M-THERMO3 16
16 thermocouple measuring inputs
New
Temperature measurement at its best
The M-THERMO3 16 is a 16-channel thermocouple measurement module designed for precise temperature measurement in mobile measurement applications. Each channel can be freely assigned to one of the following types: K, B, C, E, J, N, R, S, or T. This makes the module a versatile component for thermocouple measurement systems and data logger applications in vehicle testing and thermal management. Even with a large number of measurement points, a high-resolution 24-bit analog-to-digital converter and cold-junction compensation per channel ensure precise, stable temperature measurement. The module is ultra-compact and rugged (IP67, −40 °C to +125 °C) and is integrated into the measurement chain via the magnetic module connection; the measurement data is output via CAN FD and configured and evaluated in IPEmotion.
The M-THERMO3 16 at a Glance
| Product Type | M3 Series Temperature Measurement Module |
|---|---|
| Measured Variable | Temperature via thermocouples |
| Channels | 16, freely configurable per channel |
| Thermocouple Types | K, B, C, E, J, N, R, S, T (9 types) |
| A/D Converter | 24-bit (sigma-delta) |
| Sampling Rate | 1 to 200 Hz per channel, 3,200 Hz total |
| Cold-Junction Compensation | Per channel (one sensor per connector) |
| Interface | CAN FD (125 kbit/s to 5 Mbit/s) |
| Galvanic Isolation | Channel, CAN, power supply, housing |
| Diagnostics | Channel status LED per input; sensor break and undervoltage detection in IPEmotion |
| Software | IPEmotion (PC / RT) |
| Protection / Temperature | IP67, −40 °C to +125 °C |
| Dimensions | 165 × 33 × 58 mm |
Applications of the M-THERMO3 16
The M-THERMO3 16 is used in applications involving thermal management, thermal testing, and temperature validation of components and assemblies. Typical areas of application range from vehicle development to powertrain and engine testing.
Typical measurement tasks:
- Cooling and air conditioning: Inlet and outlet temperatures at water, oil, and air coolers, as well as at air conditioning evaporators; measurement grids with 16 or 20 measurement points on the inlet side of the cooler, as well as additional measurement points on the outlet side, are frequently used.
- Interior and Comfort: Distributed measurement points for heating, cooling, and heat distribution, with up to approximately 100 measurement points throughout the entire interior.
- Component and System Testing: Thermal characterization and validation of components and systems, such as heat exchangers, pumps, valves, or electronic assemblies. Typical tasks include the analysis of temperature profiles, temperature differences, and heat transfer along the system.
- E-mobility: Temperature measurements on battery systems, battery cells, power electronics, inverters, and electric motors, as well as on the associated cooling circuits. The focus is on thermal validation, verifying operating limits, and optimizing thermal management.
Technical Specifications
- Measurement Function: 16 thermocouple inputs, each channel freely assignable to one of nine types; 24-bit converter.
Signal Processing: Proven hardware filtering and averaging, supplemented by additional software filters (Bessel, Butterworth, Elliptic); useful for unshielded thermocouple cables near electric drives or on a test bench. - Custom Calibration Curves: In addition to the standardized types, users can store their own calibrated curves (multi-point scaling: up to eight curves, each with up to 64 data points; importable from CSV files; available in real time on the CAN bus). Channel-by-channel offset calibration allows for fine-tuning directly within the measurement system.
- Raw Value Mode (advanced): Raw Value Mode was developed for applications in which temperature calculation is performed by the user rather than by the measurement module. This allows the use of custom compensation methods and sensor-specific calibration tables to achieve the best possible measurement accuracy, particularly in high-precision measurement applications.
- Communication & Isolation: Measurement data output via CAN FD; galvanic isolation of the channel, CAN, power supply, and housing.
Status & Diagnostics: Channel status LED on each input to the A
Accuracy
The measurement accuracy of IPETRONIK temperature modules has been continuously improved over several generations of devices. The measurement error of the M-THERMO3 16 depends on both the type of thermocouple used and the measurement temperature. The corresponding gain, offset, scaling, and drift values are specified in the data sheet. The cold junction compensation is located directly in the thermocouple socket and enables precise measurement of the reference temperature. The achievable overall accuracy of the measurement chain is significantly influenced by the thermocouple used. In practice, the sensor is often the largest source of error. For applications with the highest accuracy requirements, it is therefore recommended to use thermocouples of tolerance class 1 according to IEC 60584 or specially calibrated sensors.
