The Pico SE018 PT100 High-Temperature Air Probe, 1 m is designed for engineers, laboratories, thermal-test teams and research applications that require reliable measurement of air temperatures beyond the operating range of standard general-purpose PT100 probes.
Pico Technology describes the SE018 as a platinum resistance thermometer probe with a tip rated to +500 °C for measuring air temperature.
Its key specifications include:
- Order Code: SE018
- Sensor Type: PT100 platinum resistance thermometer
- Probe Type: High-temperature air probe
- Accuracy Class: Class B
- Accuracy at 0 °C: ±0.3 °C
- Temperature Range: −60 °C to +500 °C
- Probe Length: 150 mm
- Probe Diameter: 4 mm
- Cable Length: 1 m coiled
- Probe Material: Stainless steel
- Cable Material: PVC
- Number of Wires: 4
- Connector: 4-pin mini-DIN
- Handle: Yes
High-Temperature Air Measurement up to +500 °C
The main advantage of the SE018 is its ability to measure air temperatures up to:
Its complete manufacturer-specified measurement range is:
This makes the SE018 suitable for applications where air temperatures exceed the +250 °C limit of Pico's SE017 fast-response Class A air probe.
Typical measurement environments can include:
- High-temperature air testing
- Laboratory heating experiments
- Thermal chambers
- Heated-air systems
- Industrial thermal testing
- Oven and furnace air monitoring
- Product thermal validation
- R&D temperature experiments
- High-temperature equipment testing
Important +500 °C Probe-Tip Rating
Pico specifically states that the probe tip is rated to +500 °C.
This distinction is important because the SE018 uses a PVC cable. The +500 °C rating should therefore not be interpreted as permission to expose the entire cable, connector or handle assembly to +500 °C.
For high-temperature measurements:
- Position the stainless-steel sensing probe in the hot air region
- Keep the PVC cable away from excessive heat
- Avoid placing the connector in the high-temperature zone
- Route the lead so that cable temperatures remain appropriate for its material
- Consider the complete installation environment, not only the sensor-tip temperature
This is especially important when the probe is used near furnaces, ovens or heated test chambers.
Class B PT100 Accuracy
The SE018 uses a Class B PT100 sensing element.
Pico specifies:
- Accuracy Class: Class B
- Accuracy at 0 °C: ±0.3 °C
Class B accuracy is suitable for many general engineering and high-temperature air-measurement applications.
For applications requiring tighter temperature accuracy at lower temperatures, a Class A probe such as the Pico SE017 may be more suitable.
Designed Specifically for Air Temperature
The SE018 is specifically intended for:
- Air-temperature measurement
It should therefore be positioned as a high-temperature air probe rather than as a general immersion or insertion sensor.
Pico provides separate sensor designs for other physical measurement methods, including:
- SE014 immersion probe
- SE015 insertion probe
- SE016 heavy-duty insertion probe
- SE011 general-purpose probe
Selecting the appropriate probe type helps ensure that the sensor construction matches the measurement environment.
150 mm Stainless-Steel Probe
The SE018 uses a stainless-steel sensing probe with dimensions of:
- Probe length: 150 mm
- Probe diameter: 4 mm
The longer 150 mm stem allows the sensing section to be positioned within a heated air stream while helping maintain separation between the hot measurement area and the cable connection.
Stainless-Steel Probe Construction
Pico specifies:
- Probe material: Stainless steel
The stainless-steel sensing stem provides the physical structure required for high-temperature air measurements within the manufacturer's stated operating range.
Using the exact material specification is more useful than broad descriptions such as “durable construction” or “industrial grade.”
1 m Coiled Cable
The SE018 includes:
- Cable length: 1 metre
- Cable configuration: Coiled
The coiled construction provides flexible positioning between the measurement point and the connected temperature logger while keeping excess cable more manageable on a test bench.
PVC Cable Construction
Pico specifies:
Because PVC is not intended for exposure to the same extreme temperature as the +500 °C sensor tip, care must be taken when routing the cable in high-temperature test environments.
The cable should be positioned outside the hottest measurement zone whenever possible.
Four-Wire PT100 Connection
The SE018 uses a:
PT100 temperature measurement is based on the electrical resistance of the platinum sensing element. Resistance in the connecting cable can add measurement error if it is not compensated.
A four-wire measurement system allows compatible instrumentation to compensate for lead resistance, improving the accuracy of the measured sensor resistance.
This makes the probe well suited to high-resolution PRT measurement equipment such as the Pico PT-104.
4-Pin Mini-DIN Connector
The SE018 is fitted with a:
This provides direct connection to compatible Pico PRT data-logging equipment.
The connector specification should remain separate from the DIN accuracy terminology used for some other PT100 sensors.
For SE018:
- Accuracy classification: Class B
- Physical connector: 4-pin mini-DIN
Integrated Handle
Pico specifies:
The handle allows the probe to be positioned more conveniently during air-temperature measurements.
This can be useful in:
- Laboratory experiments
- Heated-air testing
- Thermal chamber setup
- R&D measurements
- Equipment validation
Recommended for Pico PT-104
Pico Technology lists the SE018 as a recommended accessory for the PT-104 High-Accuracy Temperature Data Logger.
The PT-104 provides:
- Four PRT measurement channels
- PT100 and PT1000 support
- High-resolution temperature logging
- USB and Ethernet connectivity
Up to four SE018 probes can therefore be connected directly to one PT-104 for multi-point high-temperature air monitoring.
Typical PT-104 and SE018 applications include:
- Multi-point hot-air measurements
- Thermal chamber monitoring
- Heated equipment validation
- R&D testing
- Temperature profiling
- Long-duration thermal data logging
High-Temperature Laboratory Testing
The SE018 is particularly suitable where the temperature of air rather than a solid surface or liquid needs to be recorded.
Potential applications include:
- Heated air ducts
- Oven atmosphere measurements
- Thermal test chambers
- Laboratory heating systems
- Airflow experiments
- High-temperature product testing
- Electronics heat testing
- Industrial research setups
Thermal Chamber Monitoring
The probe can be used to measure air temperature at different positions within suitable thermal chambers.
Using multiple probes can help engineers examine:
- Temperature distribution
- Hot and cold zones
- Heating profiles
- Cooling profiles
- Chamber stability
- Temperature changes over time
When used with multiple PT-104 channels, this provides a practical method for multi-point thermal monitoring.
Probe Accuracy and Complete System Accuracy
The ±0.3 °C at 0 °C specification applies to the SE018 probe itself.
Complete system measurement performance can also be affected by:
- PT-104 logger accuracy
- PT100 tolerance at the measured temperature
- Air movement
- Temperature gradients
- Probe location
- Radiation from nearby hot surfaces
- Thermal conduction along the probe
- Calibration status
For demanding thermal measurements, these factors should be considered as part of the complete measurement uncertainty.
Typical Applications
The Pico SE018 is suitable for:
- High-temperature air measurement
- PT100 temperature data logging
- Laboratory oven testing
- Furnace air monitoring
- Thermal chamber testing
- Heated-air measurement
- Industrial thermal experiments
- Equipment temperature validation
- Product thermal testing
- R&D temperature measurement
- Environmental testing
- Multi-point air-temperature monitoring
- Engineering laboratories
- PT-104 data-logging systems
