add 4 zeros after the 2 significant figures). Multiplier: the yellow color corresponds to the digit 4, the significant digits have to be multiplied by 10 4 (ie.

Second significant figure: the red color corresponds to the digit 2.

First significant figure: the red color corresponds to the digit 2 (see the correspondence between color and digit in the summary table).

The selling price of the resistor is inversely proportional to its precision.

The fourth determines the tolerance of the resistor that indicates the incertitude on the effective value of the resistor given by the manufacturer.

The third gives the multiplier, in other words the power of 10 to be multiplied to significant digits (the number of zeros to add to the significant figures).

The first two bands provide significant figures: the first gives the ten and the second the unit.

Each resistor type is described in the following paragraphs. There are three types of resistors depending on the number of bands: 4-band, 5-band and 6-band resistors.

In other cases, it is the largest band that must be placed on the right or the band placed closest the extremity you must put on the left. Usually, the resistor has a gold or silver band that must be placed on the right. You must first turn the resistor the right way up. The most widely used for consumer electronics is the E24 series (tolerance ±5%): in this series, 24 standard values are defined and for which it is possible to use a multiple of 10 (it is known as «decade»). These values are classified by series associated with a specific tolerance. Resistor values are standardized and defined by the international standard «IEC 60063» entitled «Preferred number series for resistors and capacitors».

It is defined by the international standard IEC 60062 entitled 'Marking codes for resistors and capacitors'.Įxample of a resistor (source ): The correspondence between the digits and the colors of the bands is named the resistor color code: this code is used to determine the value of a resistor or indicate its values by using a color code. In most cases, the resistor is presented with colored rings (bands) around it. This information is deliberately brief - but sufficient - because of the many electronic lessons that can be found on the Internet. This lesson explains how to read the color code painted on the bands of the resistors.

How to read resistor color code