Adafruit
Adafruit Universal Thermocouple Amplifier MAX31856 Breakout
The Adafruit Universal Thermocouple Amplifier MAX31856 Breakout reads temperature from virtually any thermocouple type — K, J, N, R, S, T, E, or B — with 0.0...
The Adafruit Universal Thermocouple Amplifier MAX31856 Breakout reads temperature from virtually any thermocouple type — K, J, N, R, S, T, E, or B — with 0.0078125°C resolution and a measurement range of -210°C to +1800°C. It handles cold-junction compensation, linearisation, and fault detection all on-chip.
Communicating over 4-wire SPI, this breakout works with any microcontroller — no analog input required. It includes a 3.3V regulator and level-shifting circuitry for 3.3–5V compatibility, inline filter resistors, and a decoupling capacitor as recommended by Maxim for stable readings.
Key Features
- Universal Thermocouple Support – Works with K, J, N, R, S, T, E, and B type thermocouples
- Wide Temperature Range – -210°C to +1800°C with 0.0078125°C resolution
- 4-Wire SPI Interface – Requires only 4 digital I/O pins
- 3.3V to 5V Compatible – Built-in regulator and level shifting
- Cold-Junction Compensation – Internal temperature sensor for accurate readings
- Fault Detection – Alerts for out-of-range temperatures and thermocouple faults
- On-Board Filtering – Inline resistors and filter capacitor for stable operation
Ideal For
- High-temperature industrial monitoring
- Kiln, oven, and furnace temperature logging
- Multi-thermocouple-type projects
- Scientific and laboratory temperature measurement
Package Contents
- 1× Adafruit MAX31856 Breakout (fully assembled and tested)
- 1× 2-pin terminal block (for thermocouple connection — colour may vary)
- 1× Pin header strip
Resources
- Adafruit MAX31856 Tutorial – Wiring diagrams, software libraries, and example code
Jargon buster
Plain-language definitions for the technical terms used above.
- 3.3V regulator
- A 3.3V regulator is a power circuit that provides a steady 3.3 volts for parts that need that supply voltage. On a breakout board, it can let the sensor run safely even when the connected microcontroller or power source uses a higher voltage.
- breakout
- A breakout is a small circuit board that makes a tiny or hard-to-solder component easier to connect to with standard pins. It matters because this OLED module can be wired into a microcontroller project without needing to solder directly to the display’s fine contacts.
- Cold-junction compensation
- Cold-junction compensation corrects for the temperature at the point where a thermocouple connects to the electronics. It matters because thermocouples measure temperature differences, so this correction is needed for more accurate real-world temperature readings.
- microcontroller
- A microcontroller is a small computer on a chip that runs your program and controls connected inputs and outputs. For this product, it is the part that reads buttons and sensors, drives the display and speaker, and communicates over Bluetooth.
- SPI
- A fast serial communication bus often used for displays, memory cards, and sensors. It matters because SPI devices need specific pins for clock and data, plus a separate chip-select line for each device.
- Terminal block
- A connector used to join wires together in a neat, removable, or serviceable way. For this product, it helps split one power input into several outputs without soldering.
- Thermocouple
- A temperature sensor made from two different metals that produces a very small voltage depending on temperature. Because the signal is tiny, it usually needs careful amplification and accurate measurement hardware.
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