Introduction: Thermocouple LED

About: PLC, Arduino - Do it yourself project

These days everything is reusable and I’ve seen many ideas of reusing products, turning trash into useful items with different uses.

In industrial field, people are today generating more waste than ever before, and in some case if we throw them away, it is wasted. Let see how I can turn broken thermocouple into decorative LED.

Step 1: Bill of Material

1. Broken industrial thermocouple: You can reuse any broken thermocouple parts as picture below:

2. Local box: It's from Schneider with specification XAPM1501H29 - Metal Enclosure, 22mm, Control Station, Control, Zinc Alloy, 80 mm, 80 mm, 74.5 mm, IP65. LINK

3. 5050 RGB 300 SMD LED Strip. It is included IR 24 Key Remote Controller & Remote Control Receiver. LINK

4. Male & Female DC Power Plug Socket Jack Connector. LINK

5. Cable gland & lock nut.

6. Power supply 12VDC. LINK

Step 2: RGB LED Assembly

Normally, it has 2 holes on thermocouple transmitter and I threaded four cables through two holes then soldered them to the led strip.

Fixed them into thermocouple head and led strip is glued to thermocouple rod.

Step 3: Local Box Assembly

With this local box, it totally has 3 holes:

  • Top hole: usually it will be used for Ø 22 mm control and signaling units. We use this hole to connect thermocouple.

  • One side hole: we use cable gland 20 mm to grip the IR led.

  • The other side hole: we use cable gland 20 mm to grip female 12VDC power plug after soldering male & female power plug together.

Connect all part together & put remote control receiver into local box.

Finally, all parts fit together and look very firm.

Step 4: Finish

We can put thermocouple LED on the table or mount back side of local box on the wall.

Of course, we can control thermocouple LED by IR remote with some colors and effects.

Step 5: Test Pictures

Creative Misuse Contest

Participated in the
Creative Misuse Contest