MCP9601 Thermocouple Amplifier – I2C

MCP9601 (MCP96L01) Thermocouple Amplifier – I2C

Thermocouples are extremely sensitive and require a good amplifier with cold-junction compensation. Adafruit’s MCP9601 (MCP96L01) thermocouple amplifier handles all of this for you, allowing you to easily interface it with any microcontroller or single-board computer via I2C.

The integrated circuit handles all the analogue processing and can be used with virtually any type of thermocouple: it supports types K, J, T, N, S, E, B and R.

Furthermore, you can set various alarms for temperatures above or below set limits, and read both the thermocouple temperature (hot) and the chip temperature (cold). All this is achieved via the standard I2C interface.

This breakout board includes the chip itself, a 3.3V voltage regulator and logic level shifter circuits, all fully assembled and tested. It works perfectly with 3.3V or 5V logic. It comes with a 2-pin terminal block (for connecting the thermocouple) and a pin header (for plugging into a breadboard or perforated board).

Please note: This product does not include a thermocouple, but you can purchase one separately. The MCP9601 thermocouple amplifier is perfectly suited to the 1-metre type K thermocouple.

• Compatible with type K, J, T, N, S, E, B and R thermocouples
• Datasheet specifications:
  – Type K: from -200°C to +1372°C
  – Type J: from -150°C to +1200°C
  – Type T: from -200°C to +400°C
  – Type N: from -150°C to +1300°C
  – Type E: from -200°C to +1000°C
  – Type S: from +250°C to +1664°C
  – Type B: from +1000°C to +1800°C
  – Type R: from +250°C to +1664°C
• Resolution of ±0.0625 °C – note that this is only the ADC resolution, not the accuracy
• This thermocouple amplifier uses the MCP96L01 chip, which has a thermocouple accuracy of ±2.0°C/±4.0°C (typical/maximum), excluding the inherent inaccuracy of the thermocouples themselves; Type K thermocouples have an accuracy of approximately ±2°C to ±6°C
• Internal temperature reading (‘cold junction’)
• Power supply and logic compatible from 3.3V to 5V
• I2C data connection

As it uses I2C, it’s super easy to connect with just two wires (plus power and ground). And, to make things even simpler, Adafruit has included STEMMA QT connectors compatible with SparkFun Qwiic for the I2C bus, so you don’t even need to solder! You can use a STEMMA QT plug-and-play cable to get temperature data as quickly as possible. The QT/Qwiic cable isn’t included, but you can buy it separately. You’ll find them at the following link Stemma/Qwiic and you can choose the one that suits you best, such as the JST-SH to JST-SH cable – 10 cm.

The board is supplied fully assembled and tested, with the terminal pre-soldered. If you wish to use the breakout board on a breadboard, you will need to solder the header.

See the Adafruit MCP9601 I2C Thermocouple Amplifier Guide for code, schematics, example code and more!

Product dimensions: 25.5 x 18 x 4.6 mm / 1.0″ x 0.7″ x 0.2″

Adafruit name: MCP9601 (MCP96L01) I2C Thermocouple Amplifier [ADA5165]