Can NI Modules Measure NTC Thermistors?

Updated Dec 13, 2023

Issue Details

I have an NTC thermistor, can NI modules capture this measurement?

Solution

Most NI temperature modules are designed for thermocouples or Resistance Temperature Detectors (RTDs), which typically have a linear resistance-to-temperature relationship.  The full range of RTDs is usually a few hundred ohms of resistance change across the full temperature range. Conversely, "Negative Temperature Coefficient (NTC)" refers to a type of thermistor where temperature changes result in inverse (and nonlinear) changes in resistance.  Additionally, the range of thermistors is typically much wider than the range of RTDs, often in the thousands or tens of thousands of ohms. 
 
While National Instruments does not offer any DAQ devices specifically for NTC thermistors, if the resistance range of the thermistor matches the resistance range of the RTD module, and the excitation voltage is enough for your application, then you may be able to use an NI DAQ module in resistance mode with a DAQmx custom scale to acquire NTC thermistor measurements.