Resistor colour codes

The bands on a resistor are two digits, a multiplier and a tolerance. This gives the code for every value that is actually manufactured at ±5% — the E24 series — and the table answers the question from either end: the bands you need for a value, or the value a set of bands means.

The tables the code is built from

Colour	Digit	Multiplier	Tolerance
black	0	× 1	—
brown	1	× 10	± 1%
red	2	× 100	± 2%
orange	3	× 1,000	—
yellow	4	× 10,000	—
green	5	× 100,000	± 0.5%
blue	6	× 1,000,000	± 0.25%
violet	7	—	± 0.1%
grey	8	—	—
white	9	—	—
gold	—	÷ 10	± 5%
silver	—	÷ 100	± 10%

Which end to read from

The tolerance band sits slightly further from the other three, and it is gold or silver on most resistors. Neither gold nor silver is a digit colour, so a gold or silver band is telling you which end is the last one — start reading from the other. On a resistor with no gold or silver at all, the wider gap before the last band is the only clue, and it is worth measuring rather than guessing.

Why these values and not round ones

E24 is 24 values per decade, spaced so that the ±5% ranges of neighbouring values very nearly meet. There is no gap left between one value and the next, so there is nothing to be gained by making anything in between — which is why a shop sells 4.7 kΩ and 5.1 kΩ but not 5 kΩ. The ±10% series, E12, uses half as many values for the same reason.

1 Ω to 9.1 Ω

Value	Bands
1 Ω	brown black gold gold
1.1 Ω	brown brown gold gold
1.2 Ω	brown red gold gold
1.3 Ω	brown orange gold gold
1.5 Ω	brown green gold gold
1.6 Ω	brown blue gold gold
1.8 Ω	brown grey gold gold
2 Ω	red black gold gold
2.2 Ω	red red gold gold
2.4 Ω	red yellow gold gold
2.7 Ω	red violet gold gold
3 Ω	orange black gold gold
3.3 Ω	orange orange gold gold
3.6 Ω	orange blue gold gold
3.9 Ω	orange white gold gold
4.3 Ω	yellow orange gold gold
4.7 Ω	yellow violet gold gold
5.1 Ω	green brown gold gold
5.6 Ω	green blue gold gold
6.2 Ω	blue red gold gold
6.8 Ω	blue grey gold gold
7.5 Ω	violet green gold gold
8.2 Ω	grey red gold gold
9.1 Ω	white brown gold gold

10 Ω to 91 Ω

Value	Bands
10 Ω	brown black black gold
11 Ω	brown brown black gold
12 Ω	brown red black gold
13 Ω	brown orange black gold
15 Ω	brown green black gold
16 Ω	brown blue black gold
18 Ω	brown grey black gold
20 Ω	red black black gold
22 Ω	red red black gold
24 Ω	red yellow black gold
27 Ω	red violet black gold
30 Ω	orange black black gold
33 Ω	orange orange black gold
36 Ω	orange blue black gold
39 Ω	orange white black gold
43 Ω	yellow orange black gold
47 Ω	yellow violet black gold
51 Ω	green brown black gold
56 Ω	green blue black gold
62 Ω	blue red black gold
68 Ω	blue grey black gold
75 Ω	violet green black gold
82 Ω	grey red black gold
91 Ω	white brown black gold

100 Ω to 910 Ω

Value	Bands
100 Ω	brown black brown gold
110 Ω	brown brown brown gold
120 Ω	brown red brown gold
130 Ω	brown orange brown gold
150 Ω	brown green brown gold
160 Ω	brown blue brown gold
180 Ω	brown grey brown gold
200 Ω	red black brown gold
220 Ω	red red brown gold
240 Ω	red yellow brown gold
270 Ω	red violet brown gold
300 Ω	orange black brown gold
330 Ω	orange orange brown gold
360 Ω	orange blue brown gold
390 Ω	orange white brown gold
430 Ω	yellow orange brown gold
470 Ω	yellow violet brown gold
510 Ω	green brown brown gold
560 Ω	green blue brown gold
620 Ω	blue red brown gold
680 Ω	blue grey brown gold
750 Ω	violet green brown gold
820 Ω	grey red brown gold
910 Ω	white brown brown gold

