EN 50212:2020

Connectors for thermoelectric sensors

The object of this document is to determine the composition, nature of materials, manufacturing tests and thermoelectronic behaviour of connectors for sensors using thermocouples according to EN 60584 3:2008. This document does not cover such special thermocouples as U, L and W types; nevertheless, the user of such special thermocouples can use the connectors described hereafter with some restrictions mentioned in the relevant paragraphs.

Steckverbindungen für Thermoelemente

Connecteurs pour capteurs thermoélectriques

L’objet du présent document est de déterminer la composition, la nature des matériaux, les essais de fabrication et le comportement thermoélectronique des connecteurs pour les capteurs qui utilisent des couples thermoélectriques conformes à l’EN 60584-3:2008. Le présent document ne couvre pas les couples thermoélectriques spéciaux tels que ceux des types U, L et W; néanmoins, l’utilisateur de tels couples thermoélectriques spéciaux peut utiliser les connecteurs décrits ci-après avec certaines restrictions mentionnées dans les alinéas appropriés.

Priključki za termoelektrične senzorje

General Information

• Status: Published
• Publication Date: 30-Apr-2020
• ICS: 93.120 - Construction of airports
• Technical Committee: CLC/TC 65X - Industrial-process measurement, control and automation
• Drafting Committee: CLC/TC 65X - Industrial-process measurement, control and automation
• Current Stage: 9093 - Decision to confirm - Review Enquiry
• Start Date: 20-Nov-2024
• Completion Date: 23-Sep-2025
• Ref Project: SIST EN 50212:2020 - Connectors for thermoelectric sensors

Relations

• Replaces: EN 50212:1996 - Connectors for thermoelectric sensors
• Effective Date: 07-Jun-2022

Overview

EN 50212:2020 - Connectors for thermoelectric sensors is a CENELEC standard that specifies the materials, dimensional, electrical and physical requirements and test methods for connectors used with thermocouples (per IEC/EN 60584 series). It defines two principal connector families (A type - cylindrical pins, B type - flat pins), marking and polarity conventions, connector performance tests and restrictions for special thermocouple types. This edition supersedes earlier versions and was approved by CENELEC in 2020.

Key topics and technical requirements

• Connector types and dimensions
  • A type: cylindrical pins/sockets (2- and 3-pin options with standardized dimensions).
  • B type: flat pins/sockets (2- and 3-pin options; 3-pin B type has interoperability rules to prevent incorrect insertion).
• Material requirements
  • Metal parts (pin/socket) must match thermocouple wiring materials. Examples from the standard:
    • Type T: + copper / − copper nickel
    • Type K: + nickel-chromium / − nickel alloy
    • Type N: + nickel-chromium-silicon / − nickel-silicon
  • U, L and W special thermocouples are excluded; U and L may use T or J connectors only if housing temperature < 100 °C.
• Marking and polarity
  • Permanent colour marking required; at minimum the positive polarity must be indicated.
  • Colour codes: T brown, J black, E violet, K green, S/R orange, B grey, N pink.
• Electrical performance and testing
  • Insertion error measured with a 40 K temperature gradient (Q2 − Q1 = 40 K ±2 K; Q1 between 0 °C and 100 °C) using a millivoltmeter per IEC 60584.
  • Contact quality stability: must remain within insertion-error limits after 250 plug-in / 250 plug-out cycles.
  • Insulation resistance: ≥ 10 MΩ measured with 100 V DC at maximum housing temperature specified by the manufacturer. Applies between pins/sockets and between thermocouple conductors and an aluminium foil wrap (earth exceptions allowed).
  • Earth continuity: maintained after 250 plug cycles.
• Physical characteristics
  • Housing material and maximum temperature specified by manufacturer; Brinell hardness must prevent faulty insertion or polarity inversion.
  • Plug-in / plug-out forces: A type 2-pin min 10 N - max 60 N, A type 3-pin max 70 N; B type 2/3-pin min 10 N - max 40 N.

Applications and who uses it

• Designers and manufacturers of thermocouple connectors, probe assemblies and extension leads.
• Test laboratories and quality assurance teams performing connector type testing, insertion-error and insulation tests.
• System integrators, instrumentation engineers and procurement specialists specifying connectors for industrial temperature measurement, process control, calibration rigs and field sensor installations.
• Compliance officers ensuring interoperability and safety in thermoelectric sensor interfaces.

Related standards

• Normative reference: IEC/EN 60584 series (Thermocouples - temperature/millivolt relations, extension and compensating cables).
• Administrative: CENELEC / CLC/TC 65X publications and national adoptions of EN 50212:2020.

Keywords: EN 50212:2020, connectors for thermoelectric sensors, thermocouple connectors, thermoelectric behavior, insertion error, insulation resistance, contact stability, temperature sensors.

