{"id":26342,"date":"2023-02-26T10:00:02","date_gmt":"2023-02-26T18:00:02","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/?p=26342"},"modified":"2023-04-17T09:03:18","modified_gmt":"2023-04-17T17:03:18","slug":"guide-to-resistor-color-code","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-color-code\/","title":{"rendered":"A Quick Guide to Resistor Color Code"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_82_2 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title\" style=\"cursor:inherit\">Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-color-code\/#Basics_of_Resistors_Color_Code\" >Basics of Resistors Color Code<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-color-code\/#Calculating_Resistor_Color_Code_Values\" >Calculating Resistor Color Code Values<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-color-code\/#Reading_Resistor_Color_Codes\" >Reading Resistor Color Codes<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-color-code\/#The_British_Standard_Code_BS_1852\" >The British Standard Code (BS 1852)<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-color-code\/#FAQs\" >FAQs<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-color-code\/#Conclusion\" >Conclusion<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-color-code\/#Download_PDF_for_Guide_to_Resistor_Color_Code\" >Download PDF for Guide to Resistor Color Code<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">This is a detailed guide to resistor color code. It is easy to read resistor color codes after learning what each band means and how it is calculated. In some cases, even the temperature coefficient is indicated by each band.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Linquip offers a wide range of information about resistors so that you have a complete understanding of them. More details about Linquip&#8217;s solutions for your situation can be found on our &#8220;<\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/industrial-directories\/738\/electrical\"><b>Electrical<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">&#8221; page. Now is the time to learn about the color codes of resistors so that you can make your job easier.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If you are not familiar with resistor color codes, it can be challenging to choose the right one. With Linquip, you&#8217;ll be able to find a wide range of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/equipment\/738\/electrical\"><b>Electrical Products<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">. With the Linquip Platform, you will be able to receive free quotes from a number of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/suppliers-companies?category_id=738&amp;cn=electrical\"><b>Electrical Suppliers and Companies<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is possible to purchase resistors in a wide variety of values, shapes, and physical sizes. There is a pattern of colored bands almost universally found on all leaded resistors up to one watt in order to indicate resistance, tolerance, and in some cases the temperature coefficient of the resistor. On a resistor, you will usually find three to six colored bands, but four is the most common. The first few bands denote digits in the resistance value. You will then see a multiplier band signifying the right or left movement of the decimal point. Lastly, there are bands representing tolerance and temperature coefficients.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">How can we read the color code on a resistor? Why do some resistor color codes consist of four bands and others of five bands? What about three and six-color bands? In this article, we answer all of these questions and provide you with the tools you need to quickly determine the correct resistor for all of your projects.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Basics_of_Resistors_Color_Code\"><\/span><b>Basics of Resistors Color Code<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In order to quickly and easily identify the ohmic value of a resistor, an international and universal color code scheme was established in the past. It is composed of an array of individual colored rings or bands corresponding to each digit of the resistor&#8217;s value.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Each band of the resistor color code marking is read one by one, starting from the left side, with the tolerance band closest to the right side. The color of the first band is based on the number in the digit column of the following chart, which indicates the resistance value&#8217;s first digit.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Again, matching the color of the second band to its corresponding digit of the color chart gives the second digit of the resistance value. This can be repeated for the remaining bands. Using the illustration below, read the resistor color code from left to right:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26344\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26344\" style=\"width: 638px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-26344\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-standard-resistor-colour-code-chart-1-638.webp\" alt=\"Guide to Resistor Color Code\" width=\"638\" height=\"902\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-standard-resistor-colour-code-chart-1-638.webp 638w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/the-standard-resistor-colour-code-chart-1-638-212x300.webp 212w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 638px) 100vw, 638px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26344\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Resistor color code chart (Reference: <strong>slideshare.net<\/strong>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26345\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26345\" style=\"width: 500px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-26345\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/resistor-color-table.png\" alt=\"Guide to Resistor Color Code\" width=\"500\" height=\"422\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/resistor-color-table.png 500w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/resistor-color-table-300x253.