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The Resistor Color Code Calculator identifies the value and tolerance of a color coded. It describes the coding standard for both resistors and capacitors.
The system that uses various types of colors to display various information is termed as the color code or color code system. The red color is used to signify danger and white color is used to signify safety in a color code system adopted by the United Kingdom. Similarly, the color code is being used in various systems such as electronics, video games, navigation, military, social functions, and so on. Let us consider the color code used in electronics, phase, neutral, and ground wires are represented by specific color code. Majorly, electronic color code is used for representing various electronic components and their values such as resistor color code, capacitor color code, and inductor color code.
Capacitor Color Code
The electronic color code systems are various types in which, well known resistor color code system is used for identifying the value of resistors. Similarly, the tolerance or voltage value or capacitance values are represented on the capacitor’s body using alphanumeric characters. In the capacitor color code system, if the capacitance value consists of a decimal point, then it is not easy to read the capacitance value which results in misreading. Thus, decimal points are mostly avoided and Pico (p) or Nano (n) are used to represent decimal point number’s weight and position.
There are various types of capacitors such as ceramic disc, ceramic tubular, button mica molded mica, dipped mica, air trimmers, paper and film capacitors which are represented using various types of capacitor color codes and capacitor codes. The capacitor calculator can be used to find the value of various types of capacitors.
Color Coding of Capacitor
To understand about capacitor color code, primarily we must know various parameters of capacitors such as capacitor value, tolerance of capacitor, working voltage of the capacitor, and leakage current of the capacitor.
In general, four or more than four colors or dots are used to mark capacitors. If we consider a four color band capacitor, then the first and second colors marked on the capacitor represents the value of the capacitor and the third color band represents the decimal multiplier in picofarads. Additional fourth or color bands thereon represent various things for various types of capacitors.
The value is represented on the capacitor by using capacitor color code or directly. The voltage (maximum) up to which the capacitor can withstand (before dielectric breakdown) is called as working voltage of the capacitor and capacitor voltage color code is represented in below table. In every capacitor, practically there will be small leakage current which is zero in ideal capacitors.
If the capacitor is having five bands, then the first band represents the first number of capacitor color code table shown in the above figure. Second band represents a second number from the chart and the third band represents the number of zeros. The fourth band represents the tolerance value which is usually indicated by black-20%, white-10, and green-5%. The fifth band represents the working voltage of the capacitor (example 250V-red and 400V-yellow).
The capacitor color code for ceramic capacitors is shown in the above figure in which first column represents different types of colors, the second column represents the value indicated by a specific color. Third column indicates the tolerance value (sub-columns for above and below 10pf) of the capacitor, fourth column indicates the temperature coefficient. In general, ceramic capacitors are labeled and if the number is less than one, then capacitor value is picofarads and if the number is greater than one, then the capacitor value is microfarads. In few capacitor color code representation ‘R’ is used as decimal, i.e., ‘4R7’ is used instead of ‘4.7’.
Hope, this article given a basic information regarding the capacitor color code. Let us discuss about a few examples to know how to find capacitor value using capacitor color code. Consider a metalized polyester capacitor as shown in the below figure which consists of five bands.
The five band capacitor shown in the above figure value can be determined using the capacitor color code chart discussed above. The value of five band capacitor is found to be having a capacitance value of 47nF with tolerance value of 10% and 250V working voltage. The capacitance tolerance value can be determined using the letter code table as shown below.
Consider another type of capacitor on which capacitor value is represented as shown in the figure below. Thus, the capacitor value can be found as, the first digit is 3, second digit is 3, third digit ‘3’ is multiplier in picofarads, and ‘J’ represents the tolerance value of the capacitor. Hence, capacitor value is 33pF multiplied by 1000 (multiplier is 3 = three zeros) and is equal to 33nF or 0.033uF.
So, it is easy to find the value of the capacitor using the code printed on the body of capacitor, either in picofarads or nanofarads or microfarads from the list of codes given in the table below.
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Resistor color code calculator
The calculator above will display the value, the tolerance and performs a simple check to verify if the calculated resistance matches one of the EIA standard values. Select the first 3 or 4 bands for 20%, 10% or 5% resistors and all 5 bands for precision (2% or less), 5-band resistors. Hover above the tolerance for min. and max. range values.
If you want to find out the color bands for a value, use the tool on the left. Enter the value, select the multiplier (Ω, K or M), the desired precision and hit 'Display resistor' or ENTER. You can also type in resistor values in shorthand notation like 1k5, 4M7 or 100R.
