Do you wonder what the resistor color codes on your resistor mean?
Resistors have color bands on them. Usually 4 or 5. You can easily figure out the resistance value of your resistor by looking at theses bands and comparing them with the colors in the table below.
Further down this page, you’ll find examples of how to use the color table.
Bookmark this page and print out the table below to quickly find the resistor color codes when you need them.
[Click here to download the resistor color codes PDF]
How To Use The Resistor Color Codes Table
In the resistor color codes table you have digits, a multiplier, and a tolerance.
The multiplier tells you what you need to multiply your digits with to get the value. The tolerance tells you how accurate this value is.
If your resistor has four color bands:
- The first two bands give you the digits
- The third band gives you the multiplier
- The fourth band gives you the tolerance
If your resistor has five bands, the first three bands give you the digits. And the following to give you the multiplier and the tolerance.
Example #1
This resistor has four bands. The resistor color codes are yellow – purple – orange – gold.
From the table above we find that this means:
- Digit 4
- Digit 7
- Multiplier 1000
- Tolerance 5%
47 multiplied with 1000 is 47000.
So this is a resistor with 47000 Ohms (47k Ohms).
Tolerance 5% means that the real value could be 5% higher or lower than 47k.
Example #2
This resistor has five bands. The resistor color codes are orange – green – black – red – brown.
From the table above we find that this means:
- Digit: 3
- Digit: 5
- Digit: 0
- Multiplier: 100
- Tolerance: 1%
350 multiplied with 100 is 35000.
So this is a resistor with 35000 Ohms (35k Ohms).
Tolerance 1% means that the real value could be 1% higher or lower than 35k.
Learn More About Resistors
Or read more about Basic Electronic Components
sakthivel says
July 7, 2016 at 5:34 pmYour article is very very simple and convenient to understand .
admin says
July 10, 2016 at 1:12 pmI’m glad you like it!
vbtumma says
July 9, 2016 at 4:15 pmYour exlanation of 4 band & 5 band colour code using single colour-chart is excellent; and needs no further comparision between two types of resistorcolour code.
admin says
July 10, 2016 at 1:09 pmGreat to hear!
Oyvind
Mr Nchabeleng says
July 12, 2016 at 1:39 pmThis is far better than what we learn at school!!!
Mr Nchabeleng says
July 12, 2016 at 1:43 pmFrom which side of the resistor do we start checking the sequence of the colours?
admin says
July 13, 2016 at 8:26 amGood question.
Make sure you have the tolerance band on the right when looking at your resistor.
Often you’ll see that the last band, the tolerance band, is a bit further away from the rest of the bands. If not, then look for a band that is silver or gold, only the tolerance band can be silver or gold.
Best,
Oyvind
Mr Nchabeleng says
July 16, 2016 at 4:36 pmThnx very much!!!
Basanta Dinda says
July 30, 2017 at 9:55 amman jani
Ram says
February 15, 2017 at 8:51 pmAm very much eager to join ohmify,
not able to sign up using Debit card payment
admin says
February 16, 2017 at 1:26 amHey Ram,
If you get a message that the transaction was unsuccessful or declined, you need to talk with your bank. It might be that they have restrictions on international payments.
Best,
Oyvind
Basanta Dinda says
July 30, 2017 at 9:57 amvery much
Josiah Ahern says
February 21, 2018 at 11:14 pmIf the Tolerance is lets say 5%, as you said that it could be greater than or less then 45k. How do we know if it is greater or lesser? Or does it not matter much that it might do more or less then what it color bands say it has?
admin says
February 27, 2018 at 5:42 pmYou don’t know. You just know that it’s within 5% of the value. If you need something more accurate, you can find higher tolerances too.
Best,
Oyvind