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 500px) 100vw, 500px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26345\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Resistor color code table (Reference: <strong>digikey.com<\/strong>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><b>Three- or Four-Band Resistors<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A resistance value in ohms is always represented by the first two bands. In three-band or four-band resistors, the third band specifies the multiplier. By shifting your decimal place around, this multiplier will transform your value from megaohms to milliohms, or any other value in between. The fourth color band represents tolerance. When this band is absent, the default tolerance on a three-band resistor is 20%.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><b>Five- or Six-Band Resistors<\/b><\/h3>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To indicate a third significant digit, high-precision resistors have an additional color band. In resistors with five or six color bands, the third band joins bands one and two as an additional digit. Other than that, every other color band moves to the right, with the fourth color band being the multiplier and the fifth color band indicating tolerance.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In general, a six-band resistor is a five-band resistor with another ring marking the reliability or temperature coefficient (ppm\/K). As an example, for brown, commonly seen in the sixth band, every 10\u00b0C change in temperature changes the resistance value by 0.1%.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Calculating_Resistor_Color_Code_Values\"><\/span><b>Calculating Resistor Color Code Values<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To get the correct resistor value, we need to understand how to apply the Resistor Color Code system. Typically, the left-hand colored band is closest to a connecting lead and the color-coded bands can be read as follows in order of left-to-right:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Digit, Digit, Multiplier = Color Color x 10^color (Ohms (\u03a9))<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">An example of colored markings on a resistor is as follows;<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Yellow Violet Red = 4 7 2 = 4 7 x 10^2 = 4700\u03a9<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A resistor&#8217;s percentage tolerance is determined by its fourth and fifth bands. Tolerance is the difference between a resistor&#8217;s nominal value and its variation from that value as a result of the manufacturing process, expressed as a percentage.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In general, film resistors have tolerances of 1% to 10%, whereas carbon resistors can have tolerances as high as 20%. Precision resistors are those with tolerances less than 2%, and they are more expensive than resistors with higher tolerances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are most often tolerances of 1% or 2% on five-band resistors, whereas most tolerances are 5%, 10%, or 20% on four-band resistors. To indicate the tolerance rating of a resistor, the color code is:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Brown = 1%, Red = 2%, Gold = 5%, Silver = 10 %<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">If there is no fourth tolerance band on a resistor, then a default tolerance of 20% would apply.<\/span><\/p>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Reading_Resistor_Color_Codes\"><\/span><b>Reading Resistor Color Codes<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Due to their lack of polarity, resistors can be installed in any orientation. Color code values on resistors can be determined by understanding the colored bands.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Four-band hobby resistors typically have three colors in a group. The first, second, and multiplier significant figures can be found here. There is a final band, which is the tolerance of the resistor, a margin for error. Hobbyists generally accept a tolerance of 5% (Gold).<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Only sensitive circuits, such as audio and video projects, require extra precision. There is only one band printed on the &#8220;shoulder&#8221; of the resistor, which is the tolerance band. Identify the resistor&#8217;s orientation by looking for this band.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">For an example of how to read resistor color codes, let&#8217;s look at a 220 Ohm resistor commonly used with LED lights.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26346\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26346\" style=\"width: 607px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-26346\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/220-ohm.png\" alt=\"Guide to Resistor Color Code\" width=\"607\" height=\"560\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/220-ohm.png 607w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/220-ohm-300x277.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 607px) 100vw, 607px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26346\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">220 ohm resistor color code (Reference: <strong>arduinotogo.com<\/strong>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Red is the first color, and its value is 2, as we can see from the decoder.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Similarly, the second color is red, so we get 22.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a brown multiplier, which decodes to 10. Multiplying 22 by 10 gives us 220.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Tolerance, the final band, is gold. There is a margin of error of 5% for gold, in other words, we can accept a resistance with a margin of error of 5%.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Additionally, there are five band resistors with a third significant figure for makers who require greater precision. In circuits sensitive to resistance, such as scientific and engineering instruments, the extra figure provides clarity.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Below is a resistor color code for a 220 Ohm five-band resistor.<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26347\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26347\" style=\"width: 410px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-26347\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/220_5bands.png\" alt=\"Guide to Resistor Color Code\" width=\"410\" height=\"403\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/220_5bands.png 410w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/220_5bands-300x295.