Resistor Color Codes

Jul 15, 2003 12:00 PM

           

The Standard EIA Resistor Color Code is used to imprint a resistor's value and tolerance in a standardized shorthand. Resistors will have either four or five color bands. The basic method of determining the value is the same for each, but there are some minor differences.

Four-band Resistors

Color	1st band (1st figure)	2nd band (2nd figure)	3rd band (multiplier)	4th band (tolerance)
Black	0	0	100
Brown	1	1	101
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
Gray	8	8	108
White	9	9	109
Gold			10-1	±5%
Silver			10-2	±10%

Five-band Resistors

Color	1st band (1st figure)	2nd band (2nd figure)	3rd band (3rd figure)	4th band (multiplier)	5th band (tolerance)
Black	0	0	0	100
Brown	1	1	1	101	±1%
Red	2	2	2	102
Orange	3	3	3	103
Yellow	4	4	4	104
Green	5	5	5	105
Blue	6	6	6	106	±0.5%
Violet	7	7	7	107	±0.25%
Gray	8	8	8	108	±0.1%
White	9	9	9	109
Gold				10-1

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