Role in the overall system
The M-THERMO3 16 handles the acquisition of temperature measurements within the M3 measurement chain. It enables the configuration of measurement systems with a large number of temperature channels and is particularly well-suited for applications in thermal management, component validation, and thermal testing of vehicles and powertrains. In addition, the M-SENS3 8 measures voltage, current, and frequency, while the M-CNT3 4 measures pulse and encoder signals; the optional M-GATEWAY3 consolidates the bus signals and makes the data available to third-party systems.
3D View
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Personal Consultation
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Technical data
| General channel properties | |
|---|---|
| AD converter | 24 bit (Sigma-Delta) |
| Special functions | Selectable number of averaging values (1-100) |
| Channel sampling rates | 2 / 5 / 10 / min - 1 / 2 / 5 / 10 / 20 / 50 / 100 / 200 Hz |
| Total sampling rate | 3200 Hz |
| Hardware filter (static) | accuracy ±25 %, 22 Hz 2nd order |
| Input resistance | 15 MΩ (No influence of sensor break detection) |
| Channel LED | Channel LED is flashing yellow during configuration, Channel-LED is activated for 10s after initialization in color of selected thermocouple type, Displays the color of the selected thermocouple type according to IEC/ANSI, Sensor break detection, Yes |
| Channel temperature | |
| Measurement range | Type B (Pt30Rh/Pt6Rh) 0 ... 1820 °C (32 ... 3308 °F), Type N (NiCrSi/NiSi) -270 ... 1300 °C (-454 ... 2372 °F), Type R (Pt13Rh/Pt) -50 ... 1768 °C (-58 ... 3214 °F), Type S (Pt10Rh/Pt) -50 ... 1768 °C (-58 ... 3214 °F), Type C (W5Re/W26Re) 0 ... 2320 °C (32 ... 4208 °F), Type E (NiCr/CuNi) -270 ... 1000 °C (-454 ... 1832 °F), Type J (Fe/CuNi) -210 ... 1200 °C (-346 ... 2192 °F), Type K (NiCr/NiAl) -270 ... 1372 °C (-454 ... 2502 °F), Type T (Cu/CuNi) -270 ... 400 °C (-454 ... 752 °F) |
| Measurement deviation (type K) | Offset and scaling error: typ. ± 0.11 K: max. ± 0.33 K, Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 3.35 mK/K, Gain error at 23 °C: max. ± 0.015 %., Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 1.65 mK/K, Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 10.0 ppm/K, Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 10.0 ppm/K |
| Measurement deviation (type B) | Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 10.0 mK/K, Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 0.5 ppm/K, Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 0.5 ppm/K, Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 7.0 mK/K, Gain error at 23 °C: max. ± 0.0001 %, Offset and scaling error: typ. ± 0.55 K: max. ± 1.65 K |
| Measurement deviation (type C) | Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. . ± 10.0 mK/K, Gain error at 23 °C: max. ± 0.0001 %, Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 7.0 mK/K, Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 0.5 ppm/K, Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 0.5 ppm/K, Offset and scaling error: typ. ± 0.55 K: max. ± 1.65 K |
| Measurement deviation (type E) | Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C : max. ± 9.0 ppm/K, Offset and scaling error: typ. ± 0.09 K: max. ± 0.26 K, Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 2.95 mK/K, Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 9.0 ppm/K, Gain error at 23 °C: max. ± 0.004 %, Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 1.30 mK/K |
| Measurement deviation (type J) | Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 8.0 ppm/K, Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 1.5 mK/K, Offset and scaling error: typ. ± 0.09 K: max. ± 0.28 K, Gain error at 23 °C: max. ± 0.0025 %, Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 8.0 ppm/K, Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 3.1 mK/K |
