Resistor Color Codes

An electronic color code is used in most electronic components including the resistors. Most of the axial lead resistors are marked with the color rings, which gives the value of the resistor. The rings are printed on the body of the resistor and there will be 3 to 6 rings in total. The resistor color code gives the exact value of the resistor and its tolerance. The nearest ring to the end is taken as the first ring. The resistor value rings for the 1st digit, 2nd digit, and 3rd digit will be adjacent to each other. The resistor is held with the first ring to the left and then the color code is read from the left to the right. Reading the resistor is easier with the 5% and 10% tolerance resistor as it is at the opposite end of the first resistor ring, which is marked as silver or gold.

Photo credit: michaels-electronics-lessons.com 

For a 4-band resistor, the first ring indicates the first figure of the value in ohms. The second ring indicates the second figure of the value in ohms. The third ring indicates the multiplier which is the number of zeroes that will come on the right side of the value. The fourth ring indicates the tolerance of the resistance, which is expressed in percentage. If there is only 3 rings and no fourth ring, it indicates that the tolerance is 20% for that resistor.

For a 6-band resistor, the first ring indicates the first figure of  the value in ohms. The second ring indicates the second figure of the value in ohms. The third ring indicates third significant digit of the value in ohms. The fourth ring will be taken as the multiplier. The fifth ring indicates the tolerance of the resistance. The sixth ring indicates the temperature coefficient of the resistor.

 Photo credit: hobby-hour.com

Resistance Value of The Resistor

The first 2 bands indicate the value of the resistor in a 4 band resistor. The first 3 bands indicate the value of the resistor in a 6 band resistor.

Black – 0

Brown – 1

Red – 2

Orange – 3

Yellow – 4

Green – 5

Blue – 6

Violet – 7

Grey – 8

White – 9

Multiplier Value of The Resistor

The third band indicates the multiplier value in a 4 band resistor. The fourth band indicate the multiplier value in a 6 band resistor.

Black – x1

Brown – x10

Red – x100

Orange – x1K

Yellow – x10K

Green – x100K

Blue – x1M

Violet – x10M

Grey – x100M

White – x1G

Gold – .1

Silver – .01

Tolerance of The Resistor

The fourth band indicates the tolerance of the resistor in a 4 band resistor. The fifth band indicate the tolerance of the resistor in a 6 band resistor.

Brown – 1%

Red – 2%

Orange – 3%

Yellow – 4%

Green – .5%

Blue – .25%

Violet – .1%

Gray – .05%

Gold – 5%

Silver – 10%

No color - 20%

Temperature Coefficient of The Resistor

Resistor values change with the change in temperature. The sixth band in a 6-band resistor is a temperature coefficient or tempco of the resistor, which represents the amount of resistance value that will change with temperature. It is measured in ppm/degree C. The sixth band represents the following.

Brown – 100 ppm/degreeC

Red – 50 ppm/degreeC

Orange – 15 ppm/degreeC

Yellow – 25 ppm/degreeC

Blue – 10 ppm/degreeC

Violet – 5 ppm/degreeC