Abstract: A method for detecting whether dissimilar metals or alloys are being welded together is disclosed. Metals or alloys are welded together and electrical leads connected to a multi-purpose potentiometer or a voltmeter contact each metal at points heat conductively remote from the weld. The arrangement performs as a thermocouple with the weld acting as the "hot junction" and the contact points remote from the weld being at substantially ambient temperature, and acting as the "cold junction." According to the thermoelectric laws, if the metals are dissimilar, a current and EMF result provided that the hot junction and the cold junction are at different temperatures. If the metals are similar, no signal is generated. The potentiometer or the voltmeter detects whether any electrical signal is present. In the same manner, an unknown metal may be positively identified by welding it to different reference metals until no signal is generated.