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 410px) 100vw, 410px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26347\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">220-ohm 5-band resistor color code (Reference: <strong>support.arduino.cc<\/strong>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">According to the decoder, red has a value of 2 as the first significant figure.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is a second significant figure that is also red, so we have 22.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Three significant figures correspond to zero, as indicated by black. Now we have 220.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The multiplier is black, which decodes to 1. Multiplying 220 by 1 gives us 220.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The last band is black, which represents tolerance. With black being 1%, we can accept a resistance that is within a 1% range of error.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h2><\/h2>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"The_British_Standard_Code_BS_1852\"><\/span><b>The British Standard Code (BS 1852)<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">It is generally not necessary to use resistor color code systems on larger power resistors since the resistance value, tolerance, and even the power rating (wattage) are printed on the resistor body itself. An easier system was developed for writing and printing the resistance values of the individual resistances in part due to the ease with which a decimal point or comma can be misread on dirty or discolored components.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As per BS 1852 Standards, as well as its successor, BS EN 60062, this system replaces the decimal point position with a suffix of \u201cK\u201d for thousands and kilohms, \u201cM\u201d for millions and mega ohms, which are used to denote the multiplier value with \u201cR\u201d being used in cases where the multiplier equals or is less than one, and any number following these letters is equivalent to a decimal.<\/span><\/p>\n<h3><\/h3>\n<h3><b>BS 1852 Letter Coding for Resistors<\/b><\/h3>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26348\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26348\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-26348\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/BS_1852_Letter_Coding_for_Resistors.png\" alt=\"Guide to Resistor Color Code\" width=\"360\" height=\"355\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/BS_1852_Letter_Coding_for_Resistors.png 360w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/BS_1852_Letter_Coding_for_Resistors-300x296.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26348\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">BS 1852 codes for resistors (Reference: <strong>dnatechindia.com<\/strong>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Depending on the manufacturer, there is sometimes an additional letter following the resistance value that indicates the resistors tolerance amount, such as 4k7 J. These suffix letters are given as follows:<\/span><\/p>\n<figure id=\"attachment_26349\" aria-describedby=\"caption-attachment-26349\" style=\"width: 360px\" class=\"wp-caption aligncenter\"><img decoding=\"async\" class=\"size-full wp-image-26349\" src=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Tolerance_Codes_for_Resistors.png\" alt=\"Guide to Resistor Color Code\" width=\"360\" height=\"294\" title=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Tolerance_Codes_for_Resistors.png 360w, https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2023\/02\/Tolerance_Codes_for_Resistors-300x245.png 300w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 360px) 100vw, 360px\" \/><figcaption id=\"caption-attachment-26349\" class=\"wp-caption-text\">Tolerance codes for resistors (Reference: <strong>dnatechindia.com<\/strong>)<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resistor Colour Code for Tolerance, E-series, and Preferred Values<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There are many types of resistors available in different sizes and resistance values, but in order to have a resistor for every resistance available, literally hundreds of thousands, if not millions of individual resistors are required. Preferred values are used instead when manufacturing resistors.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resistor values are not sequentially specified but are listed within certain tolerances. Tolerance refers to the maximum difference between the actual and required values of a resistor, and it is generally expressed as a percentage. For instance, a 1k\u03a9 \u00b120% tolerance resistor could have the following maximum and minimum resistive values:<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Maximum Resistance Value= 1k\u03a9 or 1000\u03a9 + 20% = 1,200\u03a9<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Minimum Resistance Value= 1k\u03a9 or 1000\u03a9 \u2013 20% = 800\u03a9<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">As you can see from the example above, a 1k\u03a9 \u00b120% tolerance resistor is capable of a maximum value of 1200\u03a9 and a minimum value of 800\u03a9 which results in a difference of 400\u03a9 using the same resistor value.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A 20% tolerance on the same resistor is normally not a problem in most electrical or electronic circuits, however, when resistors with close tolerances are required for high-accuracy circuits such as filters, oscillators, amplifiers, and so on, the correct tolerance resistor must be used, as a 20% tolerance resistor does not meet 2% or even 1% tolerances.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The five-band and six-band resistor color codes are more common on high precision 1% and 2% film resistors, while four-band resistor color codes are more common on 5% and 10% general purpose types. Resistors come in a variety of tolerances, but E12 and E24 series are the most common.<\/span><\/p>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Resistance values for the E12 series are based on a decade of 10 values, i.e. 10, 100, 1000, while for the E24 series twenty-four values per decade are used, and for the E96 series it is ninety-six values per decade. With the E192 series, you can now get very high precision with tolerances of just \u00b1 0.1%, which results in 192 separate resistor values per decade.