What is a Resistor Color Code?
A resistor color code is a visual marking system used to indicate the resistance value, tolerance, and sometimes reliability or temperature coefficient of a resistor. Each color corresponds to a number, multiplier or tolerance level.
4-Band vs 5-Band Resistors
4-band resistors use two digit bands, a multiplier and a tolerance band. 5-band resistors add an extra significant digit for higher precision.
SMT (Surface-Mount) Codes
SMT resistors use numerical codes printed on the resistor body. Example: "472" means 47 × 102 = 4700 Ω (4.7kΩ).
Color Code Table
| Color | Digit | Multiplier | Tolerance |
|---|---|---|---|
| Black | 0 | ×1 | - |
| Brown | 1 | ×10 | ±1% |
| Red | 2 | ×100 | ±2% |
| Orange | 3 | ×1k | - |
| Yellow | 4 | ×10k | - |
| Green | 5 | ×100k | ±0.5% |
| Blue | 6 | ×1M | ±0.25% |
| Violet | 7 | ×10M | ±0.1% |
| Gray | 8 | ×100M | - |
| White | 9 | - | - |
| Gold | - | ×0.1 | ±5% |
| Silver | - | ×0.01 | ±10% |