Temperature calibration from -30 °C to +140 °C
UKAS-accredited calibration for resistance thermometers, thermocouples, digital thermometers, probes and data loggers, carried out in Lymington by Labcal, the Gill Group's calibration laboratory.
What is temperature calibration?
Temperature calibration places a sensor in a stable, known temperature and compares its reading with a traceable reference thermometer. The certificate states the error and the measurement uncertainty at each calibrated point, so a probe, logger or indicator can be relied on for quality records, storage monitoring or process control.
Labcal calibrates sensors in dry blocks and fluid baths using reference meter methods, and calibrates temperature probes in air in an environmental chamber. Temperature indicators and simulators can also be calibrated electrically, by simulating thermocouple and resistance thermometer signals across much wider ranges.
Sensors, indicators and loggers on one schedule
Sensor calibration runs from -30 °C to +140 °C in baths and blocks. Electrical calibration of indicators extends far beyond that, which suits instruments that read thermocouples at furnace or process temperatures.
| Instrument or quantity | Range | Expanded uncertainty (k=2) |
|---|---|---|
| Resistance thermometers, in block or bath | -30 to +140 °C | 0.10 °C |
| Base metal thermocouples, in block or bath | -30 to +140 °C | 0.25 °C |
| Indicators with resistance thermometer probes | -30 to +70 °C | 0.10 °C |
| Indicators with resistance thermometer probes | 70 to 140 °C | 0.15 °C |
| Indicators with base metal thermocouple probes | -30 to +140 °C | 0.25 °C |
| Temperature probes in air, environmental chamber | -5 to 10 °C | 0.22 °C |
| Temperature probes in air, environmental chamber | 10 to 60 °C | 0.15 °C |
| Electrical: base metal thermocouple types T, N, K and J | -200 °C to the type limit, up to +1,372 °C | 0.50 °C |
| Electrical: noble metal thermocouple types S and R | 0 to 1,760 °C | 0.90 °C |
| Electrical: PRT simulation, Pt50 to Pt1000 | -200 to 850 °C | 0.16 to 0.36 °C by range |
Ranges and best measurement capability from the UKAS schedule of accreditation for laboratory 0625, issue 055, 18 August 2026. Q[a, b] means the two terms are combined in quadrature. The uncertainty on your certificate depends on the instrument under test.
Every point in the chain from sensor to display
Resistance thermometers
PRTs and RTDs, calibrated on their own or with the indicator they are read through.
Thermocouples
Base metal thermocouples in blocks and baths, and thermocouple indicators electrically across their full type range.
Digital thermometers
Handheld and bench thermometers, with fixed or interchangeable probes.
Temperature data loggers
Loggers used for cold chain, storage, transport and environmental monitoring.
Transmitters, indicators and controllers
Instruments that convert or display a temperature, including electrical calibration with simulated inputs.
Probes in air
Air temperature probes calibrated in an environmental chamber from -5 °C to 60 °C.
Typical makes include Digitron, Fluke, Omega, RS, RS PRO, Testo, TSI and WIKA.
From your bench to a certificate and back
Tell us what needs calibrating
Use the form on this page with the instrument, the quantity and the points you need. If you are moving from another laboratory, your current certificate is enough for a like-for-like quote, usually within 24 hours.
Send it to Lymington
Instruments come to the Labcal laboratory at Ampress Park, Lymington. Calibration is laboratory based rather than on site. Courier collection can be arranged for regular and high-volume customers.
Calibration against traceable references
Turnaround averages 8 working days from the day the instrument arrives, with a 3-day fast track available by arrangement. Where an instrument can be adjusted, it is recorded as found, adjusted and recorded again as left.
Certificate and return
A UKAS certificate states the measured values, the expanded uncertainty at k=2 and the traceability to national standards, with as-found and as-left results where adjustment was made.
Request a quote
Tell us what needs calibrating
The instrument, how many and the points you need are enough to start. If you are switching laboratory, mention it and we will ask for your current certificate so the quote matches it like for like.
UKAS accredited. Labcal, laboratory 0625, ISO/IEC 17025:2017.
We aim to respond in one working day. Turnaround averages 8 working days from arrival, with a 3-day fast track by arrangement.
Switching laboratory? Send your current certificate for a like-for-like quote.
Frequently asked questions
Labcal's UKAS accreditation covers temperature sensors from -30 °C to +140 °C in blocks and baths, and temperature probes in air from -5 °C to 60 °C. Electrical calibration of temperature indicators and simulators extends from -200 °C up to 1,760 °C, depending on the thermocouple type or resistance thermometer being simulated.
Electrical calibration of a temperature indicator checks the instrument by feeding it a simulated thermocouple or resistance thermometer signal rather than placing a probe in heat. It verifies the indicator, including reference junction compensation for thermocouples, across temperatures that would be impractical to generate in a bath.
Calibrating a probe and indicator together gives the error of the system as it is used, which is usually what matters for a reading on a process or in a store. Calibrating them separately is useful where probes are swapped between indicators. Labcal's schedule covers both arrangements.
The calibration interval for a temperature instrument depends on how critical the measurement is, regulatory requirements and how the instrument has performed at previous calibrations. Annual calibration is common for critical instruments, but shorter or longer intervals may suit the application and should be set by your quality system.
ISO 9001:2015 clause 7.1.5 requires measuring equipment to be suitable for its purpose and, where measurement traceability is required, calibrated against standards traceable to national or international standards. UKAS-accredited calibration is a common way to demonstrate this, although other justified routes can be acceptable.
Talk to an engineer
Tell us what you need to measure, where and under what conditions. We’ll help you work out the appropriate approach.