Standards Content (Sample)

SLOVENSKI STANDARD
01-julij-2020
Nadomešča:
SIST EN 50212:2001
Priključki za termoelektrične senzorje
Connectors for thermoelectric sensors
Steckverbindungen für Thermoelemente
Connecteurs pour capteurs thermoélectriques
Ta slovenski standard je istoveten z: EN 50212:2020
ICS:
17.200.20 Instrumenti za merjenje Temperature-measuring
temperature instruments
2003-01.Slovenski inštitut za standardizacijo. Razmnoževanje celote ali delov tega standarda ni dovoljeno.

EUROPEAN STANDARD EN 50212
NORME EUROPÉENNE
EUROPÄISCHE NORM
May 2020
ICS 93.120 Supersedes EN 50212:1996 and all of its amendments
and corrigenda (if any)
English Version
Connectors for thermoelectric sensors
Connecteurs pour capteurs thermoélectriques Steckverbindungen für Thermoelemente
This European Standard was approved by CENELEC on 2020-03-09. CENELEC members are bound to comply with the CEN/CENELEC
Internal Regulations which stipulate the conditions for giving this European Standard the status of a national standard without any alteration.
Up-to-date lists and bibliographical references concerning such national standards may be obtained on application to the CEN-CENELEC
Management Centre or to any CENELEC member.
This European Standard exists in three official versions (English, French, German). A version in any other language made by translation
under the responsibility of a CENELEC member into its own language and notified to the CEN-CENELEC Management Centre has the
same status as the official versions.
CENELEC members are the national electrotechnical committees of Austria, Belgium, Bulgaria, Croatia, Cyprus, the Czech Republic,
Denmark, Estonia, Finland, France, Germany, Greece, Hungary, Iceland, Ireland, Italy, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, the
Netherlands, Norway, Poland, Portugal, Republic of North Macedonia, Romania, Serbia, Slovakia, Slovenia, Spain, Sweden, Switzerland,
Turkey and the United Kingdom.

European Committee for Electrotechnical Standardization
Comité Européen de Normalisation Electrotechnique
Europäisches Komitee für Elektrotechnische Normung
CEN-CENELEC Management Centre: Rue de la Science 23, B-1040 Brussels
© 2020 CENELEC All rights of exploitation in any form and by any means reserved worldwide for CENELEC Members.
Ref. No. EN 50212:2020 E
Contents Page
European foreword . 3
1 Scope . 4
2 Normative References . 4
3 Terms and definitions . 4
4 General . 4
4.1 Connector types . 4
4.1.1 Connectors with specified dimensional characteristics . 4
4.1.2 Other connectors . 4
4.2 Marking for identification and polarities . 4
5 Electrical characteristics . 5
5.1 Maximum allowable error when a temperature gradient is present . 5
5.2 Contact quality stability test. 6
5.3 Insulation resistance . 6
5.4 Earth connection continuity . 7
6 Dimensional characteristics . 7
7 Physical characteristics. 11
7.1 Housing . 11
7.2 Metal parts (pin, socket contact) connected to the cables to be linked together. 12
7.3 Connections . 12
Bibliography . 13
IEC 60584.s
Figure 1 — Test set up for insertion error verification . 6
Figure 2 — A type connector with 2 pins . 8
Figure 3 — A type connector with 3 pins . 9
Figure 4 — B type connector with 2 pins . 10
Figure 5 — B type connector with 3 pins . 11
Tables
Table 1 — Marking of thermocouple types . 5
Table 2 — Materials of thermocouple types . 12
European foreword
This document (EN 50212:2020) has been prepared by CLC/TC 65X “Industrial-process measurement,
control and automation”.
The following dates are fixed:
• latest date by which this document has (dop) 2021-03-09
to be implemented at national level by
publication of an identical national
standard or by endorsement
• latest date by which the national (dow) 2023-03-09
standards conflicting with this document
have to be withdrawn
This document supersedes EN 50212:1996 and all of its amendments and corrigenda (if any).
Attention is drawn to the possibility that some of the elements of this document may be the subject of patent
rights. CENELEC shall not be held responsible for identifying any or all such patent rights.
1 Scope
The object of this document is to determine the composition, nature of materials, manufacturing tests and
thermoelectronic behaviour of connectors for sensors using thermocouples according to EN 60584-3:2008.
This document does not cover such special thermocouples as U, L and W types; nevertheless, the user of
such special thermocouples can use the connectors described hereafter with some restrictions mentioned in
the relevant paragraphs.
2 Normative References
The following documents are referred to in the text in such a way that some or all of their content constitutes
requirements of this document. For dated references, only the edition cited applies. For undated references,
the latest edition of the referenced document (including any amendments) applies.
IEC 60584 (series), Thermocouples
3 Terms and definitions
No terms and definitions are listed in this document.
ISO and IEC maintain terminological databases for use in standardization at the following addresses:
— IEC Electropedia: available at http://www.electropedia.org/
— ISO Online browsing platform: available at http://www.iso.org/obp
4 General
4.1 Connector types
4.1.1 Connectors with specified dimensional characteristics
They are defined in this standard by their dimensional, physical, electrical and chemical characteristics.
The types retained in this standard are:
— A type: connectors with cylindrical pins and cylindrical sockets;
— B type: connec
...