Resistors and the Resistor Color Code

Wire Wound Resistors

Carbon Composition Resistors

• Notice the varying sizes (Wattage Ratings) and that some have four bands and some have five bands.

Variable Resistors: Potentiometers, Photoresistors

Resistor Color Code (4 Bands)• (0) Black• (1) Brown• (2) Red• (3) Orange• (4) Yellow• (5) Green• (6) Blue• (7) Violet• (8) Grey• (9) White

1st Digit 2nd Digit Multiplier Tolerance

Tolerance Band: Brown = ±1%, Red = ±2%, Gold = ±5%, Silver = ± 10 %

Resistor Color Code (4 Bands)• (0) Black• (1) Brown• (2) Red• (3) Orange• (4) Yellow• (5) Green• (6) Blue• (7) Violet• (8) Grey• (9) White

1st Digit 2nd Digit Multiplier Tolerance

Tolerance Band: Brown = ±1%, Red = ±2%, Gold = ±5%, Silver = ± 10 %

4 7 000 ±5%

Resistor Color Code (4 Bands)• (0) Black• (1) Brown• (2) Red• (3) Orange• (4) Yellow• (5) Green• (6) Blue• (7) Violet• (8) Grey• (9) White

1st Digit 2nd Digit Multiplier Tolerance

Tolerance Band: Brown = ±1%, Red = ±2%, Gold = ±5%, Silver = ± 10 %

1 5 - ±10%

Calculating the Tolerance: Previous Example• (0) Black• (1) Brown• (2) Red• (3) Orange• (4) Yellow• (5) Green• (6) Blue• (7) Violet• (8) Grey• (9) White

1st Digit 2nd Digit Multiplier Tolerance

1 5 ±10%

15 X 10%= 1.5 ΩThe tolerance range for this resistor is 13.5 – 16.5 Ω

-

Tolerance Band: Brown = ±1%, Red = ±2%, Gold = ±5%, Silver = ± 10 %

Resistor Color Code (4 Bands): Less than 10 Ω

• (0) Black• (1) Brown• (2) Red• (3) Orange• (4) Yellow• (5) Green• (6) Blue• (7) Violet• (8) Grey• (9) White• (.01) Silver• (.1) Gold

1st Digit 2nd Digit Multiplier Tolerance

A resistor that has a value less than 10 Ω will be silver or gold in the multiplier band.

Tolerance Band: Brown = ±1%, Red = ±2%, Gold = ±5%, Silver = ± 10 %

±5%*.165

R =5.6 Ω

Resistor Color Code (5 Bands)• (0) Black• (1) Brown• (2) Red• (3) Orange• (4) Yellow• (5) Green• (6) Blue• (7) Violet• (8) Grey• (9) White

1st Digit 2nd Digit Multiplier Tolerance

Tolerance Band: Brown = ±1%, Red = ±2%, Gold = ±5%, Silver = ± 10 %

3rd Digit

±2%000682

Online Color Code Apps• http://www.dannyg.com/examples/res2/resistor.htm• http://samengstrom.com/nxl/3660/4_band_resistor_color_code_page.en.html

Check for Understanding

• Throw out a few resistors to students and determine values as a class.

• Give the students the values and then have them determine the colors of the bands.

• Resistor Color Code Worksheet and Lab