Standard EIA Decade Resistor Values:
E6 series: (20% tolerance)
10, 15, 22, 33, 47, 68
10, 15, 22, 33, 47, 68
E12 series: (10% tolerance)
10, 12, 15, 18, 22, 27, 33, 39, 47, 56, 68, 82
10, 12, 15, 18, 22, 27, 33, 39, 47, 56, 68, 82
E24 series: (5% tolerance)
10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 43, 47, 51, 56, 62, 68, 75, 82, 91
10, 11, 12, 13, 15, 16, 18, 20, 22, 24, 27, 30, 33, 36, 39, 43, 47, 51, 56, 62, 68, 75, 82, 91
E48 series: (2% tolerance)
100, 105, 110, 115, 121, 127, 133, 140, 147, 154, 162, 169, 178, 187, 196, 205, 215, 226, 237, 249, 261, 274, 287, 301, 316, 332, 348, 365, 383, 402, 422, 442, 464, 487, 511, 536, 562, 590, 619, 649, 681, 715, 750, 787, 825, 866, 909, 953
100, 105, 110, 115, 121, 127, 133, 140, 147, 154, 162, 169, 178, 187, 196, 205, 215, 226, 237, 249, 261, 274, 287, 301, 316, 332, 348, 365, 383, 402, 422, 442, 464, 487, 511, 536, 562, 590, 619, 649, 681, 715, 750, 787, 825, 866, 909, 953
E96 series: (1% tolerance)
100, 102, 105, 107, 110, 113, 115, 118, 121, 124, 127, 130, 133, 137, 140, 143, 147, 150, 154, 158, 162, 165, 169, 174, 178, 182, 187, 191, 196, 200, 205, 210, 215, 221, 226, 232, 237, 243, 249, 255, 261, 267, 274, 280, 287, 294, 301, 309, 316, 324, 332, 340, 348, 357, 365, 374, 383, 392, 402, 412, 422, 432, 442, 453, 464, 475, 487, 491, 511, 523, 536, 549, 562, 576, 590, 604, 619, 634, 649, 665, 681, 698, 715, 732, 750, 768, 787, 806, 825, 845, 866, 887, 909, 931, 959, 976
100, 102, 105, 107, 110, 113, 115, 118, 121, 124, 127, 130, 133, 137, 140, 143, 147, 150, 154, 158, 162, 165, 169, 174, 178, 182, 187, 191, 196, 200, 205, 210, 215, 221, 226, 232, 237, 243, 249, 255, 261, 267, 274, 280, 287, 294, 301, 309, 316, 324, 332, 340, 348, 357, 365, 374, 383, 392, 402, 412, 422, 432, 442, 453, 464, 475, 487, 491, 511, 523, 536, 549, 562, 576, 590, 604, 619, 634, 649, 665, 681, 698, 715, 732, 750, 768, 787, 806, 825, 845, 866, 887, 909, 931, 959, 976
E192 series: (0.5, 0.25, 0.1 and 0.05% tolerance)
100, 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 117, 118, 120, 121, 123, 124, 126, 127, 129, 130, 132, 133, 135, 137, 138, 140, 142, 143, 145, 147, 149, 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 165, 167, 169, 172, 174, 176, 178, 180, 182, 184, 187, 189, 191, 193, 196, 198, 200, 203, 205, 208, 210, 213, 215, 218, 221, 223, 226, 229, 232, 234, 237, 240, 243, 246, 249, 252, 255, 258, 261, 264, 267, 271, 274, 277, 280, 284, 287, 291, 294, 298, 301, 305, 309, 312, 316, 320, 324, 328, 332, 336, 340, 344, 348, 352, 357, 361, 365, 370, 374, 379, 383, 388, 392, 397, 402, 407, 412, 417, 422, 427, 432, 437, 442, 448, 453, 459, 464, 470, 475, 481, 487, 493, 499, 505, 511, 517, 523, 530, 536, 542, 549, 556, 562, 569, 576, 583, 590, 597, 604, 612, 619, 626, 634, 642, 649, 657, 665, 673, 681, 690, 698, 706, 715, 723, 732, 741, 750, 759, 768, 777, 787, 796, 806, 816, 825, 835, 845, 856, 866, 876, 887, 898, 909, 920, 931, 942, 953, 965, 976, 988
100, 101, 102, 104, 105, 106, 107, 109, 110, 111, 113, 114, 115, 117, 118, 120, 121, 123, 124, 126, 127, 129, 130, 132, 133, 135, 137, 138, 140, 142, 143, 145, 147, 149, 150, 152, 154, 156, 158, 160, 162, 164, 165, 167, 169, 172, 174, 176, 178, 180, 182, 184, 187, 189, 191, 193, 196, 198, 200, 203, 205, 208, 210, 213, 215, 218, 221, 223, 226, 229, 232, 234, 237, 240, 243, 246, 249, 252, 255, 258, 261, 264, 267, 271, 274, 277, 280, 284, 287, 291, 294, 298, 301, 305, 309, 312, 316, 320, 324, 328, 332, 336, 340, 344, 348, 352, 357, 361, 365, 370, 374, 379, 383, 388, 392, 397, 402, 407, 412, 417, 422, 427, 432, 437, 442, 448, 453, 459, 464, 470, 475, 481, 487, 493, 499, 505, 511, 517, 523, 530, 536, 542, 549, 556, 562, 569, 576, 583, 590, 597, 604, 612, 619, 626, 634, 642, 649, 657, 665, 673, 681, 690, 698, 706, 715, 723, 732, 741, 750, 759, 768, 777, 787, 796, 806, 816, 825, 835, 845, 856, 866, 876, 887, 898, 909, 920, 931, 942, 953, 965, 976, 988
FAQs
I have a 6-band resistor. How can I calculate its value?