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span><b>FAQs<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>Which end of the resistor should I read first?<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<ol>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The color bands of many resistors are grouped closer together or toward one end. You should hold the resistor to your left with these bands grouped together. When reading resistors, always read them left to right.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">There is never a metallic band on the left side of a resistor. You have a 5% or 10% tolerance resistor if it has a gold or silver band at one end. This band should be on the right side of your resistor, and you should read it from left to right.<\/span><\/li>\n<li style=\"font-weight: 400;\" aria-level=\"1\"><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A basic resistor ranges in value between 0.1 ohm and 10 megaohm. Taking this into account, remember that the third color of a four-band resistor will always be blue (106) or less, while the fourth color of a five-band resistor should be green (105) or less.<\/span><\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>What are the reasons for not using metallic colors in my high voltage resistor?<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">To prevent metal particles from being embedded in the exterior coating of high voltage resistors, gold and silver are replaced with yellow and gray.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>How does a zero-ohm resistor work?<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">In printed circuit boards, zero-ohm resistors are wire links that are easily recognizable by their single black band. As they are packaged like resistors, they can also be placed on circuit boards using the same automated equipment as resistors. Using this design, a jumper wire is not required to be installed separately.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>What is the best way to memorize the chart&#8217;s colors?<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">A number of mnemonics are available on the Internet for memorizing color code for resistors, but some are easier to remember than others. As another way to memorize the color chart, consider black as the absence of color, which is &#8220;0&#8221;; white, on the other hand, is the combination of all colors, which is &#8220;9&#8221;. For the numbers 2 through 7, you&#8217;ll find rainbow colors arranged in order, so your childhood ROY-G-BIV acronym applies, except for the color indigo. You just need to remember that brown lies in the middle of black and red as &#8220;1&#8221; and gray lies between violet and white as &#8220;8&#8221; and you&#8217;re done!<\/span><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li aria-level=\"1\"><b><i>What does the term &#8220;reliability&#8221; band mean?<\/i><\/b><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">Usually, military-specified resistors have an additional band on four-band resistors that is used to represent reliability or the failure rate expressed in percentage) per 1,000 hours of operation. Commercial electronics rarely use this.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Conclusion\"><\/span><b>Conclusion<\/b><span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\">The purpose of this article is to provide you with essential information about resistor color codes. With this knowledge in hand, get out there and impress all your friends now that you&#8217;ve learned the basics and tricks. Contact <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/experts?category_id=738&amp;cn=electrical\"><b>Linquip Electrical Experts<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you have any questions about choosing the right resistor for your particular application. In addition, the Linquip platform also connects you with a variety of <\/span><a href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/suppliers-companies\/service-provider?category_id=738&amp;cn=electrical\"><b>Electrical Service Providers<\/b><\/a><span style=\"font-weight: 400;\"> if you need services related to your electrical equipment.<\/span><\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Download_PDF_for_Guide_to_Resistor_Color_Code\"><\/span>Download PDF for Guide to Resistor Color Code<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>You can download the PDF format of this post from the link provided\u00a0<b>here<\/b>.<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<h3><b>Buy Equipment or Ask for a Service<\/b><\/h3>\n<p>By using Linquip RFQ Service, you can expect\u00a0to receive quotations from various suppliers across multiple industries and regions.<\/p>\n<p style=\"text-align: center;\"><strong><a href=\"http:\/\/linquip.com\/get-quote?utm_source=blog&amp;utm_medium=content&amp;utm_campaign=product_list&amp;utm_term=product_list&amp;utm_content=rfq\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Click Here to Request a Quotation From Suppliers and Service Providers<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n<p><strong><em>Read More On Linquip<\/em><\/strong><\/p>\n<ul>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\" data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;What is Shunt Resistor? + Function &amp; Applications&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:1073857,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;9&quot;:1,&quot;10&quot;:1,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;16&quot;:11,&quot;17&quot;:1,&quot;23&quot;:1}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-shunt-resistor\/\"><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-shunt-resistor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is Shunt Resistor? + Function &amp; Applications<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\" data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;What Are Resistors for LED Circuits? (Clear Guide)&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:1073857,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;9&quot;:1,&quot;10&quot;:1,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;16&quot;:11,&quot;17&quot;:1,&quot;23&quot;:1}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-are-resistors-for-led-circuits\/\"><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-are-resistors-for-led-circuits\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What