Like all metals, the Pt100 sensor has a temperature-dependent resistance that increases with rising temperature. (PTC = Positive Temperature Coefficient). A useful change in resistance already occurs at low temperatures.

    In addition to metal temperature sensors, sensors made of a wide variety of metal oxides are also used in mass applications. These often provide a usable change in resistance only at higher temperatures.
    The resistance decreases when the temperature increases (NTC = Negative Temperature Coefficient).
    The advantage of these sensors is the low-cost production and the small design with high response sensitivity.
    On the other hand, the lower accuracy, the restricted measuring span, sensor-specific resistance values and a non-linear change in resistance, which make an adaptation of the downstream evaluation electronics necessary.

    Resistance values according to DIN EN 60751

    Calculating of the Pt100 resistance value

    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.

    °C
    Ohm

    Calculation formulas for Pt100 resistor

    The resistance of the Pt100 sensor is calculated according to DIN EN 60751 using the following 2 formulas:

    Rt=Resistance at desired temperature
    R0=Nominal resistance Pt100 at 0°C = 100 Ohm
    A= 3,9083 * 10-3
    B= -5,775 * 10-7
    C= -4,183 * 10-12

    Show resistance table

    [ -200...+39 °C ] [ +40..+289 °C ] [ +290..+539 °C ] [ +540..+850 °C ]

    Download resistance table and diagram

    acrobat.gif Download resistance table Pt100 / °C
    acrobat.gif Download resistance table Pt100 / °F
    acrobat.gifDownload Celsius resistance diagram Pt100