1 kΩ to 9.1 kΩ

Value	Bands
1 kΩ	brown black red gold
1.1 kΩ	brown brown red gold
1.2 kΩ	brown red red gold
1.3 kΩ	brown orange red gold
1.5 kΩ	brown green red gold
1.6 kΩ	brown blue red gold
1.8 kΩ	brown grey red gold
2 kΩ	red black red gold
2.2 kΩ	red red red gold
2.4 kΩ	red yellow red gold
2.7 kΩ	red violet red gold
3 kΩ	orange black red gold
3.3 kΩ	orange orange red gold
3.6 kΩ	orange blue red gold
3.9 kΩ	orange white red gold
4.3 kΩ	yellow orange red gold
4.7 kΩ	yellow violet red gold
5.1 kΩ	green brown red gold
5.6 kΩ	green blue red gold
6.2 kΩ	blue red red gold
6.8 kΩ	blue grey red gold
7.5 kΩ	violet green red gold
8.2 kΩ	grey red red gold
9.1 kΩ	white brown red gold

10 kΩ to 91 kΩ

Value	Bands
10 kΩ	brown black orange gold
11 kΩ	brown brown orange gold
12 kΩ	brown red orange gold
13 kΩ	brown orange orange gold
15 kΩ	brown green orange gold
16 kΩ	brown blue orange gold
18 kΩ	brown grey orange gold
20 kΩ	red black orange gold
22 kΩ	red red orange gold
24 kΩ	red yellow orange gold
27 kΩ	red violet orange gold
30 kΩ	orange black orange gold
33 kΩ	orange orange orange gold
36 kΩ	orange blue orange gold
39 kΩ	orange white orange gold
43 kΩ	yellow orange orange gold
47 kΩ	yellow violet orange gold
51 kΩ	green brown orange gold
56 kΩ	green blue orange gold
62 kΩ	blue red orange gold
68 kΩ	blue grey orange gold
75 kΩ	violet green orange gold
82 kΩ	grey red orange gold
91 kΩ	white brown orange gold

100 kΩ to 910 kΩ

Value	Bands
100 kΩ	brown black yellow gold
110 kΩ	brown brown yellow gold
120 kΩ	brown red yellow gold
130 kΩ	brown orange yellow gold
150 kΩ	brown green yellow gold
160 kΩ	brown blue yellow gold
180 kΩ	brown grey yellow gold
200 kΩ	red black yellow gold
220 kΩ	red red yellow gold
240 kΩ	red yellow yellow gold
270 kΩ	red violet yellow gold
300 kΩ	orange black yellow gold
330 kΩ	orange orange yellow gold
360 kΩ	orange blue yellow gold
390 kΩ	orange white yellow gold
430 kΩ	yellow orange yellow gold
470 kΩ	yellow violet yellow gold
510 kΩ	green brown yellow gold
560 kΩ	green blue yellow gold
620 kΩ	blue red yellow gold
680 kΩ	blue grey yellow gold
750 kΩ	violet green yellow gold
820 kΩ	grey red yellow gold
910 kΩ	white brown yellow gold

1 MΩ to 9.1 MΩ

Value	Bands
1 MΩ	brown black green gold
1.1 MΩ	brown brown green gold
1.2 MΩ	brown red green gold
1.3 MΩ	brown orange green gold
1.5 MΩ	brown green green gold
1.6 MΩ	brown blue green gold
1.8 MΩ	brown grey green gold
2 MΩ	red black green gold
2.2 MΩ	red red green gold
2.4 MΩ	red yellow green gold
2.7 MΩ	red violet green gold
3 MΩ	orange black green gold
3.3 MΩ	orange orange green gold
3.6 MΩ	orange blue green gold
3.9 MΩ	orange white green gold
4.3 MΩ	yellow orange green gold
4.7 MΩ	yellow violet green gold
5.1 MΩ	green brown green gold
5.6 MΩ	green blue green gold
6.2 MΩ	blue red green gold
6.8 MΩ	blue grey green gold
7.5 MΩ	violet green green gold
8.2 MΩ	grey red green gold
9.1 MΩ	white brown green gold

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