Are Resistors for LED Circuits? (Clear Guide)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\" data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;What is Braking Resistor? (A Practical Guide)&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:1073857,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;9&quot;:1,&quot;10&quot;:1,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;16&quot;:11,&quot;17&quot;:1,&quot;23&quot;:1}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-braking-resistor\/\"><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-braking-resistor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is Braking Resistor? (A Practical Guide)<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\" data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;All You Need to Know About Guide to Resistor Values&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:1073857,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;9&quot;:1,&quot;10&quot;:1,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;16&quot;:11,&quot;17&quot;:1,&quot;23&quot;:1}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-values\/\"><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-values\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">All You Need to Know About Guide to Resistor Values<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><strong><a title=\"Mastering Resistance Calculations: A Comprehensive Guide for Electrical Enthusiasts\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/mastering-resistance-calculations\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\">Mastering Resistance Calculations: A Comprehensive Guide for Electrical Enthusiasts<\/span><\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\" data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;What is Pull-up and Pull-down Resistors? + Typical Application&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:1073857,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;9&quot;:1,&quot;10&quot;:1,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;16&quot;:11,&quot;17&quot;:1,&quot;23&quot;:1}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-pull-up-and-pull-down-resistors\/\"><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/what-is-pull-up-and-pull-down-resistors\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">What is Pull-up and Pull-down Resistors? + Typical Application<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\" data-sheets-value=\"{&quot;1&quot;:2,&quot;2&quot;:&quot;A Quick Guide to Resistor Sizes and Packages&quot;}\" data-sheets-userformat=\"{&quot;2&quot;:1073857,&quot;3&quot;:{&quot;1&quot;:0},&quot;9&quot;:1,&quot;10&quot;:1,&quot;12&quot;:0,&quot;16&quot;:11,&quot;17&quot;:1,&quot;23&quot;:1}\" data-sheets-hyperlink=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-sizes-and-packages\/\"><a class=\"in-cell-link\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/guide-to-resistor-sizes-and-packages\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">A Quick Guide to Resistor Sizes and Packages<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><a title=\"Types of Resistor: Classification, Application, and Finally Clarification\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/types-of-resistor-classification-application\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Types of Resistor: Classification, Application, and Finally Clarification<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><a title=\"Variable Resistor Symbol\u0589 Everything You Need to Know\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/variable-resistor-symbol\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Variable Resistor Symbol\u0589 Everything You Need to Know<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><a title=\"Variable Resistor\u2236 Learn The Basics, Get The Most out of It!\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/variable-resistor\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Variable Resistor\u2236 Learn The Basics, Get The Most out of It!<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<li><span style=\"text-decoration: underline;\"><span style=\"font-size: 10pt;\"><strong><span style=\"font-family: verdana, geneva, sans-serif;\"><a title=\"Everything You Need to Know About Variable Resistor Function\" href=\"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/variable-resistor-function\/\" target=\"_blank\" rel=\"noopener\">Everything You Need to Know About Variable Resistor Function<\/a><\/span><\/strong><\/span><\/span><\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>This is a detailed guide to resistor color code. It is easy to read resistor color codes after learning what each band means and how it is calculated. In some cases, even the temperature coefficient is indicated by each band. Linquip offers a wide range of information about resistors so that you have a complete &#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":11,"featured_media":26350,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"site-sidebar-layout":"default","site-content-layout":"default","ast-main-header-display":"","ast-hfb-above-header-display":"","ast-hfb-below-header-display":"","ast-hfb-mobile-header-display":"","site-post-title":"","ast-breadcrumbs-content":"","ast-featured-img":"","footer-sml-layout":"","theme-transparent-header-meta":"default","adv-header-id-meta":"","stick-header-meta":"","header-above-stick-meta":"","header-main-stick-meta":"","header-below-stick-meta":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[21],"tags":[333],"class_list":["post-26342","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-electrical-component","tag-industrial-guideline"],"acf":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26342","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/11"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=26342"}],"version-history":[{"count":6,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26342\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":28844,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/26342\/revisions\/28844"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/26350"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=26342"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=26342"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.linquip.com\/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=26342"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}