Resistor colour code table

- the colour code markings used for leaded resistors to mark their value

Resistors are widely used in all areas of electronics. They are one of the most widely used component, and they are produced in their billions each year. There is a very large number of standard values of resistor that can be used, and as a result it is necessary to be able to identify the value of a resistor.

In view of this it is necessary to have a convenient method of marking resistors used in electronic circuits that will remain easily visible at all times. This is the reason for marking resistors with a colour code rather than marking them with the value in figures. Figures printed onto the resistors could easily be removed or obscured during handling, or subsequent insertion into the electronics circuit. Having a resistor colour code using coloured ings around the component overcomes both these problems.

The resistor colour code bands give the value of the resistor as well as other information including the tolerance and sometimes the temperature coefficient. The band closest to the end of the resistor body is taken to be Band 1. The first two bands of the resistor colour code are the significant figures of the value, and the third of the resistor colour code is a multiplier, e.g. referring to the table below a resistor marked with bands: red

On occasions high tolerance resistors may use a resistor colour code with four bands for the value. Three bands are used for the significant figures and one for the multiplier.

Resistor Colour Code

Colour	Band 1 1st Figure	Band 2 2nd Figure	Band 3 3rd Figure	Band 4 Tolerance
Black	0	0	100
Brown	1	1	101	1%
Red	2	2	102	2%
Orange	3	3	103
Yellow	4	4	104
Green	5	5	105
Blue	6	6	106
Violet	7	7	107
Grey	8	8	108
White	9	9	109
Gold				5%
Silver				10%
None				20%

The resistor colour code is used in virtually all leaded resistors with power dissipation levels up to about a watt. Beyond this the resistors are generally large enough, and use a different form of construction allowing sufficient space for the values to be marked in figures. Nevertheless the resistor colour code is the most widely used system for leaded resistors. The same basic concept is also used on some capacitors.