Enter the first five colors. Resistors with 6 bands are basically 5-band resistors with an additional ring indicating the reliability or the temperature coefficient.
The resistor has only 3 bands
You don't have to enter the 4th band, as 20% resistors don't have a tolerance ring. They will be calculated using the 4 band rule (digit, digit, multiplier).
Examples:
Red, red, brown is a 220 ohm, 20% resistor
Brown, black, orange is a 10k, 20% resistor
Red, red, brown is a 220 ohm, 20% resistor
Brown, black, orange is a 10k, 20% resistor
Which band is the first?
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The short answer: you'll know that from experience! But there are some rules you can follow:
1.) Some resistors have the color bands grouped together and/or close to one end. Hold the resistor with the closely grouped bands to your left and read the resistor from the left to the right.
2.) With 5% and 10% resistors the procedure is simple: hold the resistor with the silver or gold band to the right and read the resistor from the left to the right.
3.) The first band can't be silver or gold, so if you hold such a resistor you'll know instantly where to start. Also, the 3rd color for 4-band resistors will be blue (106) or less and the 4th color for 5 band resistors will be green (105) or less, as basic resistor values range from 0.1 Ohm to 10 Mohms.
What happens, if I start reading from the wrong end?
You should always attempt to work out the value, then check your result against a resistor value chart to see if it's listed there. If it isn't, then try reading it again starting from the other end and check again. This is a necessary step especially with five and six banded metal film resistors.
Our color code calculator runs this check automatically for you, and if the result is not a standard value, it will display a small tip. The warnings are there for your information only and do not always imply that the resistor is was read the wrong way -- see the notes below.
Notes
1.) The resistor color code and the EIA preferred values are internationally accepted standards, but some manufacturers have their own way of doing things. For example, many resistor manufacturers make every single value on the E24 list in 1% and 2% tolerance even though the practice makes little mathematical sense.
2.) Although the program was tested rigorously, it still may have a few bugs. Therefore, when in doubt (and when it's possible) don't hesitate to use your trusted, old friend -- the multimeter -- to double-check the critical components.
Examples
3 bands:
Yellow, violet, black --> 47 ohm 20%
Orange, orange, brown --> 330 ohm 20%
Brown, black, red --> 1k 20%
4 bands:
Green, blue, red, gold --> 5.6kohm 5%
Red, yellow, orange, gold --> 24kohm 5%
Blue, gray, yellow, silver --> 680k 10%
More 4 band resistor color code examples: E12 and E24 series.
5 bands:
Red, yellow, orange, black, brown --> 243 ohms, 1% precision 5-band resistor
Yellow, violet, gold, gold, yellow --> 4.7 ohms, 5% - this resistor is calculated with the 4-band rule (the yellow band is ignored).
Orange, black, black, brown, brown --> 3.00 k ohms, 1% - note: this is a non-standard 1% (E96) resistor, but some manufacturers make every value from the E24 series with 1% tolerance!
More: 5 band E48 (2%) series resistor color code examples.
6 bands:
Red, red, brown, brown, brown, red --> 2.21k, 1% 50ppm/°C
White, black, white, brown, red, red --> 9.09k, 2% 50ppm/°C
- do not enter the last band (red in the two examples above)
Hobby Electronics -> Resistor color code table -> Resistor color code calculator