Free Engineering Tool
Measurement
Resistor Colour Code Calculator
Click a colour under each band to match your resistor. The drawing, the value and the tolerance range all update as you go.
- Free
- No sign-up
- Runs in your browser
- Your numbers never leave your device
Inputs
Number of bands
Band 1 (first digit)
Band 2 (second digit)
Band 3 (third digit)
Multiplier
Tolerance
Temperature coefficient
Readout
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Minimum
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Maximum
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Temp. coefficient
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How to read the bands
Hold the resistor so the tolerance band (usually gold or silver, set slightly apart) is on the right. Read from the left.
- 4 band: two digits, a multiplier, then tolerance.
- 5 band: three digits, a multiplier, then tolerance. Used for precision parts.
- 6 band: as 5 band, plus a temperature coefficient in ppm per °C.
Value = (digits) × 10multiplier · gold multiplier = ×0.1, silver = ×0.01
Check it with a meter
Colours fade and can be misread, particularly red, orange and brown. Confirm the value with a multimeter or an LCR meter, with the resistor out of circuit. See how to choose an LCR meter.
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