# International Thermocouple Color Codes

> Quick reference for positive (+) leg, negative (−) leg and outer sheath colour coding per IEC, ANSI, DIN, JIS and BS standards.


> IEC and ANSI colour codes are not interchangeable; verify the instrument.

| Type | **IEC 60584-3** | **ANSI MC96.1** | DIN 43714 | JIS C 1602 | BS 1843 |
| --- | --- | --- | --- | --- | --- |
| K | Green / White | Yellow / Red | Red / Green | Red / White (blue sheath) | Red / Brown |
| N | Pink / White | Orange / Red | Red / Grey | — | Orange / White |
| J | Black / White | White / Red | Blue / Red | Yellow / White (yellow sheath) | Black / Blue |
| T | Brown / White | Blue / Red | Brown / Red | Brown / White (brown sheath) | White / Blue |
| E | Purple / White | Purple / Red | Black / Red | Purple / White (purple sheath) | Brown / White |

## Wiring check

1. Read the standard the **instrument** expects — not the one printed on the cable being replaced.
2. Match the conductor colour to that standard before terminating anything.
3. On bare wire with no insulation, confirm polarity with a magnet: **Alumel** is magnetic, **Chromel** is not.
4. Where the two ends of a run were supplied to different standards, re-terminate rather than adapt.

## Important notes

The colour code applies to the **insulation of each individual conductor** and the **outer sheath** of the cable. For bare wire without insulation, there is no colour code — the positive and negative legs are distinguished by their **magnetic properties** (**Alumel** is magnetic, **Chromel** is not) or by surface appearance.

IEC and ANSI colour codes are **not interchangeable**. A Type K thermocouple wired to ANSI colours will read incorrectly if connected to an IEC-configured instrument. Always verify the standard your instrument expects before connecting.

For extension and compensating cable, the outer sheath colour follows the same standard as the positive conductor.