# MAX31855 Thermocouple Sensor Python Library ## Overview Danger: ![](https://cdn-learn.adafruit.com/assets/assets/000/019/777/medium800/temperature_MAX31855.jpg?1411086187) Do you need fast and accurate temperature measurements over a wide range of values in a project?  Consider using a thermocouple and the [MAX31855 thermocouple amplifier](https://www.adafruit.com/products/269)!  A thermocouple uses the Seebeck effect to turn differences in temperature into very small voltages which the MAX31855 can read and make available over an SPI connection.  Using the [MAX31855 Python library](https://github.com/adafruit/Adafruit_Python_MAX31855) you can add a thermocouple temperature sensor to your Raspberry Pi or BeagleBone Black project! Before you get started make sure your Raspberry Pi is running the latest [Raspbian](http://www.raspberrypi.org/downloads/) or [Occidentalis](../../../adafruit-raspberry-pi-educational-linux-distro/occidentalis-v0-dot-2) operating system, and your BeagleBone Black is running the latest [official Debian operating system](http://beagleboard.org/latest-images).  It will also help to familiarize yourself with [the thermocouple guide](../../../thermocouple/overview). - [Next Page](https://learn.adafruit.com/max31855-thermocouple-python-library/hardware.md) ## Featured Products ### Thermocouple Amplifier MAX31855 breakout board (MAX6675 upgrade) [Thermocouple Amplifier MAX31855 breakout board (MAX6675 upgrade)](https://www.adafruit.com/product/269) Thermocouples are very sensitive, requiring a good amplifier with a cold-compensation reference. The MAX31855K does everything for you, and can be easily interfaced with any microcontroller, even one without an analog input. This breakout board has the chip itself, a 3.3V regulator with 10uF... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/269) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/269/guides) ### Thermocouple Type-K Glass Braid Insulated [Thermocouple Type-K Glass Braid Insulated](https://www.adafruit.com/product/270) Thermocouples are best used for measuring temperatures that can go above 100 °C. This is a bare wires bead-probe which can measure air or surface temperatures. Most inexpensive thermocouples have a vinyl covering which can melt at around 200 °C, this one uses a fiberglass braid so it... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/270) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/270/guides) ### Raspberry Pi Model B+ 512MB RAM [Raspberry Pi Model B+ 512MB RAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1914) OMG OMG OMG, did you hear? There's a Raspberry Pi called the Model B+ and check it out...more USB ports, more GPIO, better power supply, four mounting holes, less sticky-out SD card! Yep, that's right, the fantastic engineers at Raspberry Pi HQ have blessed us with a new design.... In Stock [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1914) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1914/guides) ### Raspberry Pi Model B 512MB RAM [Raspberry Pi Model B 512MB RAM](https://www.adafruit.com/product/998) Adafruit ships the **Raspberry Pi Model B 512MB RAM** as of 10/18/2012. The Raspberry Pi® is a single-board computer developed in the UK by the Raspberry Pi Foundation with the intention of stimulating the teaching of basic computer science in schools. The Raspberry... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/998) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/998/guides) ### BeagleBone Black Rev C - 4GB Flash - Pre-installed Debian [BeagleBone Black Rev C - 4GB Flash - Pre-installed Debian](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1876) Note: As of May 12, 2014 Adafruit is shipping Rev C. We have discontinued selling Rev B. There are no exchanges or "upgrades" for Rev B to Rev C. If you liked the BeagleBone Black Rev B, you will love the Rev C! The Rev C still has a blistering 1GHz processor and 512MB... No Longer Stocked [Buy Now](https://www.adafruit.com/product/1876) [Related Guides to the Product](https://learn.adafruit.com/products/1876/guides) ## Related Guides - [ Analog IC Insights On-the-Go by Maxim Integrated](https://learn.adafruit.com/maxim-app.md) - [Adding a Single Board Computer to Blinka](https://learn.adafruit.com/adding-a-single-board-computer-to-blinka.md) - [Google Docs Sensor Logging From Your PC](https://learn.adafruit.com/gdocs-sensor-logging-from-your-pc.md) - [MAX31855 Thermocouple](https://learn.adafruit.com/thermocouple.md) - [Adafruit FT232H With SPI & I2C Devices](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-ft232h-with-spi-and-i2c-libraries.md) - [CircuitPython I2C and SPI Under the Hood](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-basics-i2c-and-spi.md) - [Calibrating Sensors](https://learn.adafruit.com/calibrating-sensors.md) - [Connecting the MAX31855 Thermocouple Amplifier breakout to an Electric Imp](https://learn.adafruit.com/connecting-the-max31855-thermocouple-amplifier-breakout-to-an-electric-imp.md) - [CircuitPython Libraries on Linux and the 96Boards DragonBoard 410c](https://learn.adafruit.com/circuitpython-libraries-on-linux-and-the-96boards-dragonboard-410c.md) - [Adafruit 1-Wire Thermocouple Amplifier - MAX31850K](https://learn.adafruit.com/adafruit-1-wire-thermocouple-amplifier-max31850k.md) - [MicroPython Hardware: SPI Devices](https://learn.adafruit.com/micropython-hardware-spi-devices.md) - [PiGRRL - Raspberry Pi Gameboy](https://learn.adafruit.com/pigrrl-raspberry-pi-gameboy.md) - [Bonjour (Zeroconf) Networking for Windows and Linux](https://learn.adafruit.com/bonjour-zeroconf-networking-for-windows-and-linux.md) - [Using the BMP085/180 with Raspberry Pi or Beaglebone Black](https://learn.adafruit.com/using-the-bmp085-with-raspberry-pi.md) - [Trellis Python Library](https://learn.adafruit.com/trellis-python-library.md)