Question Help me identify general 907 iron solder heating element pins polarity

[zwtch_17]

Take the example of the Hakko A1321 heating element, which has two red pins and two blue pins. What I know is that red pins are for heaters, and blue pins are for thermal sensors. and both red and blue have one short pin and one long pin. What I don't know is their polarity. Is it the same as the LED/capacitor leg? They have long and short pins to identify their polarity.

 

[kira-faye]

I mean if it's a thermocouple it's basically a variable resistor (I think?), and a heating element has no polarity, you're just dumping electricity in to it to make heat, so... Good chance nothing you're working with cares about polarity, here.

Not 100% on the sensor, so don't blow anything up listening to me, but the different length legs may have more to do with how it's originally assembled than anything.