| Measurement deviation (type N) | Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 4.0 mK/K, Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 8.7 ppm/K, Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 2.0 mK/K, Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 8.7 ppm/K, Offset and scaling error: typ. ± 0.15 K: max. ± 0.45 K, Gain error at 23 °C: max. ± 0.0001 % |
| Measurement deviation (type R) | Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 0.5 ppm/K, Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 10.25 mK/K, Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 0.5 ppm/K, Gain error at Typical: ± 0.0001 % max., Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 7.0 mK/K, Offset and scaling error: typ. ±0.59 K: max. ± 1.75 K |
| Measurement deviation (type S) | Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 1.0 ppm/K, Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C : max ± 0.5 ppm/K, Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 10.25 mK/K, Gain error at Typical: ± 0.0001 % max., Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 7.25 mK/K, Offset and scaling error: typ. ± 0.57 K: max. ± 1.70 K |
| Measurement deviation (type T) | Zero drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 1.75 mK/K, Gain error at 23 °C: max. ± 0.0001 %., Offset and scaling error: typ. ± 0.11 K: max. ± 0.33 K, Zero drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 3.5 mK/K, Gain drift at -40 °C to 23 °C: max. ± 4.5 ppm/K, Gain drift at 23 °C to 125 °C: max. ± 5.0 ppm/K |
| Characteristic linearization | Numerically interpolated |
| Cold junction compensation | One cold junction per channel |
| Galvanic isolation | |
| Measurement input ↔ Module supply | ±100 V (indefinitely), ±500 V (pulse voltage) |
| Measurement input ↔ CAN | ±100 V (indefinitely), ±500 V (pulse voltage) |
| Measurement input ↔ Housing | ±100 V (indefinitely), ±500 V (pulse voltage) |
| Measurement input ↔ Measurement input | ±100 V (indefinitely), ±500 V (pulse voltage) |
| Measurement input ↔ Sensor supply | ±100 V (indefinitely), ±500 V (pulse voltage) |
| Device | |
| Inputs | 16 |
| Maximum input voltage (channel) | Operating safety ±60 V (permanent), Device safety ±60 V (permanent), additional ESD protection |
| Power supply | For On-board power supply of 12 | 24 | 48 V, 6 ... 59 VDC |
| Switching thresholds of the operating voltage | On 9 ±0.3 VDC / Off 6 ±0.3 VDC |
| Power consumption, typical | 1.2 W |
| Operating temperature range | -40 … 125 °C (-40 … 257 °F) |
| Storage temperature range | -55 … 150 °C (-67 … 302 °F) |
| IP protection class | IP 67 (ISO 20653 - 2013) |
| Relative humidity | 5 ... 95 % |
| Operating altitude (above sea level) | max. 5000m |
| Dimensions | L165 mm x W33 mm x D58 mm (L6.50 in x W1.30 in x D2.28 in) |
| Weight | 415 g (0.91 lb) |
| Configuration interface | Via CAN-FD or X-Link (tunneling) with IPEmotion PC, RT, CAN FD (ISO 11898-2-2016)) 125kBit/s to 5MBit/s 64 data bytes |
| Data rate | Software adjustable up to 5Mbit/s (ISO11898-2-2016) |
| Input sockets | Miniature TC connector (DIN IEC 584, ANSI MC 96.1) |
| Output sockets | Spring contact connector 9-pin |
| Status-LED | Yes, Display of the operating status as well as warnings in case of undervoltage or expired calibration |
| Accessories | |
| Module | IPE-HWI-M3-001 mounting plate, IPE-HWI-M3-002 mounting plate, IPE-COV-M3-001 cover cap |
| System cable | 623-508 M3-CAN/PWR cable, CAN/PWR 0B-5p., 623-503 M3-CAN/PWR cable, 623-502 M3-CAN/PWR cable, LOG term, 623-509 M3-CAN/PWR cable, X-LINK/PWR, 623-507 M3-CAN/PWR cable, banana, 623-504 M3-CAN/PWR cable, M-CAN/PWR, 623-500 M3-CAN/PWR cable, SubD9/S term, banana, 623-511 M3-CAN cable, M-CAN/noPWR M-feed, 623-506 M3-CAN cable, SUB-D/9S term, 623-510 M3-CAN/ cable, ETAS-CAN 1B-8p |
